Happy St. Patty’s Day! Have a Narragansett beer and watch how social media is transforming a brewery.

When traditional advertising just won’t cut it, and competing with brands like Bud Light and Miller Light appears impossible — but sales are up 90% since last year — why not ride the social media wave?

After taking a hiatus for almost 25 years, Narragansett Brewery is back and appears to have taken a few pages out of Hubspot’s Inbound Marketing book. The brewery’s new site is a content creating machine — Check it out. You might be surprised by the look. Rather than dump money into a lot of inert advertising, they’re focused on building loyal consumers through social media and events. In 2009 alone, “Gansett executed close to 1,200 such events.”

Their longtime slogan is perfect for social media: “Hi Neighbor, Have a ‘Gansett!”

One thing they are doing to really distinguish their online strategy is their “Support The Cause” part of their website. The campaign hopes to to sell 7.5 million cases a year, and if it succeeds, they will build a brand new brewery and create hundreds of jobs for New England residents.

To really include their fans in building their brand, they are asking everyone for three action items: 1) sign a petition (by sharing comments on their blog and Facebook Page), 2) buy a case, and 3) tell them if there are any stores or bars that don’t sell ‘Gansett. So far they have over 800 comments on the petition alone …and that number is continuing to grow.

Here’s my pledge, which automatically migrates from Facebook to the ‘Gansett site:

Another very social aspect of their campaign are the “pledge videos” posted to the blog, where, during ‘Gansett events, people are asked to pledge to drink however many cases they wish of Narragansett beer over the next year. These videos are posted on the Narragansett website, and done in a very fun and informal way. Holding an open call for user (drinker) videos is an excellent way to get people to engage online after being entertained, because it gives them a chance to get themselves and their friends on the ‘Gansett site.

Here’s why this is such a fantastic use of social media:
It creates a strong online to offline engagement and consistently encourages sharing.

Many brands will chat you up on Facebook and Twitter, but they don’t ask you to find something in your life (like a store or a bar), and give you a reason to connect your offline life to your online life with their brand.

They also have an active Twitter account (@GansettBeer), where they often post links, re-tweet pictures, and let their 1,600 followers know where their next event is going down. On Facebook, they have done a better job than on Twitter so far, with around 8,500 fans. In general, they use Facebook in the same way they use Twitter, posting about the goings on of their brand, but always in a casual, fun way. One very nice integration they have added is functionality that lets you shop for their gear on the Facebook page. Talk about ease of use, how nice is it that people don’t have to leave Facebook to buy?

So if you like Narragansett Beer, and want to “Support The Cause” to help them continue to expand, then make sure you pledge your share of cases for this upcoming year. Heck, you might even want to put yourself down for a sixer tonight!

By. Guy Lister

Next stop on the Tour after the Racking Room was the “Stock House”, also known as “the Aging Cellars.” The Stock House was 4 stories high and on each floor were sixteen storage tanks that looked round from the front. Each tank stood 11 and half feet high and were 45 feet from front to back. Each tank held 1,100 barrels of beer or ale.

As we would enter the first floor, John would stop the group and in his big, booming voice, warn everyone to watch their step while in this room. “This place looks like a Chinese Fire Drill!’, he’d boom. Indeed, as we entered what to me always seem like the coldest place in the Brewery, there were fire hoses filled with beer lying all over the floor and Brewery workers performing a variety of different tasks. One might be coupling a hose to a tank which might lead to the Bottling Shop, while another might be hooking a line to the Racking Room or the Canning line. All those hoses led to a place in the Brewery that was putting the product into its package. Other workers might be turning valve wheels to regulate the flow, or scrubbing the floor, while another might be climbing into one of the huge tanks through a small, oval door on the lower front of the tank, to scrub the inside of the massive, glass-lined tank with a broom and a hose to ready it for the next batch. Each tank had a chalkboard plaque hung onto it to identify the product inside and the date that it entered the tank. Freshness was always the key.

We were next headed for the “Canning Shop”, which was situated on the ground floor of the Administration Building, underneath the Executive Offices. Before entering the Canning Shop, everyone was issued a pair of plastic safety glasses for eye protection. Then we could go inside.

“The Canning Department” was probably the most modern division of the Brewery. We had a state of the art, high speed canning line and the tour got right up close to it for a great view. The conveyer line that fed the can filler looked like a roller coaster suspended in air. While on the conveyer run, the cans were without lids and were sprayed inside and out for cleanliness and then they would enter the filling machine that moved so fast that the eye literally could not follow. The machine would fill 900 cans a minute! After the cans were filled, they would pass through a series of electric eyes that checked for foreign substances. Then each can would get a quick shot of CO 2, to agitate the beer, causing the head to overflow the can, thereby eliminating any air in the can. It was at that precise moment that the lid would go onto the top on the can, sealing it tight. All these functions happened fasters than the eye could see!

Make sure you check back next week as we continue into Lister’s tour with part two of The Narragansett Brewery Tour.

Guy Lister gave Narragansett Brewing Company full consent to post his story on our website. However, it remains the intellectual property of Guy Lister and may not be printed, reprinted, edited, sold or published, conventionally, electronically, or by other means without the expressed written approval of Guy Lister.  Copyright 2001.

The World’s Billionaires
#48 Jorge Paulo Lemann
03.10.10, 06:00 PM EST
Smart investment in a Brazilian brewer in 1989 put Lemann on the path to his current status: one of the largest shareholders of Anheuser-Busch Inbev, the world’s biggest brewer.

Previous: Abigail Johnson    Next: Roman Abramovich
Net Worth:    $11.5 bil
Fortune:    Self Made
Source:    beer
Age:    70
Country Of Citizenship:    Brazil
Residence:    Sao Paulo
Education:    Harvard U, Bachelor of Arts / Science
Marital Status:    Married, 5 children
Smart investment in a Brazilian brewer in 1989 put Lemann on the path to his current status: one of the largest shareholders of Anheuser-Busch Inbev, the world’s biggest brewer. Group was formed in Nov. 2008 when Inbev acquired Anheuser-Busch for $52 billion. Shares control of beer behemoth with his former investment banking partners (and fellow Brazilian billionaires) Marcel Telles and Carlos Alberto Sicupira, as well as with the Belgian families who controlled Inbev’s predecessor, Interbrew. The Brazilian trio also controls retailer Lojas Americanas. His first big success was at investment bank Banco Garantia, which he founded 1971 and sold to Credit Suisse First Boston in 1998 for $675 million. Tennis player, once played in Wimbledon. Donated $16.5 million to University of Illinois, set up Lemann Institute for Brazilian Studies.

Previous: Abigail Johnson    Next: Roman Abramovic

Next time you find yourself in a bar or package store, remember to DRINK YOUR PART. YOU BUY A CASE, WE BUILD A BREWERY.  Let’s bring our brewery back to New England!!

Hi Neighbor, Have a Gansett!!

Latitude 43 located at 25 Rogers Street in Downtown Gloucester, is quickly becoming one of the most talked about restaurants on the North Shore. Sitting on the waters edge, one can only assume that the place specializes in local traditions like fried clams and baked stuffed lobsters, however Lat. 43 does it a little different. Many of Latitude 43’s dishes use local ingredients, but push the envelope as to how they are cooked. Things like Lobster Risotto and Pan Roasted Cod, make for something new and exciting. Other enticing entrees include Seared Day Boat Scallops and Baked Lobster Landed Seafood Newburg, which contains Scallops, Haddock, Lobster, and Shrimp, “baked in Newburg sauce topped with Ritz crust, roasted acorn squash, and buttery new potatoes.” In addition to the many different seafood options, Lat. 43 also has some great non-seafood dishes, and boasts a full Sushi bar (w/ $20.00 all you can eat on Tuesdays) . If you’re looking for some straight tavern style food, Latitude 43 also has that covered.  They offer .43 cent wings on Wednesdays, creamy clam chowder, sandwiches, stews, fish and chips, and plenty more.

Lat. 43 offers live music just about every night of the week, and offers ICE COLD GANSETT DRAFTS to both dinner and tavern guests alike. One last cool thing to note is the space is very green friendly which you can check out here.

For more information check out their website at Lat.43 or find them on Facebook !!

Latitude 43
25 Rogers St
Gloucester, MA
978.281.0223

Inspired by Quint’s rendition of ‘Spanish Ladies’ in the film Jaws, Sharks Come Cruisin’ combines traditional songs of sailing, whaling, drinking and sinking with drums, bass, guitar and lots of hollering. No wonder why we used them for the Narragansett float at the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Newport this past Saturday. The above video shows some highlights from the day with their tune, “Bully In The Alley.” You can tell the rain didn’t damper our fighting spirits. Everyone still chanting along. Everytime the float turned a new corner the damp crowd started hollering right along with us and some even tried to keep the fun going by jumping on our float. What a day!

Sharks Come Cruisin’ are quite possibly the most fun band to see live. The energy from both the crowd and the band will keep the venue alive through the night. Aside from parade floats, they play at several New England venues and always ask that ‘Gansett be served if it isn’t already. They put que cards so new fans can sing along as a well and the only way to chant is by hoisting a ‘Gansett in the air. After the parade they headed to Boston to play a sold out show at the House Of Blues opening for Dropkick Murphys on Sunday night. You really need to see this for yourself. Their next show is tonight at The Box (formerly Penalty Box on North Main St.) in Providence, RI. Its’ the fourth annual St. Patrick’s Day celebration and promises to be one hell of a party.

For more check our their MySpace and here’s one of their most recently recorde tunes, John Kanakanaka.

Download audio file (Johnny-K.mp3)

John Kanakanaka

These exceptionally delicious and simple stuffed mushrooms, are brought to life by the addition of the distictive flavor of clam! We used clam juice for the liquid part of this recipe, and it saturates everything with its winning flavor. Some nice, thick, cream and the always perfect, parmesan, will have your tastebuds singing.

Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 25 mins
Main Ingredient: Mushrooms, Clam Juice
Difficulty Level: 2

Ingredients:

1/2 lb Mushrooms, with big caps
1 md Onion, chopped finely
1/2 c Clam juice
3 T Sauterne wine
1/4 c Bread crumbs
3 T Butter
1/2 c Half and half
3 T Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Step 1:
Pop stems out of mushrooms (don’t tear cups). Cut stems up finely. Saute mushrooms and onions in butter (or olive oil) slowly, over medium-low heat, until limp; be careful not to let mixture burn.

Step 2:
Add clam juice and wine; cook slowly until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add bread crumbs to shroom mixture in pan; mix well. Should be quite dry. Add half and half until mixture has a good texture, like slightly dampish clay for hand-building pottery. Add Parmesan.

Step 3:
Fill mushroom caps with mixture (will have to mound). Bake in toaster oven at 250 degrees F. until mushrooms start looking shriveled and ooze juice, getting brown.

In honor of St. Parick’s Day tomorrow, check out these awesome, vintage St. Patrick’s Day-themed signs found on e-Bay! Bid on the one above HERE. See more after the jump…

Bid on this sign.

Bid on this sign.

Bid on this sign.

Can you find more? Post a link to your findings in the comments!

Name: Kristen
Nickname: K-Dowls
Hometown: Boxford, MA
College: BU
High School: Masco
Height: A lowly 5’3”
Eye Color: Brown
Hair Color: Brown
Favorite Style of Gansett: Mmmm Porter….
Favorite Gansett bar: The Field in Central Square
Favorite things: Life adventures, good friends, live music, sushi, the great outdoors, sustainability, New England, wandering, delicious beer!