FORE! Courses at Cedar Links
May 21, 2012 Beer, Beer & Food, Education & Training, Events, Women and Beer
WEB’s meet-up for May was at gracious repeat host, Cedar Links Golf Club in Medford Oregon. Kelley, his cool mom Theresa and fun server Alexis, all treated us well.
Every month Women Enjoying Beer meets at a location in the Southern Oregon area to learn about beer. The 1.5 hour meet-up revolves around a select 4 small pour beer and food pairing. We’re glad so many businesses are eager to welcome us in, we have anywhere from 10 to 30 women each time, and it’s loaded with fun, engagement and flavor exploration.
The menu we enjoyed, in order:
- Boneyard RPM IPA with lemon pie on crushed graham cracker crust
- Good Life India Brown with puff pastry and sun-dried tomatoes
- Oakshire Line Dry Rye with Thai inspired chicken pasta
- Good Life Mountain Rescue Dry Hop Pale Ale with fresh baby tomato, basil, and mozzarella
With the pattern that is the meet-ups, we had Veterans (those who had been before) and Newbies. New attendees always receive a Welcome packet of goodies. I love giving away goodies and everyone likes getting them. It’s a simple, economical, and easy “thank you for being here” gift.
We also talked about American Craft Beer Week, the 2012 Rogue Flavor guide and took a short walk around a bit of the course before the event started.
So thanks to all – who attended, hosts, and supporters.
Beer businesses: if you choose to host women + beer groups, call on us first to help you develop a proper and successful plan. It’ll get you jump started in the right direction.
Tags: Boneyard Brewing, Cedar Links Golf Club, Good Life brewing, Oakshire Brewing
The Works: Beer Education Class Launch
May 19, 2012 Beer, Education & Training
A local beer store, Beerworks, recently joined forces with WEB to launch their own signature beer education classes. We dubbed them “The Works: Beer Education Classes”. Simple, easy to understand and a play on the business name.
Success was present the very first night and the seats filled right up (which goes with smart planning). Basic format of one hour in length, one topic, and a select number of seats available – first pay, first sit.
It was fitting to feature Ingredients as the topic of this inaugural class and they were easily gathered to use in the class. I already have a super helpful malted barley kit from Briess, already had some whole cone hops from Indie Hops and procured a small flask of liquid yeast from my local brewery. Water is really good in our area and it flowed straight from the tap. We even took time to taste the water, which perhaps some never do in beer education.
Education is a simple powerful animal. To create a new variation of a known quote, A mind once stretched cannot return to its original shape. Stretch those minds and it’ll benefit everyone.
Here are the beers tastes we served to compliment the lesson components: Oakshire Overcast Espresso Stout (malted barley), Good Life IPA (hops), New Belgium Lips of Faith Series Farmhouse Saison (yeast)
The Series will run once a month and each topic will focus in on another aspect of and related to beer. June 19th is the next one, topic = Glassware, and you can register at Beerworks with payment to save your seat.
Tags: beer education, Beerworks, Briess, Good Life brewing, Indie Hops, Ingredients, New Belgium Brewing, Oakshire Brewing
Don’t Refill Beer Glasses! Clean Glasses, Every Pour, Every Time
May 18, 2012 Assumptions & Myth Busting, Beer, Education & Training, Something To Think About, Unbelievable
- Do you already wash all your dirty glasses?
- Do you have enough glassware to service a full house (meaning there’s not a shortage of glassware)?
- Do you believe the beers you serve to be a high quality and should be served in clean glassware?
- Do you promote and expect as much from the entire staff to do as much?
Then don’t refill an empty beer glass for a ‘refill’. AAAUUUGGGHHH!!! I saw it happen at a small brewpub in central Oregon last weekend. It’s a pub I like YET this was a huge turn off.
Clean beer glass, every pour
It’s appalling to think this is allowed, however intentional or unintentional. It’s the responsibility of the business owners to make sure they serve a fresh beer in a clean glass every time.
What if that glass was unclean to begin with (residue, film, sanitizer)? Yuck!
If you don’t have enough operating capital to wash every dirty dish appropriately, if you don’t pass along the passion of the beer to everyone who serves it, then it’s time to changes businesses.
Quality beer deserves a clean glass every time.
Do you refill a plate of food on a dirtied dish? Doubt it.
Consumers: Demand a clean glass with every pour. Your beer deserves no less than the best opportunity to please you. Clean glassware is a huge part of this.
Tags: beer clean glassware, beer disrepect, clean beer glasses, dirty glasses
How Much Do You Get From Speakers?
May 15, 2012 Assumptions & Myth Busting, Beer, Education & Training, Events, Marketing, Women and Beer
“I got so much from your talk yesterday. I was just talking with my brewery partner about why beer is not more popular with women and how we want to do something about that.”
Fun & smart women enjoying beer (Eugene, OR)
This quote was from a supporter who came to see our educational session at the 2012 Craft Brewers Conference. The bonus is this person took the time following the talk to approach me, introduce themselves and chat briefly. This is always appreciated and very much liked by me.
When you get specifics ‘back’ after a presentation – comments, questions, etc. – it should tell you that something has tripped the idea trigger. That’s a good thing and a measurable outcome.
The best things in life to me at un-measurable like enthusiasm, sharing, and thinking in support. Positive dialogue, like this, is another.
Be sure to support the speakers you hear and let them know specifically what you found useful and valuable, as well as constructive feedback to help them improve their connection to the audience. Any speaker worth their microphone will appreciate it.
CBC 2012 Testimonial
May 14, 2012 Education & Training, Good People, Marketing, Women and Beer
“Hi Ginger –
I had the pleasure of attending your seminar at the CBC last week. I wanted to let you know that I enjoyed that seminar more than any other I attended! You are truly a dynamic speaker who is passionate about beer and getting women to be passionate about it too.
Thanks again for sharing your joy and enthusiasm.”
Laina McFerren
Founder, Co-Owner
Wolf Creek Restaurant & Brewing Co.
Tags: CBC 2012, marketing beer to women
The Power of Tasting “Off Flavored” Beer
May 12, 2012 Beer, Education & Training
One of the most visceral exercises I did at the recently concluded 2012 Craft Brewers Conference happened for hundreds of others too. Enter: The Siebel Institute’s Calibration Station room.
Wow. I’ve participated in flavor sensory exercises before and they’re always mind and intelligence expanding. This one fit right in and was intense in that there were 11 stations in which to taste and experience off flavors.
The important thing to know, after you learn to determine if the beer is ‘off’ is to isolate the cause. With a cause identification comes a solution to rectify the situation. No brewer I know whats their beer to be off – a heck of a lot of sweat, passion and energy goes into each batch.
When you have opportunity or when you want to make your own opportunity happen, participate in or host an off flavor beer tasting. It’s very eye-opening and deserves to be repeated periodically.
Tags: Craft Brewers Conference, off flavors, sensory, Siebel Institute
2012 Swig & Stitch Season Finale
May 9, 2012 Beer & Food, Education & Training, Events
Last night we again enjoyed great company, interesting information from Sandi and learned about 3 new beer and food pairings. Swig & Stitch is a fabulous format for us to engage and encourage exploration of talents and tastes.
Pouring great things at Swig & Stitch
Here’s the menu served by our fantastic hosts:
- Lost Coast Great White with Bubbles & Squeak (cheesy potato and veggie cake with dill aioli)
- Oakshire Line Dry Rye with Taylor’s English Style pork sausage with whole grain mustard
- Deschutes Black Butte Porter with fresh house made Tomato Bisque soup with bleu cheese crumbles
We talked about examining our beer as well as intensity and pairing beer with food.
Education is fun and should be, no matter the crowd or teacher. Keep pushing (non snobbish) education forward – it’s good for all of us.
Beer focused Swig & Stitch is now on summer break, to return with great enthusiasm in September. If you want to join us, contact Fabric of Vision. It’s never too early to reserve your seat for the monthly episodes. These events fill up very fact and well in advance.
Tags: 4 Daughters Irish Pub, Deschutes, Lost Coast, Oakshire, Swig & Stitch
2012 Craft Brewers Conference
May 2, 2012 Beer, Education & Training, Events, Marketing, Women and Beer
The 2012 Craft Brewers Conference, known as the CBC in industryese, is happening today through Saturday in San Diego, California, USA.
WEB is well represented by Ginger, Founder, and Emily, Events & Speaking Development. Come find us if you’re there. If you’re elsewhere, enjoy digging through the conference site here.
Ginger speaks Friday 4 – 5 pm at the host hotel, the Town and Country. She’ll cover the 1st ever report The State of Women And Beer, based on this survey and responses from dozens of women all across the USA on their relationship with beer.
In the meantime, no matter your involvement in the beer community, keep enjoying fresh beer in moderation with friends and food. Cheers!
Tags: 2012 Craft Brewers Conference, San Diego, State of Women and Beer Report
Exploded View of the IBLP, Part 6: People
May 1, 2012 Beer, Education & Training, Good People, Something To Think About
Today’s explosion of your Individual Beer Learning Plan (IBLP) focuses on People.
People: The most critical item in your IBLP, starting with you!
Besides the commitment you make to your self, who will you contact? Will they be available or interested in helping you learn? How will you approach them respectfully and mindful of their already full schedules?
Cheers to helpful beer people
Who will you call, email or otherwise meet to help you into and through the process? How will you choose people to tap into, connect with, or otherwise ask for help?
How will you make sure to thank and show appreciation to those who help you out? It’s very important that you execute timely appreciation to those who do help you out.
Yes, it may be good for the whole industry and beer community. No they aren’t obligated to help. Yes, most beer community people are happy to – if not eager – help other interested parties into the education fray. And everyone’s busy.
Be grateful in your pursuit and the beer universe will reward you nicely.
Tags: IBLP, Individual Beer Learning Plan, people, respect
If You Don’t Get It Yet, Marketing To Women Is Critical
Apr 30, 2012 Brain Stew, Education & Training, Marketing, Unbelievable, Women and Beer
“Unfortunately we do very little marketing as it is right now and we aren’t in a position to begin marketing to particular segments of the market right now.”
Unfortunate for whom? What is this breweries plan for marketing then? How do they afford marketing staff, POP, POS, trips to promote the beer, and keep the lights on at the facility?
And what segment of the market then is this brewery actually marketing to, if they are apparently not marketing to…well, we don’t know that do we. Do they?
Sarcastic? Yes, a bit. True? Absolutely and entirely.
What I find truly remarkable and stunning is that anyone bringing anything to market thinks that ‘money for marketing’ is an added business budget line. Maybe bringing a plumber in to fix leaks is extra too…(This brewery has been in business since 1989.)
If you don’t already have a full on marketing plan with budget in place, you need to go back to the drawing board and make sure it’s in place. Who do you expect to buy the products if you say you don’t have a marketing budget. With respect to swine, this is hogwash.
And women aren’t a ‘particular segment’ – they ARE the market in the USA. American woman make between 75 to 85% of All Purchases, across category lines in the USA. I would call that the force to reckon with, not a ‘particular segment’.
Does your marketing plan have you trapped by your own thinking?
It’s also incredible to me that hiring specialists is apparently a difficult concept for many people to understand. Think about it this way: You’ve got a car and very few of us actually work on or fix our cars this day and age. So what do you do? You call a specialist. This is the same thing.
If you truly want your marketing to hum, if you seriously want to gather more market share that will help not only pay your current bills – it will lead to increased market share and therefore increased sales, then you better tune into women as buyers.
When will they be in a position? And will ‘right now’ ever go away? Or is this just an excuse to push off help they’re afraid of because they don’t understand it?
It’s that simple. And this email excerpt is sadly that remarkable.
Tags: dangerous thinking, knowing your market, misguided, specialists
