Shortly after last year's GABF, I was commissioned by a good friend over at http://nativerank.com to write a few blogs for them. Native Rank is far and away the best Search Engine Optimization company out there, so if you're looking, give them a call. Tell them Microbrewmaps sent you. Please. We need the referral fee.
I am re-posting this honor of Dogfish Head's release of URKontinent to the public. I am particularly excited to finally try this brew, and if anyone out there has already tried it, let us know what you think. So alas, from October-ish of 2011:
Google and the
Great American Beer Festival
Last
week I came across a large volume of articles commenting on URKontinent, the new collaborative beer effort from
Dogfish Head in Delaware, and everyone’s favorite innovator, Google. It’s amazing!
It sucks! Now Google will
dominate all things beer! Nooo! The variety of takes on such a simple subject
as “Google makes a beer” was simply astounding.
People
gushed over the fact it was a Google User based production, with suggestions
taken on ingredients from different Google forums from across the globe. (From Dogfish.com):
“Wattleseed from
Australia imparts a chocolate, coffee, and hazelnut taste to the beer. Toasted
Amaranth from South America gives it an earthy, grainy flavor and a little
additional roast flavor. Green Rooibos from Africa contributes a floral aroma
and slight astringency. Myrica Gale from Europe supplements the bitterness from
minimal hopping. Hive Plex Honey from California adds a subtle sweetness while
maintaining the dry finish”
Delicious
Wattleseed. Can’t wait. Hive Plex Honey from the Google campus sounds
like a 1950’s Maoist endeavor meets Resident Evil. Awesome.
So, I’m walking
around the Great American Beer Festival in Denver, Co., hoping to run into
these guys. I had heard internet
whisperings that they might tap this beer at the festival, and naturally I
would be one of the chosen few to get a taste.
I find the Dogfish Head booth (quite crowded) and…
…stupid internet rumors are stupid. No URKontinent. Not sure if they ever did tap it privately,
or on another night, but I’m still too upset to even bother doing the research. Such is Life, I suppose.
Anyhow,
here’s a side thought that hit me while I was wading through the throngs of inebriated
folk at the festival: The Great American
Beer Festival is an interesting hyper-representation of what Google is trying
to do with its local search listings (only live). Seriously, it is. 50,000 “users” over 3 days trying to navigate
500 breweries and over 3,000 beers. A
single individual just can’t drink 3,000 beers in a night, so how do you
choose? Here’s what I noticed about
decision-making:
·
Look
for what’s popular, i.e. crowded. (Read:
High SERP)
·
Ask
others what they think (User Review)
·
Ask
vendors what they think, who they are and what they’re about (Place Page)
·
Follow
the Festival map (Duh!)
Interesting…Google
might be on to something after all!
Love it.
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