The Social Bar Scene

In our e-marketing class at PLU we have discussed how consumers today spend more of their time connected online more than any other form of entertainment. Of course it is no surprise then why local bars and breweries reward thirsty patrons who are passionate followers of their brand. Pyramid Brewery located in Seattle across from Safeco Field is a great example of integrating social media to attract customers. If you are the Mayor of Foursquare, you receive drink discounts at Pyramid. Pyramid Brewery stays social through Twitter, Foursquare, Yelp and Facebook to enhance brand awareness and connect to potential customers. Contests represent a unique opportunity to create PR and buzz for your brand. Currently, Pyramid is inviting people to submit a chance to win an all-inclusive three-day trip for four friends to the Land’s Music Festival in San Francisco. Pyramid also hosts its annual Snow Cap party in the fall and promotes the event by Twitter #SNOWCAP25 and records the event to be shared through YouTube to get people pumped up for an epic drinking party.

Groupon, the social site that promotes daily deals near you, has recently advertised for beer local tours in the Puget Sound. The social coupon site also offers daily deals for restaurants and bars near you. This is a helpful app to stay social with if you like to explore different restaurants without gouging your wallet.

 

Google Offers recently had a coupon offering customers a bartending class in Seattle at ABC Bartending School. Google has leverage with the social side of marketing and business transactions because the search engine is top of mind for people searching on the Internet.

YouTube enables viewers to watch instructional videos, product demos, hilarious commercials, contests and news. YouTube allows you to expand your audience and grow your business through video messages. Check out some of these videos by local breweries.

 Red Hook Brewery Commerical

Companies that know how to leverage social media will create a YouTube channel to showcase their videos and products. Breweries use YouTube to take viewers on a tour of the brewery or follow episodes or “epi-SUDS.” 

Instead of product reviews, breweries create beer reviews of craft beers on tap. The majority of videos created by breweries are informative such as “how to tap a keg” or “the beer cultivation process.” There is also an opportunity to showcase events and parties and attract new customers through entertainment and humor. 

Instead of product reviews, breweries create beer reviews of craft beers on tap. The majority of videos created by breweries are informative such as “how to tap a keg” or “the beer cultivation process.” There is also an opportunity to showcase events and parties and attract new customers through entertainment and humor. 

Social media proves to be an effective tool for engaging with your customers and learning more about how your fans feel about your brand.

Stay social my friends, because staying connected saves you beer money!

-Brandon

Last Call...

So it is last call here at the Beer Me Bro' blog, but as we come to the end of our blog competition, the Beer Me Bro' team wants to thank everyone who supported us and took the time to check out our blogs these last few weeks.
It has been so much fun for us to conduct research for this project that we want to continue to blog about it even when the competition is over! We want to continue to honor this amazing beverage since beer did save the world and all... Thank God for Beer

Because lets be real, research for a beer blog is some of the most fun you can have; grabbing some beers with friends can create some of the best memories you will never forget and sometimes never remember!

So for all of our followers out there, feel free to do your own research, find your favorite beer, your favorite breweries, play some drinking games, sing some drinking songs (or karaoke), practice ways to open your beers and perfect your pour to impress your friends, and above all... drink and be merry!

Please let us know about your experiences via this blog or our Facebook page. So until next time my beer loving friends... you don't have to go home, but you can't stay here!

Drink one for me,

-Michael

Catch a Game and a Buzz at the Pyramid!

Pyramid Brewery Seattle, Wa

After living in the Seattle area for almost 23 years and being a huge sports fan, I have found that there is no better way to beat the traffic and warm up for the game than by stopping down at the Pyramid Brewery. The Pyramid is conveniently located right across the street from Safeco Field and Century Link Field providing pregamers with the perfect atmosphere to throw a couple back, enjoy a great meal, and engage in some good ol American trash talking.  

Year-Round Brews:

Hefeweizen 

Apricot

Thunderhead 

Outburst

Season Series:

Discord

Curve Ball 

Ocktoberfest

Snow Cap

With baseball season gearing up there is no better way to support the Mariners than to  go cheer them on at their home games. Unfortunately with the price of beer and food at the games it isn't always the most economical way for us college students to support the team.

 While the real deals that the Pyramid provides aren't on game days, I can assure you that you won't be standing in line for 45 minutes to pay $9 for a beer that you will spill half of just fighting your way back to your seats. Also, the traditional game day hotdog that leaves you broke, bloated, and gassy has been replaced with a sizzling smoked American style kobe beef burger with mozzarella cheese, peppered bacon, habanero bbq sauce and topped off with a giant onion ring for only $12! Fortunately enough the menu provides the brewery's expert opinion on which beer fits deliciously with each item on the menu! For a closer look at the game day menu and happy hour check out their website!

Above all the Pyramid Brewery has provided me with countless memories, great brews, and a menu that leaves you considering watching the game from the bar. The atmosphere in the bar is upbeat and full of crazy sports fan that are rowdy and ready to watch the home team put on a show.

Whether you are a beer lover, community member, or sports enthusiasts I highly recommend you stop in at the Pyramid Brewery for a cold refreshment and a good meal. Click here to check out the local events calendar for CenturyLink Field. Finally for the home game schedule for our beloved Mariners that need all the help we can get!

-Justin Whitman 

Pouring the Perfect Head

 Tips to Great Head 

Pouring the perfect head on your beer is a skill that is sure to be well respected and appreciated by all consumers. Nothing is worse than having someone pour you a beer only to watch alcohol abuse first hand as the beer flows over the top of your glass. Or the buddy that tries to compensate by filling your glass up halfway to ensure that he doesn’t spill.  Each beer has a special technique to ensure a quality pour.

 First of all, what is the importance of pouring good head into a beer? There are a few reasons why the pour of a beer makes a huge difference. The delicious, foamy, bubbles, that rush to the top of your beer upon pouring are a result of a gas typically carbon dioxide rising to the top. Other than igniting the flavor of your beer, the perfect amount of head gives off an aroma that is sure to get the party started. And not to mention, there are few things prettier than a tall blond ale with perfect head.

 

Tips to a Perfect Pour

            To begin with, one of the most important aspects to consider is who are you pouring the beer for? Each individual situation and person should dictate the amount of foamy head you pour on each beer. For example say you’re at a Mariners game and you just spent $9 on a beer that will be gone by the 2^nd inning. While respecting the science behind good head it is not at the top of your priority list because lets face it, too much foam in a beer takes away from the total ounces per glass. And you certainly don’t want to pay $9 for a 10 ounce beer in a 12 ounce cup. The next scenario, your pouring a nice ale for your dad who instantly just became the biggest beer critic alive. The pressure is on, its time to claim your manhood and deliver him the perfect amount of foam.

            After analyzing your target market, check your glasses. It is absolutely crucial that you use a glass that is completely clean. Any amount of oils or fat from cooking will instantly diminish the amount of foam, as the bubbles will stick to the bottom or sidewalls of the glass. The glass itself is non-porous and therefore will not retain oil but the surface can and will sabotage your pour. On the flip side, even the slightest amount of water in the glass will also ruin the chemical reaction of the rising of carbon dioxide and leave you with a flat dull beer.

Finally the Pour!

For most beers simply angle the glass to about 45 degrees. Pour the beer softly so that it hits about halfway up the glass. As the beer reaches this halfway mark depending on how much head you like, tilt the glass completely vertical and pour the remaining beer directly into the glass. Generally, you should shoot for between a finger width and about an inch and a half of foam at the top of your beer. To increase the amount of head in your beer tilt the glass completely upright before reaching the halfway point. To reduce the level of head, simply keep the angle and pour gently until the beer is full.

Use these tips to fully enjoy the craftsmanship behind each beer. While good head can easily be overlooked, please help others to understand the importance of a good pour. One final means of impressing your date, buddies, or just treating yourself is to strategically place a couple glass mugs in the freezer. Soon enough you will be left with an ice cold, frosty mug to elevate the beer drinking experience to professional levels! 

Justin Whitman 

Garfield Street Run Down

It's Thursday night and let us be real for a minute, no one (profs included) is too concerned about classes or work on Friday (I don't have class on Fridays), and we all want to go out, unwind, and have some fun. Here is where Garfield Street comes to the rescue; to outsiders it may not seem like much, but to us Lutes here at PLU it is all we need. Garfield Street has been providing us with entertainment for years. For Example, LollaPLUza last year with Macklemore...  

But I digress... Lets start at the beginning of a Thursday night...

For me, it begins at my house. The roomies, a few friends, nothing spectacular but always good music, good company, and good brew. When I buy my beer for the night I try to stick to the NW breweries because it is always best to support the North West (Rhyme was on purpose). I recently tried Widmer Brothers' W'12 Dark Saison; a seasonal beer with a fantastic unique taste (I suggest giving it a try).

After throwing back a few you can usually find us at Farrellis around 10:30pm for Happier Hour; buying pitchers, playing pool, and possibly losing a few bucks to pull-tabs.
Farrellis does not brew their beer, but they do keep a great selection of fantastic brews mostly from the NW. From Mac & Jack's African Amber, to Elysian Men's Room Red, to one of my favorites Ninkasi Total Domination IPA; there is something for everyone.

As the good times roll at Happier Hour it gets closer and closer to that time we all hate to love or love to hate.. but either way the time comes to go to the LAST EXIT. The Exit is unique in that it only serves beer, which is fine for all of us here at Beer Me Bro... it's kind of our thing. So everyone arrives at The Exit and it really gets going around 11:30, then....................................beer........................................................
..........................................................beer.........................................
haha and then......................................................................................
......................................Rack City.............................................then..
.......................................................................................after that......
..........................................................................................................
........last call and we all take a nice walk back to our humble abode.

And I don't want to leave out Felix over at Reyna's. Another great spot to hit before heading to the Exit. Gotta get that $6 beer, shot, and nachos deal obvi. (the use of "obvi" was purely sarcastic and not meant to be taken seriously in any way).

Peace out,
-Mike 

Best Foods with Beer

Alaskan Amber Glazed Salmon

Being a Northwest native, I have to pair my craft beers with local foods. That being said, nothing can beat salmon glazed with an ice-cold draft.  This recipe calls for Alaskan Amber. However,  I am a fan of Spire Cider, which is proudly brewed in Olympia, WA at Big Fish Brewing Company  so that is what I used. Here are the cooking instructions:

Ingredients

1/4 cup Alaskan Amber

4 Tablespoons butter

2 Tablespoons honey

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

1 Tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon lemon pepper

splash liquid smoke

2 lbs. fresh wild Alaska salmon or halibut

  

                                                                     The Cooking Process

1. Combine all ingredients in a small saucepot. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, then reduce the heat to low and allow the sauce to reduce slightly. Remove from the heat and cool. May be made in advance and kept refrigerated until ready to use.

2. Coat fish with glaze and grill or broil over medium heat, basting frequently. Watch closely to prevent burning. Cooking time depends on the type of fish and its thickness.

3. Remove from the heat and serve immediately. Serves 6 - 8.

Submitted by:  Tom West, Alaskan Production Assistant

Beer & Brats

Beer and brats are great for any tailgating event or any sunny day of summer. Here is a recipe I found on Allrecipes.com.

Prep Time: 5 min          Cook Time: 20 min

Ingredients

(Serves 10 hungry friends)

         4 (12 ounce) cans beer 

             (your choice bro’ )

         1 large onion, diced

         10 bratwurst

         2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

         1 teaspoon garlic powder

         1 teaspoon salt

         1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat. When hot, lightly oil grate.

Combine the beer and onions in a large pot; bring to a boil. Submerge the bratwurst in the beer; add the red pepper flakes, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat to medium and cook another 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the bratwurst from the beer mixture; reduce heat to low, and continue cooking the onions.

Cook the bratwurst on the preheated grill, turning once, 5 to 10 minutes. Serve with the beer mixture as a topping or side.

Beer Can Chicken

This recipe is a great feast to share with you and ten hungry friends! You have the option to choose the beer of your tasting, just follow these easy cooking instructions! This recipe is courtesy of Man Tested Recipes, a great site for men who look to grill, cook and make great tasting grub.

Ingredients

Serves: 10 hungry friends

         1/2 cup dark brown sugar

         1/2 cup kosher salt

         1/2 cup paprika

         4 tablespoons fresh ground pepper

         1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

         2 cups cherry wood chips, soaked

         4 tablespoons vegetable oil

         2 (3 to 4 pound) whole chickens

                  2 cans beer

Cooking Process

Preparation: 1 hour | Cooking time: 1 hour 30 mins

1. Combine the brown sugar, salt, paprika, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.

2. Clean out chicken cavity and wash chicken with cold water. Pat dry with a paper towel. Rub each chicken with 2 tablespoons oil. Rub the spice mixture inside and outside of the chicken, pulling out the wings to make sure you cover entire bird.

3. Take each can of beer and pour out 1/2 the can. Using can opener poke 2 extra holes in top of beer cans. Pour 1 teaspoon of spice rub into each can (be careful, it will foam up out of can).

4. Preheat an outdoor grill for indirect medium grilling. Soak the hickory chips in a bowl of water for at least 60 minutes. Put the soaked wood chips over the coals or according to your grill's manual.

5. Place the beer can in the chickens cavity and use the chicken’s legs to make a tripod.

6. Make sure to use indirect cooking, if the chickens are placed right over the coals or gas flame the chickens will burn. If the skin starts getting to dark get loosely cover the top of the chickens with a piece of aluminum foil.

7. Chickens should be ready in 1 1/2 hours or when the internal temperature of chicken reaches 180 degrees F (80 degrees C). You will see juices running clear off bottom of chickens.

******Cook's Note*****

The goal is not to burn your bird, bro’. Limit how many times you open the oven or grill as this helps retain the heat needed for cooking. Check after 1 hour of cooking and then in 15-minute intervals after the first hour.

This recipe can be found at Man Tested Recipes.com and type "Beer Can Chicken."

-Brandon