Out with the old and in with the new. Brew pubs take notice! If the current economy gets any worse, online social media sites like Twitter may soon reduce the need to go out to socialize and have a beer. As state alcohol laws get tougher each year and the cost of purchasing fine craft beers continue to climb, more and more beer drinkers are opting to stay home to imbibe and turn to online sites to chat with their drinking buddies instead.
What you say? The future of having a drink out at a pub is at risk? Quite the possibility, particularly if you look at the price of a decent pint of beer these days. For craft beer lovers, the price of their favorite pint of beer continues to go up. While the cost of drinking out at bars and pubs is becoming expensive, the relative cost of drinking at home remains much more affordable. But rather than drink alone at home, beer drinkers are now turning to the Internet to share a pint and exchange quips between fellow beer enthusiasts online. And one of the more popular places to do that these days is Twitter.
While Twitter is not new, the web site has been around the Internet for several years now, yet the prospect of having a drink "in" with buddies while sharing texts on Twitter is gaining in popularity. Twitter is a social networking site that allows users to share 140 character messages or "tweets" with friends (or "followers" as they are refered to). The site is quickly replacing Instant Messaging tools with an online social community complete with the ability to link to favorite web pages, share photos perhaps make a few new real life friends or business connections. All this from the comfort of home and without the risk and expense of drinking and driving.
If you are new to Twitter and want to get to know the online beer scene, go to www.twitter.com and check these users out:
10 craft beer enthusiasts you should follow on Twitter
@allaboutbeer
@basicbrewing
@beersage
@brewingnetwork
@deege
@draftmag
@flyingdog
@goodbeershow
@RealBeer
If you "follow" these Twitter users, you'll quickly see that these users connect to hundreds of other craft beer enthusiasts. And by checking out who these people follow you can quickly find others who share the same interests in beer and life as you do. I've been a member of Twitter for over 6 months and now follow nearly 300 other beer enthusiasts like me. I've gotten to know dozens of these fellow Twitterers quite well and have met several in person. Many of my fellow twitizens are online throughout the day and are more than happy to exchange thoughts on their favorite beer or share a story.
I often find myself sipping on a beer at night from home and sharing messages on Twitter. I can enjoy a fine craft beer that I bought at my local store for about $1 or so and drink it from home while still not missing "getting together" with friends online. Sure, we all still get together in person, but when we can't get out or would rather save a few bucks and avoid a possible DUI, Twitter is the next best thing. Some people do both. They can access Twitter from their cell phones and go out to a bar at the same time. Perhaps the best of both worlds.
While Twitter will never replace the atmosphere of a real bar, pub or brewery, it can be the next best thing when going out just isn't right for that night.
Do you have a Twitter account? If so, send me a direct message on Twitter to @ChipperDave and let me know what you're drinking. Or better yet, leave me a comment here and let me know which Twitter beer person you follow. I normally monitor Twitter several times a day and would love to hear from my readers.
My fellow beer examiner, Eli Shayotovich, is also on Twitter. You can reach him on Twitter at @EliShayotovich.
Comments
Great article, to appeal to 21-30 demo you have to have an online offline component. I need a place where I can see the hot chick on person in a room and then talk to her online without fear of rejection.
Dave,
While I agree with most everything you write, I completely disagree with this.
I have been involved with social media before it was called Social Media. Back in the ICQ and Yahoo! Chat days groups of online friends quickly formed, and, almost as quickly, local 'meets' also formed.
I think you see the exact same thing happening with tools such as Twitter (tweetups), Pownce, Facebook, MySpace and others.
When we developed Beer Tap TV as the first true Internet Television Station dedicated to the beer lifestyle, we did it with this mindset as a primary focus. We have metups, parties and live tapings scheduled all over the U.S. in 2009 and with each one we announce, we get 3 requests from people wanting one in their area so they can get together with all of the people they regularly communicate with virtually. This was the primary driver for us to build out user driven forums and blogs.
I certainly think that social tools have changed the landscape, significantly and permanently, but it is for the better. I think people are meeting new friends and more often than they ever have before because of these tools and their ability to find peers outside of their immediate real-life social networks with similar interests.
We have seen explosive growth on our site, and every single bit of it has resulted in more real-life, face to face meetings than we ever would have expected.
Erik Boles
BeerTapTV.com
@ErikBoles
Erik - you've long been on my list of people to follow. Twitter is a tool and can be a viable substitute. True, it will never replace the pub, but it may contribute to lower attendance.
Dylan - demographics also are a big factor. The older I get the less I'm inclined to go out as much, so for me in the 40s Twitter is becoming a compliment to going out. It probably replaces going out at least once a week.
Please note, the top 10 list in this article contains a list of users who have many followers. It is their followers that I wish to draw attention to. It is a starting point from which new and established Twitter users can find fellow beer enthusiasts.
Good stuff here, Dave. Been putting off writing about social media myself.
Thanks for writing this piece.
Interesting premise, though I don't see Twitter as a replacement for in-person socializing. I certainly agree it's supplemental. While we have a few local watering holes, none are exactly convenient and close to me. I enjoy the virtual meet up, and have met in-person many of my Twitter friends, ChipperDave included. Given a choice between live or online, I'd always choose live. When it's not a choice, I am glad to have so many online friends to "share" a beer with.
I imagine it's different in the US but I can't see twitter (or anything else online for that matter) being a serious threat to pubs any time soon (at least not in England).
There are over a hundred pubs here in Cambridge (in a city of just over 100,000) and they generally draw a good crowd (most people walk or cycle therefore avoiding the DUI problem).
As technology gets more and more advanced and as economic times get tougher, there will be more people having to opt for alternative ways to "get together" with their friends between face to face meetings.
Electronic media is perfect for this. Can the majority of the people honestly say that the economy hasn't forced a change in the frequency and the distance we are willing to travel to get together face to face at a pub?
Internet usage, especially amongst the younger crowd 21-30, has significantly imcreased over the last 10 years. Twitter is just one of those outlets. It truely has become an alternative "pub" for some. While pub attendance is still good in many locations I'd be willing to bet that overall during this last year that the economy has forced just about everyone to change how often they attend a real pub.
And with the price of a pint going up $1-$2 over the last year, that may also get you thinking about how often you're willing to pay that extra price. Sure, buying a 6-pack and drinking at home has always been cheaper. And when you're not willing to drop down to a cheaper beer those extra bucks tend to add up.
Twitter is surely a social "pub" of sorts. Will it ever totally replace the pub? NO. Will people continue to go to pubs no matter what the cost of beer is? PROBABLY. But I'd still argue that social drinking from home via Twitter will grow in popularity.
Tools like Twitter will continue to evolve and change over time. Twitter's popularity will eventually fade and be replaced by the next big thing. But for now, I at least know I can enjoy a beer from my desk at home and be able to find a few similar souls at home enjoying the same.
Shocked that you didnt dig your claws into @foamee or foamee.com - Lets you send a Beer I.O.U to a friend on twitter.
Or, even @beerdo beerdo.com - Lets you rate beers via twitter and users can monitor beer ratings.
Those two sites are key to truly make your argument that "Twitter may soon reduce the need to go out to socialize and have a beer"!
Cheers,
@SIGEPJEDI
Geeks have touched every part of my life...not my beer too!
Darcie - apparently you haven't heard of geekswhodrink.com/blog - Geeks are going to touch your beer. Who do you think makes your beer? That's right... beer geeks.
@SIGEPJEDI - ya well I couldn't put them all into a top ten but glad you reminded me. But you know, @foamee doesn't exist - no page found. Sorry. I do love and use @beerdo. I'll have to post a top 25 next time.
Great story Dave. Strangely enough, a friend was asking me what Tweeter was yesterday. It was ironic that I read your story today. Maybe it's a sign that I need to create an account.
Sean
Twitter Rocks. I live MILES from any bars, and hundreds of miles (Round trip) from any decent pubs. Twitter is one of 2 means that keep me in touch with people who love beer.
Dave,
I'm not so sure about pub replacement with Twitter but I entirely agree about the convenience about enjoying craft beer at a reasonable price in a comfortable environment while sociallizing. No driving or smelling like smoke. Sure, it's not the same as being out with the boys but it sure is conducive to my busy schedule. And it opens you up to much wider and diversified audience. It works for me.
Thanks for including my tweet in your post!
@FieldpointeBrew
One of my favorite things about twitter is the real life connections it enables. I've used to to gather a crowd for drinks at Avery or other breweries. Instead of staying online, use it to draw people out with you to enjoy your favorite beers where they're brewed!
Jeremy
Twitter: @Penguin
Twitter/BrightKite has made my pub time more efficient.
As a traveler, I can also "virtual pub" with folks months before I plan on going to a particular city.
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