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"SandMbrewery":19ybby7m wrote: There was a lot of talk in the other thread about trying to convert Joe Public to craft beer. Maybe something could be done where a recommendation is made of what craft beer you should try based on what beers you already like?[/quote:19ybby7m]

"brian_c":19ybby7m wrote: For visual impact in a presentation I gave as part of a course, I showed a graph highlighting the number of beer styles available in Ireland, and how many of them you are likely to find in a typical pub. Something like that could be interesting.[/quote:19ybby7m]

I really like these angles and I think it's something useful for us to do regardless of the All-Ireland Craft Beerfest; my only fear is that actually doing something along the lines of what Brian's recommended might be quite depressing if you highlight what is available in Ireland in total vs. in a "typical" pub, even a good craft beer pub. Comparing the total list of styles to what is available would be even more depressing.


I DO really like the idea of matching up typical macro beers to craft beer "gateway" products that are available from the Irish micros.

When it comes to educating the general public at large (and at this event it's really educating people who already like beer), I think a focus on flavors and food pairings best drives the discussion around the experiences that beer can bring, how varied beer can be, and really puts beer in a place where it is replacing wine in the mind share of consumers as far as what you should be drinking with a fine meal. This elevates beer as a category beyond where it is, in addition to supporting Irish Craft Beer.

The best practical example I've ever seen is from an absolutely phenomenal beer bar in Washington D.C. (one of the best anywhere in the world when it comes to food+beer); their menu of beers available on draft (which is constantly updated) is arranged by major and then minor flavor attributes.

Beers can be first arranged by whether they're Malt-forward and Sweet, Malt-Forward and Crisp & Refreshing, or Hop-Forward.
Then the further sub-categorized by secondary flavors; so the Crisp & Refreshing beers can be sub-categorized by their secondary flavor attributes; "delicate fruit", malt accented, subtly hoppy.


Here's a link to their newest menu just to show an example of categorizing by Major and Minor flavor attributes; it's a system I really like for helping people decide and feel like they have enough information to have confidence in trying something new. (Yes, I'm getting a little off-topic, I know.)
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="birchandbarley.com/documents/CKDRAFTFRIDAY08-12-11.pdf">birchandbarley.com/documents/CKD ... -12-11.pdf


Adam

&amp;quot;Biertourist&amp;quot;:34tkiv3n wrote: I really like these angles and I think it's something useful for us to do regardless of the All-Ireland Craft Beerfest; my only fear is that actually doing something along the lines of what Brian's recommended might be quite depressing if you highlight what is available in Ireland in total vs. in a "typical" pub, even a good craft beer pub. Comparing the total list of styles to what is available would be even more depressing. [/quote:34tkiv3n]

When I did it originally it was to show why I homebrew, I was trying to get through that it wasn't me trying to be cheap,it was the only way of getting the beer I liked. It can be tailored to promoting craft beer though, something like showing that in a high end city centre pub with 10 or 15 taps there are only three* styles represented. In a craft beer pub there may only be six* styles represented, but it's twice the other pub.

[size=50:34tkiv3n]*Figures plucked from the air, don't quote me.[/size:34tkiv3n]

&amp;quot;brian_c&amp;quot;:62q4aj5y wrote: showing that in a high end city centre pub with 10 or 15 taps there are only three* styles represented.[/quote:62q4aj5y]Negative campaigning like this is going to be counter productive. Beoir needs to show craft beer as a positive thing in itself. Comparisons with other things are never a good idea.

It's better to just say "Here is a good thing" than "The thing you previously enjoyed is not good, here is something else".