Twitter is the new beer pub

November 30, 9:02 PMNorthern Colorado Beer Examiner'Chipper' Dave Butler

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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.