Swig & Stitch Menu
Jan 18, 2012 Beer & Food, Education & Training, Good People
Thanks to the engaged guests, hospitable host (38 Central) and terrific collaborators for another successful Swig & Stitch last night.
I’m honored to be part of this successful and enlightening regular event with Fabric of Vision. WEB is involved to bring more beer to life.
As I promised to the guests, here’s the menu we enjoyed.
- Fish Brewing, Wild Salmon Pale Ale
- Guinness Stout
- Sam Adams Boston Lager
All these beers were enjoyed with a plateful of yummy goodies:
- Aged cheddar, hard Italian salami, head cheese, sopressatta, sesame cracker, grilled roulade (eggplant & roasted red pepper), Italian olive, candied walnuts, almonds
Cheers & see you all next month!
See – beer goes with everything.
Tags: 38 Central, Boston Beer Company, Fish Brewing, Guinness, Medford OR, Swig & Stitch
Beer And Chocolate Tasting Menu
Jan 14, 2012 Beer & Food, Education & Training, Events, Women and Beer
happy crowd with beer and chocolate
Women at our monthly meet up fully enjoyed the offerings and more importantly learning about how beer and chocolate can go together last week.
Our fine host, Enchanted Florist, a floral boutique and chocolate cafe, is extremely knowledgeable about chocolate so it was a great learning opportunity all around. We choose beers to go with the flavors of the real cocoa and organic chocolates.
Beers and any complementary foods you suggest and share grow increasingly attractive and flavorful when you provide the story that accompanies those respective products. Knowing more about what you’re putting in your mouth is a big deal. Make that information part of the program.
Try offering beer with chocolates to women and see what can happen. (hint: successful enlightenment!) We’ll be sure to do again based on the tremendously positive feedback we got that night.
Here was the menu we featured:
- Widmer Barrel Aged Brrrbon ’11 paired with Michel Cluizel, Organic Dark Chocolate. Paris France, Los Ancones, 67%
- Lost Coast Tangerine Wheat with Valrhona, Manjari Orange, France. 64%, with the citrus sweetness of orange.
- Rodenbach with Café Tasse – Dark Chocolate with cranberries and soft chili. Brussels, Chocolat Bio, organic chocolate, 58%
- MateVeza with Dolfin, Dark Chocolate With Earl Grey tea. Belgium. 52% A black tea with a dash of bergamot.
Tags: beer and chocolate, Cafe Tasse, Dolfin, Enchanted Florist, Lost Coast, MateVeza, Michel Cluizel, Rodenbach, Valrhona, Widmer Brewing
Gender and Age Shouldn’t Matter for the Cicerone Program
Jan 9, 2012 Assumptions & Myth Busting, Beer, Education & Training, Something To Think About
There’s a line in the sand for marketing the successes of women and progress and then there’s the unnecessary advertisement of a women succeeding because she’s a woman.
Here’s one example. The well reputed Cicerone program, which I believe to be of very high value, has recently announced the successors of the recent round of Master Cicerone certification. To be sure, this high level achievement is notable for anyone to pass.
Why then did Cicerone choose to highlight the recent graduate as a female? It should be a ‘who cares what gender’ situation, especially in light of the fact that the beer community seems to think itself non sexist.
What color is her hair? How about her eyes? Should that be noted – that she is perhaps the first graduate to have a XYZ breed of dog too or is of a specific heritage that we feel we must bring to the surface?
Highlighting gender and age diminishes the true news here: successful attainment of a difficult goal hard won.
When you highlight something like this (gender, age) you unfortunately do everyone a disservice: you send the message that it’s important to point out that a woman can in fact attain this kind of progress. However well intended, it’s the wrong thing to do. It’s focused on gender as a “wow - she made it” instead of “wow – this person made it.” Focus on the brain and intelligence, not the plumbing.
Did they announce the first certified MC’s as “The First Men To Pass The Test”? I bet you a few beers they didn’t.
This post is not meant to malign the program. I like and respect Ray, founder of the program and endorse what’s he’s created. We’d be first in line to talk about the import of beer education for everyone. This time it includes the professionals too.
Point out the successes and leave gender out of it. We shouldn’t be caring about what gender is succeeding at beer. We should simply be nudging those forward who want the assistance and celebrating their wins with nary a gender reference in mind.
This pushes everyone back into the score keeping mode.
And unless age has any relevancy with success in this world that we are trying to constantly improve, negate the age reference “youngest”. It’s like you’re saying the longer you’ve been on the planet the more we should expect you to achieve in societies expected patterns. Pointing out age, whether it be young, old and everywhere in between, perpetuates the ridiculous focus that age has anything to do with success.
Let’s get over it and get on with it, shall we?
It’d be a good move for them to change the news on their page to simply highlight the latest graduate of the program.
Tags: ageism, gender shouldn't matter for success, mistake by the cicerone, sexism
Festival Enhancement: Invite Women Enjoying Beer
Jan 5, 2012 Beer, Education & Training, Events, Good People
Our New Years glass is up to those who see the value of having WEB at their events and festivals. A few of those individuals include: Chris Crabb, Chewie Burgess, Steve Bahr, Patti Araas, Tasha Butz, Gayle Chisholm, Mary Ridderbusch, Hilary Kemmling, Stevie Caldarola, Nancy Johnson, Eriel Hoffmeier, James Book, Kristen Muraro, Ken McMullin, Lucy Saunders, Bradley Latham. I am most likely forgetting some. Know we’re grateful for everyone who’s in this arena.
Thanks!
They see WEB as a contributor, as the educators we are, as the researchers that we are – all feeding the beer community. And they’d be right. Thank you to them.
Educated consumers are good consumers for everyone. We’re your specialists to call for all kinds of crowds: female, male, mixed.
As marketing specialists as well, we can help advise and guide, augment and make your efforts go further with many previous successful past events to drawn on.
Even if you have staff members that do this planning, bringing in a fresh perspective and burst of energy can help them refresh, rethink and plan for an even more successful event.
For those who are looking to enhance their beer focused events, WEB is an excellent choice. We’ll speak, teach, conduct crowd pleasing tastings & pairings, and further enlighten the world about the incredible and simply amazing beverage we know as beer. The enthusiasm we bring and positive energy, diplomacy and good humor is worth every penny.
Find out what some have said about having WEB involved.
One Festival at a time.
When you’re interested in talking to us about how we can enhance your success, call soon – 2012 is filling up fast!
Tags: bradley latham, chewie burgess, chris crabb, eriel hoffmeier, gayle chisholm, hilary kemmling, james book, Ken McMullin, kristen muraro, Lucy Saunders, mary ridderbusch, nancy johnson, patti araas, steve bahr, stevie caldarola, successful festivals, tasha butz, WEB at events, WEB at festivals
10 Things Every Beer Label Should Have On It
Jan 3, 2012 Beer, Education & Training, Marketing
1. Name of Brewery. Real name – no hiding behind anything or projects. Make it obvious. The only way to build your brand is to be transparent.
2. Place. Physical location of brewery it was made in and originated from. All beers need to tell the reader where they were born.
What's on (or what's missing) on Beer Labels?
3. Website. It’s the 21st technology century. A live answered company phone number would be excellent too.
4. Alcohol By Volume, ABV. Every beer and brewery should feel a responsibility to have the alcohol content on the bottle and can, no matter what country it’s from or what laws apply.
5. Clear brand logo and design. Successful brands are consistent, not only in their products, but also in their branding images. Establish your look and then always use the logo for ease of shopping for the customer. The Consumer isn’t all balled up in your own design process – they just want to find your beer.
6. Appropriate brand images & language. If you want to attract and keep women in your brand, get rid of ALL inappropriate images or language on the labels, packing and information. It’s never appropriate to demean, sexualize anyone or otherwise sell your beer on any other merit than the quality of the beer. If you’d be proud to show the labels and designs to a 85 year old grandparent and a 7 year old girl or boy, then use it.
7. Flavor notes. Keep them simple. I’m astonished by how many labels still have no help for the consumer here. You already know people read labels to learn about the beer. Give them flavor information – and don’t tech out here. IBU’s only matter to hard core drinkers (put IBU’s on your website) – scrap that crap and get into the main frame of consumer thinking.
8. Brief story. One to three brief simple sentences on the story of the beer is HUGE for females in their beer engagement. Use the story to help the consumer buy in and to the brands advantage.
9. Readable font. Even with great eyesight, choosing a font that is flowery, too small or difficult to read is a bad move. Why print anything if they can’t read it easily?! Choose simple, straight forward fonts in a reasonable size.
10. Food & beer ideas. Pairings, suggestions for cooking with the beer, and food to match with the profile. One simple idea per beer brand will go a long way to engendering “Oh – great idea!” from the female consumer which will in turn get her to participate more.
p.s. ALL this info comes from our research. It’s one service WEB offers to help you grow your brand.
31 Facets of Women & Beer: Facet #31
Dec 31, 2011 Beer, Beer & Food, Education & Training, Marketing, Women and Beer
On this New Years Eve, we wrap up this series with a final facet: Women, Beer & Food.
Make it automatic: Beer & Food, Beer & Food, Beer & Food…..repeat it in your head or aloud until it’s automatic.
I’ve had women tell me in no uncertain terms that they want to learn about beer paired with food. They only had to tell us once. And I’ll tell you why it’s important to heed this critical directive:
- Beer and food go together. That’s the first most obvious one.
- Beer and food should go together. If you’re promoting alcohol – beer – then you should feel a sense of obligation to make food part of that promotion. Moderation goes hand in hand with responsibility.
- Beer and food complement each other so well. They bring out flavors in each other that when standing alone may be missed.
- Women want to duplicate the pairings they have at events. Be sure to share menus, suggestions and ideas. WEB always posts our menus the day after events for everyone to reference. It’s green, available and they can do with it as they wish.
- The beer community and food community have much to share and benefit from mutually when they collaborate.
- We like beer and food together. Do you? Then offer it as such.
Women, beer and food. This is yet another universal truth: they go together, and should. Combine them and you’ll see much success.
Happy New Year for Women & Beer!
31 Facets of Women & Beer Series starts here
Tags: 31 facets of women and beer series, beer and food, duplicating experiences, moderation, pairings
31 Facets of Women & Beer: Facet #30
Dec 30, 2011 Beer, Education & Training, Marketing, Women and Beer
With only two to go in this series, let’s get to it.
Facet 30 is how women see beer, otherwise known as Perception.
Perception is reality. Like it or not, what people perceive is many times what they think to be reality or truth. And while reality and truth aren’t the same thing by a long shot, perception is one of the most powerful influencers out there.
Women want to perceive beer to be something they can enjoy, something they are invited to explore and discover and something to enjoy with others.
Some women do yet the vast majority of women still don’t perceive beer as a drink of choice.
The perception that beer is a male oriented or dominated or only drink is false – YET if that’s the perception, it’s a tough nut for some to crack, dismiss, or get past. For some it may be easy and for some it’s difficult.
We’re changing patterns, behaviors and ideas. Those the the nuts to crack here.
It’s up to the brand to send out the right perception to women that they are in fact welcome, encouraged, respected and wanted. Things like boobs on labels, sexy ‘girls’ or women, degrading suggestive titles…throw all those out before the new year starts.
It’s up to the beer brands, distributors and retailers to encourage and perpetuate the perception that beer is for women. Women will embrace it more and more when the image of a smart, happy, average woman is portrayed in beer marketing, advertising, swag and attitudes.
The perception of women enjoying your beer can be your reality when you properly market to them. New year, new opportunity to a better branding image, no disrespect to be found anywhere and quality beer to boot.
31 Facets of Women & Beer Series starts here
Tags: 31 facets of women and beer series, changing perceptions, perception is reality
31 Facets of Women & Beer: Facet #29
Dec 29, 2011 Beer, Education & Training, Marketing, Women and Beer
Beer and good health. Those two can go hand in hand.
Moderation is the key, of course, as it is with darn near everything we consume. Multiple studies come and go, are released with much buzz only to die down, around health and alcohol consumption.
WEB isn’t here as an authority on health studies. We are here as an authority on women and their relationship with beer. Women, in general, are pretty good at moderation, perhaps partially because they are primary caregivers (whatever the household structure or other bodies involved). A sense of responsibility for women (and men) influences behaviors.
As a beer oriented business, never encourage over drinking, choose festivals that portion out the beer (no give ‘unlimited’ samples), and be really in tune with the consumption of your patrons.
There are many reasons moderation should be observed – in beer, food, goods, electronics, and everything else. For now suffice it to say women want to enjoy beer and good health. And there’s every reason they can and should.
31 Facets of Women & Beer Series starts here
Tags: 31 facets of women and beer series, beer and good health
31 Facets of Women & Beer: Facet #28
Dec 28, 2011 Beer, Education & Training, Marketing, Women and Beer
Successful events attracting women to beer universally involve 3 elements: Social, Education and Value.
We’ve covered these three over and over - and they bear repeating. And I want to make sure the connection of having all three are understood for events development.
How many festivals are you involved with each year? In order to make the investment (donated/reduced cost beer, labor, supplies, travel), choose selectively.
Choose well run festivals to get women to your brands
Not all festivals and beer oriented events are nearly created equal nor should you participate in them all. Not by a long shot. Do your due diligence, don’t just throw money around. Match the events to your brands and goals. Attracting women should be one of your goals.
Take a hard look at existing festivals before you join in: Are they truly female friendly? Do they include the three elements above, thereby attracting women (not just for tag alongs)? If there are images of people involved in the marketing of the festival, are they respectful of women?
If it’s a new fest, ask the critical questions: What are you doing to attract women appropriately and respectfully? Are there plentiful bathrooms AND handwash stations?
And here’s a bonus idea today: if you want to attract women to the festivals you’re involved with, ask the organizers to offer group pricing to women who come together. When given incentives to do so, women for sure take advantage of these kind of special goodies – and there’s no patronization involved.
31 Facets of Women & Beer Series starts here
Tags: 31 facets of women and beer series, attracting women to beer events, combine education social and value, events development
