Do you fancy craft beer, my friends? Perhaps you like to check out Facbeook here and there? Well, what better way to combine these two lovable passions than to follow your favorite craft beer breweries on Facebook?
Not surprisingly, there are quite a few craft beer breweries that have little to no presence on Facebook. The eight that we have selected for this list are not only active, but are inspiring quality conversation and are posting interesting and beneficial content on a regular basis. Furthermore, these selections are especially relevant to the local areas that they represent – keeping their fans up to date on everything from beer dinners and special brews to local festivals and events that they will be participating in.
So, without further ado (and in no particular order)…
Anderson Valley Brewing Company
Hailing from the heart of wine country in Northern California, AVBC is responsible for making some of the finest craft beers on the west coast, such as my personal favorite, Boont Amber Ale. AVBC is still a fairly small community on Facebook, less than 4,000 fans, but they put out a good mix of news, articles, and community initiatives that make the follow worthwhile. If you’re in the Bay Area, tune in to find out about some great events that AVBC participates in, such as the annual Boonville Beer Festival which just raised over $100,000 to support local charities.
Oskar Blues Brewery
Lyons is a small town about 20 minutes outside of Boulder, Colorado. When you pass through, it is literally impossible to miss the Oskar Blues Brewery which sits right in the middle of the main road that runs through town. As one of the first craft beers to adopt the can as their primary packaging, Oskar Blues was at the forefront of a trend that is becoming more widespread through the craft beer space. Like AVBC, their Facebook following is relatively small, but jump into the mix now and you might just get turned onto some really cool ideas and events. Like for instance, this Colorado road trip brewery tour article from the Chicago Tribune.
Dogfish Head
With nearly 70,000 fans, Dogfish Head is one of the larger craft communities on Facebook, and a rather active one at that. If you haven’t had their 60-minute IPA, you’re missing out on one of the finest IPA’s on the market today. If you’re not following them on Facebook, you’re missing out on a center point of the online craft beer scene. Go ahead, give them the ‘like’. Delaware will thank you for it.
Stone Brewing Co.
Stone Brewing is a staple of the craft beer world. With craft classics such as Arrogant Bastard Ale, Stone has become one of the forefront crafts on the market today. Their Facebook fanpage has nearly 50,000 fans, and a very active conversation that consists of events, general beer knowledge and unique opportunities with the brewery. In fact, just this week, Stone posted an open-call for a career open-house which boasts 35 positions that they’re looking to fill. Of course, you would have known that if you were already following them.
Rogue Ales
Oregon’s Rogue Ales is another staple of the craft beer scene. Dead Guy was the first craft beer that I truly fell in love with and it is still a go to choice when introducing someone to “good” beer. Rogue Nation is the official fan following of Rogue Ales, and as such, Rogue Nation is the title they have granted to their official Facebook fan page. Note: they do have a profile for Rogue Ales, but this is a general profile, not a fan page. Surprisingly, for as wide a footprint as Rogue now has, their following is only 5,000 on Facebook. But, for a brewery that is known for their huge, growing selection of brews, staying in the loop through their Facebook feed is a must.
Abita Beer
Music, seafood and oil are not the only things that New Orleans has to offer. They have great beer too. And Abita is the one you should be following on Facebook. Over the past year, Abita has had a resurgence of energy around the country, and with 30,000 fans on their Facebook page, they definitely have the following to back it up. We say, support New Orleans, ‘Like’ Abita.
Harpoon Brewery
Up here in New England, Harpoon Brewery is one of the mainstays around town. Even in the macro sports bars, they’ve managed to get their IPA on tap. And thank God for that, because what would life be without an IPA option? Like most of the other breweries on this list, Harpoon offers a lot of opportunities for those in the home territory. But, even if you are outside of the New England area, Harpoon offers up some cool opportunities such as online chat sessions with their brewer.
New Belgium Brewing Company
Last, but certainly not least, is New Belgium. Best known for their ever popular Fat Tire Amber Ale, New Belgium is perhaps the only true craft to have over 100,000 fans on Facebook. They are also one of the very few crafts that have created a Facebook application. Yes, now you too can “bike yourself” on New Belgium’s fan page and have the opportunity to win your very own New Belgium bike. And why not? It’s a beer bike. How can you go wrong with that?
Well, that’s a wrap, folks. There are indeed hundreds of craft breweries on the Facebook, and we’re sure that you’ll find, ‘like’ and support your favorites. But, if you want a few go-to’s to get you started in online beer culture, this is as good a selection as any to get you moving in the right direction.
Did we miss your favorite? (We’re sorry). Why don’t you suggest it below in the comments.
Tags: Beer Marketing, Craft Beer, Facebook
