BeerAdvocate Recognition and ACBF

Boston.com has a great article on BeerAdvocate and the Alström brothers (thanks to Jordan for passing along), which discusses how BA was founded, the story behind BA's success, and what they've done with the craft brewing industry.

Not only is the BA Website and magazine great for beer drinkers to go read up on beer reviews and find out about events and releases, it holds a real power for brewers. David Yarrington of Smuttynose Brewing sums up this power nicely, saying "we don't have the dollars to spend on marketing or advertising...The ability to generate these underground buzzes is something we can't buy." I can think of a number of beers which I never heard of, but then read something about them on BA or other beer sites and was instantly curious as to what this beer was like. The article mentions the Portsmouth Brewery's Kate the Great, which got a cult-like following with the help of community sites like BA. Now there is an annual Kate the Great Day, where enthusiasts meet at the brewery on the release day of Kate the Great. I can't imagine there is much advertising done by Portsmouth Brewery, but the way that they have embraced this following is a great example of how craft brewers can reap the benefits of organizations like BA.

On a semi-related note, BA is hosting the American Craft Beer Festival this Friday and Saturday. It should be a great time, with a seriously impressive brewer line-up, sporting 300+ beers over the 2 days.