For a while now, I’ve been a part of the Connecticut Beer Trail, an online group dedicated to craft beer and local breweries, brewpubs, restaurants, and other beer-related events.
The beer trail’s been part of the reason I’ve been so supportive of Connecticut breweries in my pairing (the other reason being that the beer is just downright delicious).
I wanted to share this new community and get its name out there to show just how quickly craft beer is catching on in the state.
Rather than ramble on about it myself, I had a chat with Bryon Turner, the founder of the beer trail and fellow Connecticut-based beer Examiner, knowing he'd have a better idea of the awesome things happening on the Connecticut beer scene.
KE: So, first things first: how’d you get the idea for a beer trail?
BT: Whenever I traveled for out of state business, I always made a point to seek out a local brewery tour, brewpub, or even a local brew served up at a craft beer bar as a way of mixing a fun hobby with my frequent work related trips. Some states had a thriving web presence to complement their beer communities, making it easier to find interesting beer related destinations. I noticed our own state was lacking in that area, and finding information on local Connecticut beer was challenging. So, I decided to start the site and help local craft beer producers come together and put Connecticut beer on the map.
KE: You’ve picked up a good following so far. How many breweries, brewpubs, and beer drinkers are currently members of the Trail?
BT: We have nearly 1500 registered users, which includes every active brewery in the state and nearly every brewpub.
Besides those, we have a handful of breweries featured that are still under development and we hope to see them thrive and bring new life to the industry.
We also feature nearly every home brew shop in the state and are adding beer bars to the mix.
Registered users are only part of our audience, many of site visitors stop in for information but may not register, and we have a growing audience via Twitter and our connected Facebook page. Our casual users make up a large portion of our site traffic.
KE: You mentioned social networking. The Trail’s website offers a Facebook-like interface, offering every member their own profile, blog, and status updates, among other things. You already mentioned that the Trail has a Facebook page and a Twitter feed. How has social networking affected how you advertise the Trail?
BT: Social networking and our integration into it is the key to our growth and our ability to spread the word about what Connecticut has to offer beer lovers. Word of mouth spreads quickly online.
It certainly expands our audience, and gives our premium users a longer reach with their messages.
Social networking also connects us to other people who have something interesting to add to the state's beer community - it's a two way flow of information and we love it!
We also encourage local beer bloggers to syndicate their content on our site to give themselves a wider audience and to provide our users with more relevant content. A win-win for everyone.
KE: It looks like promoting the site through social networks has really helped. A lot of people who have joined the Facebook page aren't necessarily members of the beer trail.
BT: Some folks want the information, but don't want to register with the site, so by tying into sites like Facebook and Twitter, we bring the information to them in an online environment they're already comfortable with and invested in.
KE: I’ve noticed that one of the biggest parts of the CT Beer Trail is promoting events all over the state, including brew competitions, beer pairing dinners, beer tastings, and even bike tours that end at a brewpub.
BT: We're all about the events! We've had tremendous success with the Bikes & Beers events, which we created along with our associates at the Pedal Power bike shops in Vernon and Middletown.
We've introduced a lot of new folks to the state's craft beer scene by marrying it up with an activity they love. It's been great for these businesses, and great for the consumers too!
Rob and Matt from New England Brewing Co. have also graciously supported the events from behind the scenes, it wouldn't be the same without their help.
The Willimantic Brewing Co., Eli Cannon's Tap Room, Cambridge House Brew Pub, and Plan B Burger Bar in Simsbury have all gotten on board with the event series and it has been great.
As that season wraps up we're looking for something to fill the void as we approach the colder weather, stay tuned - we have some ideas in the works!
KE: Do you find that promoting events on the website (and promoting the website at these events) is creating a bigger niche for local and craft brewers?
BT: We do our best to attend as many beer festivals as we can, and we feature festival ticket give-away contests for nearly every event in the state. Our active event calendar has drawn quite a bit of attention to our site, and we believe it has drawn even more attention to the state's breweries, brew pubs, beer bars, and festivals, which is our main purpose. The cross marketing efforts have been good for everyone involved and we've had a blast participating in the events.
People who are interested can read up on some of the contests we've held and the reactions of those that have won them.
KE: So, what's next up on the trail?
BT: We're planning our own home brew competition on Nov 13th with our friends at the Cambridge House Brew Pub in Granby, and the good folks from Zok's Homebrewing and Winemaking Supplies in Willimantic, Brew and Wine Hobby in East Hartford, and Maltose Express in Monroe. This should be a great event!
KE: A lot of brew festivals and beer tasting events benefit charities. For example, the Rising Pint Brew Fest, held this past May, benefited the Arthritis Foundation, and just a few weekends ago the West Hartford Firefighters held their annual tasting to raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. What’s your take on this?
BT: Connecticut's craft beer industry is a generous lot. They care about their products, their consumers, and their communities. I think it's great they can leverage their fan base to help so many wonderful charities.
In that spirit, we are sponsoring the 7th Annual Not So Snooty Beer, Wine, and Cheese Tasting on Nov 18th at the New England Air Museum. The event will benefit Paul Newman's Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, which does some tremendous work for terminally ill children and their families.
It feels good to help.
KE: Proposed bill 464 was passed in June of this year and will establish a physical beer trail throughout the state, similar to the Connecticut Wine Trail, and will promote the manufacture and sale of beer brewed in Connecticut. How has this affected the online Trail so far, and how do you see it affecting the website in the future?
BT: We played a key role in getting the word out on this initiative and garnering public support for it. As the physical trail becomes a reality, the site and our activities and events will become even more important and tangible.
We're excited about this growing beer culture and community, and we're very proud to be at the center of it. Exciting things are happening in CT beer, and even more are on the way!
I wasn't kidding when I said he'd know what was up on the Connecticut beer scene.
Check out the Connecticut Beer Trail’s site for events, breweries, restaurants, and you can also connect with me, Bryon Turner, and a whole bunch of Connecticut beer lovers!
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