Drink With The Wench » WENCH UNCENSORED http://drinkwiththewench.com Drinking through the world, one beer at a time. Mon, 02 Mar 2015 00:57:37 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=4.0.1 Happy 21st Amendment Day! Long Live Craft Beer! http://drinkwiththewench.com/2013/12/happy-21st-amendment-day-long-live-craft-beer/ http://drinkwiththewench.com/2013/12/happy-21st-amendment-day-long-live-craft-beer/#comments Thu, 05 Dec 2013 18:15:36 +0000 http://drinkwiththewench.com/?p=7602 Today marks the 80th anniversary of the Repeal of Prohibition in the United States! On December 5th 1933, Utah (ironic enough) was the final state to ratify the 21st Amendment, fulfilling the 1/3 majority vote needed for its passage. And thus, the 18th Amendment – banning the sale and manufacturing of alcohol – was repealed!

_______________________

The 21st Amendment

Ratified December 5, 1933
Section 1. The eighteenth article of amendment to the Constitution of the United States is hereby repealed.
Section 2. The transportation or importation into any State, Territory, or possession of the United States for delivery or use there in of intoxicating liquors, in violation of the laws thereof, is hereby prohibited.
Section 3. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by conventions in the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress.

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A little over 100 years ago there were over 3,000 breweries in the United States, but then along came Prohibition. But the American brewing spirit persevered. 5 years after its repeal there were several hundred breweries producing beer. (source: Dr. Bill Sysak, Stone Brewing Co.)

Today in America, there are over 2,136 breweries — a number which is rapidly increasing, according the Brewers Association.

US Breweries Operating as of July 1, 2012

Brewpubs 1072
Microbreweries 922
Regional Craft Breweries 81
Total US Craft Breweries 2075
Large Non-Craft Breweries 22
Other Non-Craft Breweries 29
Total US Breweries 2126

Although today is a very happy day in the history of the U.S. (for alcohol lovers), the effects of Prohibition still live on 79 years later. Nearly half of Mississippi’s counties are dry. Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, Virginia and Texas all boast a high percentage of dry counties. Alaska has nearly 129 dry towns. And then, there are the hundreds of, often contradictory, state alcohol laws across the country that regulate the manufacturing and sale of alcohol. Here are some examples of these laws.

But, at the end of the day, even with how annoying some state laws might be, we can still be eternally grateful that we are not, in fact, experiencing a complete Prohibition (although, some regions might feel like they are).

In celebration of the 21st Amendment and support of the craft beer revolution, I thought it was only appropriate to share with the world a video that I, personally, believe truly encompasses the craft beer mentality and the passion of its biggest advocates.

“We must educate the average beer drinker. We must illuminate the possibilities. We must help and support our local breweries. We must spread the message. Introduce, educate, and illuminate the choices. Spread the message and declare with conviction:

I AM A CRAFT BEER DRINKER.”


I am a Craft Beer Drinker from New Brew Thursday on Vimeo

Written by Stephen Johnson : @darthweef
Directed by John Holzer : @johnholzer
Produced by New Brew Thursday : @newbrewthursday

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CraftGeer: Making Beer Geeks Fashionable http://drinkwiththewench.com/2013/10/craftgeer-making-beer-geeks-fashionable/ http://drinkwiththewench.com/2013/10/craftgeer-making-beer-geeks-fashionable/#comments Wed, 23 Oct 2013 00:57:22 +0000 http://drinkwiththewench.com/?p=9739 Let’s face it. The craft beer crowd isn’t exactly known for its fashion sense. The probably has a lot to do with the nature of the job. Brewing is dirty work and it almost never involves a suit and a tie. After all, 90% (or more) of brewing is cleaning. No need to be fancy.

And when it comes to the beer geeks, we love to sport swag from our favorite breweries and watering holes. But when you are a girl, this isn’t always easy. My biggest pet peeve with beer clothes is how unflattering they can be for women. You can always tell when a man designs and picks out the fabric for women’s beer shirts. They are usually 100% cotton, boxy and shrink up like crazy. And most of us beer loving girls don’t exactly have the flat tummies needed to pull off belly shirts.

But have no fear, ladies and gents. CraftGeer.com is here to fill all of our beer fashion needs.

Disclaimer: I was not solicited by CraftGeer to write this post. Joe is a friend and I felt the need to promote his awesome products. Another Disclaimer: Because Joe is a friend, I’ve been a very grateful beneficiary of his products. Call me a guinea pig of sorts–or maybe just a whore for cool shit.

Anyways. Moving on.

If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me where I got my awesome beer snifters with the skull and crossbones hop leaf, I’d have like at least 100 bucks. Maybe more. People absolutely love those things. And for good reason. Not only is the snifter and iconic and ideal glassware for many styles of beer, the logo is totally badass.

But as much as I love the glassware, I love the shirts even more. My current favorite is the Drink Local tank top. It long (women love the long shit), stretchy (women love the stretchy shit) and pretty damn flattering (women like to look good, yo). As a hoodie fanatic, I’m desperately waiting for the Girlie Hoodie to get back in stock (hint hint, Joe).

They have some pretty cool men’s gear too. I’m a big fan on the slogan “Keep Calm and Add Hops.” Although its totally based on the popular Keep Calm meme, it is also pretty accurate. Hops are a natural sedative, which means they actual do posses the power to calm people. Just don’t give hops to your dog. Hops can cause malignant hyperthermia in dogs, usually with fatal results. Yikes.

I’ve played with the idea of making my own merch as well. I mean, what lady doesn’t want a shirt that says “The Beer Wench” on it? And I’ve always wanted to create a shirt that says, “I drank with The Wench and Survived.” I recently found QLP–a pretty affordable site that literally lets you put your logo on everything from koozies to car chargers and stress balls. Drink With The Wench stress balls, anyone?

But what I really, REALLY want to make is a custom track jacket with the logo above. I have yet to come across a bar or brewery that makes a cool beer-themed track jacket for chicks. So I guess the real question is, does anyone care? Does anyone want anything with my brand on it? I’m very interested to hear your feedback! And in the meantime, check out my friend Joe’s cool stuff over at CraftGeer.com.

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My #GABF with AGA Marvel-ous http://drinkwiththewench.com/2013/10/my-gabf-with-aga-marvel-ous/ http://drinkwiththewench.com/2013/10/my-gabf-with-aga-marvel-ous/#comments Wed, 16 Oct 2013 18:17:45 +0000 http://drinkwiththewench.com/?p=9717 The craft beer industry is quite possibly the best industry in the world.  From vendors to distributors to brewers to the media–I am constantly blown away by the amount of kindness, generosity and love that is given and shared amongst our amazing community.

Last week, I broke the very sad news to my friends and followers that, for the first time in 5 years, I was unable to attend the Great American Beer Festival. Unfortunately, the brewery I work for was unable to participate this year and I didn’t have the budget to go on my own.

No beer for Wenchie = #sadface

Upon posting my sad news, an angel of beer named Micha Rains appeared. She told me, “the Great American Beer Festival cannot happen without The Wench. We must make this happen!” And then she proceeded to pitch her company, AGA Marvel, on a partnership between our two brands. They offered to buy me a plane ticket and put me up in a hotel room in exchange for helping to work their booth during GABF. A chance to go to GABF and all I had to do was help promote amazing kegerators? My answer was obvious.

My Fairy Beermother Micha

And so, I hopped on the first plane out to Denver, rolled my sleeves up and became a mini-ambassador for AGA Marvel. And let me tell you, I had a blast. And because I’m so grateful for AGA Marvel’s kindness, I want to take this opportunity to tell you about their awesome beer dispensers, which I had the honor of “playing” with all weekend.

If you’ve never seen them before, the AGA Marvel beer dispensers are a glorious sight to be seen. And I’m not just saying this because they were so kind to me, I’m completely honest when I tell you how versatile, efficient, easy-to-use and just plain old pretty these things are. We were showing off the outdoor models, which were wrapped entirely in super shiny stainless steel. I love shiny objects, so I was instantly enamored.

I heart shiny objects

Each 24″ system comes ready to go with all necessary tapping equipment – draft tower, hoses, 5 lb. CO2 tank and regulator, drip tray, and interior floor shield to protect the inside liner. They all provide the option to store one half, one quarter (plus bottles), or two 1/6 barrel kegs–or can be converted to a full refrigerator with metal shelves that easily store inside when not in use.

But the fun doesn’t stop there. The Marvel beer dispensers come with several custom options.

First, you can opt for the indoor model, which comes in black, stainless steel or wood; or the outdoor model, which is built with corrosion resistant commercial grade stainless steel. Next, you can decide between a single tap tower or a duel tap tower. Then, you can choose between an exterior drip tray or a drip tray that empties into a plastic bottle inside the refrigerator, for easier cleaning.

Double the beer, double the fun!

There is also a portable outdoor version that comes with heavy duty casters and mug rails, pro-style handles and stainless steel toe kicks so you can wheel it around in style. Both versions can either be free-standing or built under existing counter-tops and bars. Cooling temp ranges from 33° – 52° F, so you can keep your beer chilled at the most optimal serving temperatures.

Bottles and kegs, oh my!

When it comes to price, which I’m sure you all are curious about, these systems run upwards from $1,899, depending on the model and variations chosen. Naturally, extra perks like drip trays and wheels cost a bit more. As far as buying concerns, AGA Marvel has a national network of independent dealers, servicers and fitters that sell, install, repair and maintain their products. To locate a dealer, enter your zip or postal code here.

All in all, these systems were easy to setup and use. On the floor, we used an a portable outdoor beer dispenser to pour rootbeer and DRAFT Magazine used two of the portable outdoor systems to pour special beers in their VIP lounge. Everyone who came across the systems were wickedly impressed–as was I. And if you are in the market for a kegerator, the AGA Marvel beer dispensers come highly recommended by none other than yours truly!

Super sleek design.

In closing, I just want to send a super shout-out to my friend Micha and her team at AGA Marvel who gave me the wonderful opportunity to attend the Great American Beer Festival. It was officially the best GABF I’ve been to yet and it would never have been possible without the amazing folks at AGA Marvel! Thanks Art, Micha, Dick and Leah! XOXO!!!

Follow @AGAMARVEL on Twitter

Like AGA MAVERL on Facebook

Follow AGA MARVEL on Pinterest

 

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The Real Secret to Becoming a (Beer) Rockstar on Instagram http://drinkwiththewench.com/2013/05/the-real-secret-to-becoming-a-beer-rockstar-on-instagram/ http://drinkwiththewench.com/2013/05/the-real-secret-to-becoming-a-beer-rockstar-on-instagram/#comments Wed, 29 May 2013 21:40:38 +0000 http://drinkwiththewench.com/?p=9596 I’m going to be pretty straight forward with you. Being Instapopular is super easy. Time consuming, yes. But easy.

“You have to learn the rules of the game, and then you have to play better than anyone else.”

- Albert Einstein

Unless you are a celebrity of sorts or a large brand, Instagram followers and likes don’t come organically. You have to work your “thumb” off for them. Sure, there are exceptions to the rules…..but let’s be real here. It’s not about being “cute” or even about being an “expert” on a particular subject. Being “good” at Instagram (and many social media platforms, for that matter) comes down to basic statistics.

The more likes you give, the more you get.

Anyone can be an Instaceleb. Really. All you need to do is spend a zillion hours each day liking and commenting on photos.

I know what you are thinking—but, what about the quality of the photo? Being awesome at photography doesn’t always guarantee likes on Instagram. Good quality helps, but your pics won’t get any likes if no one knows who you are. Trust me. I’ve seen my fair share of poor quality beer photos with hundreds of likes. And I’ve seen my fair share of amazing beer pictures with barely any likes. Super lame and probably unfair, but that’s the way it is.

So what about the subject of the photo? Surely that matters too? YES, both the quality and the subject of the photo are extremely important—but those details don’t matter unless people know you exist. It doesn’t matter if you post a print-worthy picture of the rarest, most-sought-after beer on the planet….if…..no…..one…..sees…..it. You get me?

So how do you get people to find you on Instagram?

Okay, let’s turn the focus to beer since this post is strictly about becoming a craft beer rockstar on Instagram. (However, I’m quite certain that these tactics can be applied to other topics of interest).

First things first. You have to create an interesting user name that is relatively easy for people to spell and remember. Your name is a good start, but if you can come up with something witty and fun you are much better off. The more compelling, the better.

Next, you have to start liking photos of beer like it’s your job (in fact, you might have to do it so much that it feels like it is your actual job). I’m not talking about 5 photos here and 5 photos there. I’m talking about spending hours a day double tapping every single photo of beer that you can find. And how does one find these photos?

The easiest way to get started is to like every photo on the #craftbeer hashtag feed. And how does one find said feed? Well, you can either click the explore button (the star burst shape) at the bottom of the Instagram feed and then manually type in #craftbeer in the search window. Or you can hashtag an existing photo with #craftbeer and click on the hyperlink that it creates.

And then like like like your little heart out.

Until your thumb falls off.

Now that you are liking every single beer photo physically possible, it is time to get strategic with your photos. First, you need to slow your roll and limit the number of photos you post in a day. In fact, you should only be posting once or twice a day for maximum efficiency and likes.

If you feel the need to post a picture of every sign, dog, baby and robot you see—you should probably create a separate personal account just for those types of posts. Let’s be honest, beer people don’t care about your recent shoe purchase—they care about the Pliny you are drinking. Limit the majority of your Instagram pictures to those of beer and similarly related subjects (you can still express your personal side, but try to keep it far and few between).

You also need to step up your photo quality game. I don’t care if you are drinking the last Westy 12 on the planet, if you are in a dark bar, that photo is not going to look good. Whenever possible, try to take your photos in good lighting. Also, get yourself a few photo apps that help to sharpen and brighten pictures. My two standbys are Pix and Camera+. I have several others, but those are the two I stick to the most.

Lastly, get strategic with your timing. Most people work for a living, so they are less likely to be on Instagram during the nine-to-five time block. But after work? Oh, it’s on! The sweet spot for getting the most likes on Instagram with photos of beer is between 5-8 PST. Think happy hour. During this window of time, people on both coasts are boozing it up and spending a lot of QT with their mobile devices. This is when you want to post your beer porn.

By this point, you should be experiencing good momentum with your account—ideally, you have a lot more followers and are getting  a ton more likes. But, how do you continue to take it to the next level? Go beyond the #craftbeer feed. Start following and liking other beer-related hashtags. Brand names, beer names, beer bar names, beer styles—all those work really well.

#newbelgium #ninkasi #duvel #chimay #citybeerstore #toronado #blackipa #pilsner #organicbeer #goodbeer #untappd #ratebeer

You name it, and there is probably a hashtag for it.

The next trick is probably my favorite in the book. Stalk brewery and bar geotags. Most breweries that have a pub, taproom or offer some sort of brewery tour have a geotag that people can check into, which becomes a hyperlink in the Instagram feed. The key is to find these geotags, click on them and then like all the photos that people have taken at every brewery you come across. This will help you find photos of beer that haven’t been hashtagged.

Last but not least, you have to comment on other photos as well as engage with the people that comment on your posts. Comments almost guarantee a like back, if not a follow. Feel lazy? Come up with a snazzy catch phrase or generic comment, copy and paste it into every photo of beer. I happen to enjoy “Great minds drink alike” and “Fuck yes”—but, I’m sure you’ll find something more your pace.

By now you are super winning at Instagram. You have a cool, fun beer avatar. You are a liking machine. You are taking super good pictures and posting them at the most optimal times of the day. You are commenting left and right. You have hella followers and each photo is getting hella likes.

Congratulations, you are officially an Instaceleb.

So now you are probably thinking—Ashley, you are an Instaloser with no life. Touche, my friend. But, you are right. My Instafame has made me Instalame. I spent all of my Instafree Instatime Instagramming instead of Instasocialing with real people. But no worries. My Instaexperiment is over and I have every intention of rejoining the real world, drinking real beers with real people.

Roxie, you got nothing to worry about.
It’s all a circus, kid. A three ring circus.
These trials- the wholeworld- all show business.
But kid, you’re working with a star, the biggest!

Give ‘em the old razzle dazzle
Razzle Dazzle ‘em
Give ‘em an act with lots of flash in it
And the reaction will be passionate
Give ‘em the old hocus pocus
Bead and feather ‘em
How can they see with sequins in their eyes?

-Razzle Dazzle, Chicago The Musical

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Breweries, Keep Your Legal Battles OFF of Social Media http://drinkwiththewench.com/2013/05/breweries-keep-your-legal-battles-off-of-social-media/ http://drinkwiththewench.com/2013/05/breweries-keep-your-legal-battles-off-of-social-media/#comments Wed, 22 May 2013 17:39:07 +0000 http://drinkwiththewench.com/?p=9573 Well, it is quite apparent that SOME breweries did not attend the Social Media seminar during the 2013 Craft Brewers Conference—where we clearly and quite strongly advised AGAINST using social media to wage a war, legal or not, against another brewery. And if said breweries did attend the seminar, they obviously were not listening. So let me state it again, loud and clear:

Keep your battles offline.

Do not use social media to wage a war against another brewery. I don’t care how pissed off you are at them. I don’t care how many laws you think they broke. I don’t care if they flat out stole your branding, your beer name, or your recipe—DO NOT post about it online.

And why not? Besides getting an ego boost from your adoring fans, nothing good can come from public wars between companies. You are guaranteed to lose existing fans as well as lose any potential fans who are first exposed to your brand in this fashion. And at the end of the day, it’s not fair for you to put your fans and followers in this position. You do not have the right to ask your fans to fight your battles. Hire a lawyer. It’s their freaking job to fight your battles—NOT mine.

Keep the fight between your lawyers—NOT your fans.

The Law of Attraction states that like attracts like. Whatever vibrations we radiate attract more of the same. Negative energy only attracts more negative energy. The more negative energy you put on social media, the more you will get. And trust me, you do not want your brand to be viewed as one that emits and attracts negative energy.

Not to mention, breweries putting out negative energy only makes the craft beer industry look bad as a whole. You might think that the battle is solely between you and the other guy, but it’s not. You just brought the entire craft beer community into the lime light. Your actions reflect negatively upon our entire industry—not just your two brands. You make craft beer look immature and childish. You make it look like we can’t get along with each other. You are destroying the collaborative, harmonious and united image that we have worked so hard to project.

Social media is an extremely powerful tool. And with great power, comes great responsibility. And trust me, I’ve learned this the very, very hard way. Breweries and beer fans, please heed my advice:

Don’t use social media as a weapon.

If you need justice, then by all means go and get it. But do it in a courtroom, NOT on Facebook and Twitter. Besides, I’m pretty sure that the judge making the final ruling over the case won’t be swayed by internet petitions or “how many followers and fans” you got to post on your behalf.

I did NOT ask to be put in the middle of this battle. None of us did. Sure, I might have opinions on what is right and wrong in this situation, but I reserve the right to stay out of the fight. Don’t make me chose sides. And don’t make me fight your battles.

Because I refuse to get involved, I’m intentionally leaving the details of this particular “War of the Roses” out of this post. If you wish to learn more about the brewery vs. brewery conflict I’m referring to, you can read the House of Lancaster arguments here and the House of York arguments here.

And you can guarantee that a case study will be made of this incident, highlighting it as the quintessential example of what not to do on social media, at the 2014 Craft Brewers Conference.

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Call for Nominations: 2013 Bachelors of Beer http://drinkwiththewench.com/2013/04/call-for-nominations-2013-bachelors-of-beer/ http://drinkwiththewench.com/2013/04/call-for-nominations-2013-bachelors-of-beer/#comments Wed, 24 Apr 2013 01:27:37 +0000 http://drinkwiththewench.com/?p=9554 Oh yes, folks. It’s that time of the year again.

It’s time to objectify showcase the extremely talented, charming and ever-handsome single men in the craft beer industry.

Every year, I team up with a group of kickass women (and some men) from all corners of the country and various facets of the craft beer industry to present “Most Eligible Bachelors of Beer” competition. We are now in our third year, which means that the kinks have been worked out.

Bachelors of Beer Nominations

Anyone can submit a nomination. Because the competition is stiff, we are asking that when and if people submit nominations, they give us as much information on the nominees as they can, including photos and brewery bios if possible. Although I will accept nominations from the comment section on this site, I prefer if nominations are submitted via this Survey Monkey poll.

Bachelors of Beer Qualifications

The basic, bare minimum qualifications for nomination are as follows:

  1. Must work for a craft brewery (all positions considered)
  2. Must NOT be married or engaged (other relationship statuses accepted)

Bachelors of Beer Judging Criteria

All men being considered will be individually judged (and ultimately, scored) on the following three measures:

1. Industry Talent: Although many of the men excel at other hobbies, this measure strictly speaks to the “industry impact” that these individuals have made. This can be evidenced by number of awards won, books written etc… The main question is: are they important and relevant in the craft beer industry? And how important and relevant are they?

2. Personality: Let’s face it, brewers (although adorable in their awkwardness) are not known for being social butterflies. However, a select few stand out from the crowd. These are the speakers that can steal a room, the men that can sweet talk you into drinking anything….the men that draw you like a moth to the flame.

3. Appearance: Being in the beer industry is less than glamorous, and those who make it look glamorous deserve a little bit of credit. Drinking beer for a living can adversely affect one’s health and physical fitness. Yet, there are some men who have gone above and beyond to ensure that they keep a beach-ready physique. And well, then there are those that are just adorable in their own awkwardly geeky ways.

Bachelors of Beer FAQ

Lastly, there are always questions and criticisms about this concept. Here is my attempt to address them:

Q: Why would a self-empowered, self-proclaimed feminist start a silly beauty pageant-like competition highlighting men in the beer industry?

A: Because I can. Because it’s fun. And because the boys deserve the promotion and praise.

Q: What about the Eligible Bachelorettes of Beer?

A: I’m totally down with supporting a Bachelorette of Beer competition and would gladly help anyone who wants to do it start it and execute it.

Q: What if the nominee has a girlfriend?

A: This is the complicated part of the entire competition, and one that either offends or flatters the girlfriends. The best bet is to ask the nominee or even the girlfriend of the nominee if they are cool with being nominated. Heck, I’ve had several girls even nominate their own boyfriends.

Q: What if I work in craft beer, but not for a brewery?

A: Opening up the search to include bartender, writers, distributors and bloggers would be overwhelming and extremely time consuming. This is why we are strictly focused on employees of breweries.

Q: Does age matter?

A: Of course not! Although younger men might be perceived as cuter, the older gents usually score higher on the talent portion, as a result of experience. We love featuring men from all different age brackets!

Q: Does sexual orientation matter?

A: Of course not! We don’t care if he is gay or straight, if he is single, we want him!

Enough of this rambling! What are you waiting for? Get nominating!!!!!!

 

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FTW: Your Beer Drinking Speed via @StickyComics http://drinkwiththewench.com/2012/07/ftw-your-beer-drinking-speed-via-stickycomics/ http://drinkwiththewench.com/2012/07/ftw-your-beer-drinking-speed-via-stickycomics/#comments Sat, 14 Jul 2012 21:56:22 +0000 http://drinkwiththewench.com/?p=8474 True story: I love to Google random word combinations that involve beer. And by doing so, I stumble across some pretty awesome (and some not-so-awesome) things. The awesome discoveries I classify as an FTW — aka For The Win.

Today’s FTW is a “sticky comic” that I found thanks to my friend Hennie (@HennArtOnline) on Twitter. The artist, Christiann, is also the founder of the website StickyComics.com. Since the comic needs no intro other than delcaring its awesomeness…. here you go!

What is “Sticky Comics”?

Sticky Comics is my (mostly) humorous bunch of random drawings, scrawlings, and comics. (If you Google “sticky comics”, you will find there’s an erotic comic series called “Sticky”, but unfortunately, that’s not my work.)

Who makes this site?

My name is Christiann MacAuley. I write and draw everything on this site. I have a pretty wide bunch of far flung interests and hobbies, from studying German and history to writing novels to technology to outdoorsy stuff and more. I live near Washington, DC and am an avid party animal when I’m not just alone being silly. Cartooning makes me laugh, which is one of my favorite things to do ever.

Follow Christiann on twitter (@stickycomics), facebook, tumblr, and google+!!!

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20 Puntastic Beer-Themed Twitter Handles http://drinkwiththewench.com/2012/06/20-puntastic-beer-themed-twitter-handles/ http://drinkwiththewench.com/2012/06/20-puntastic-beer-themed-twitter-handles/#comments Fri, 22 Jun 2012 17:30:27 +0000 http://drinkwiththewench.com/?p=8396 It’s no secret that I have a love for Twitter that borders on obsession of the Fatal Attraction kind.

I have various criteria for following people. Some I follow because of recommendations from trusted friends, some I follow because I have met them in person, some I follow because they work in my industry — but often times, I just follow people because they have really fun & creative Twitter handles.

I recently took it upon myself to create a list of the most puntastic beer-themed Twitter handles. And yes, puntastic is a “word” according to the only dictionary that matters (Urban Dictionary). And someone even has the @puntastic Twitter handle, which in itself is rather puntastic.

Although I’m certain there are many puntastic Twitter handles out there that I might not know about, here are some of my favorites! Please note that this is NOT a ranked list, Twitter names are listed at random. Also note that the list was chosen SOLELY based on the creativity of the Twitter names, NOT the quality of Twitter posts by the users (heck, some of them barely tweet). However, I can say that most of them are definitely follow worthy, so if you aren’t following anyone on the list, definitely give them a chance!

20 Puntastic Beer-Themed Twitter Handles

1. @brewforia

Play on the word euphoria. And considering beer’s euphoric effect on the body, the double meaning really works.

2. @brewniversal

Play on the word universal. Something that is existent or operative everywhere or under all conditions. The greatest part about beer is that one can brew it anywhere in the world, making it truly brewniversal.

3. @beervana

Play on the word nirvana. A transcendent state of perfect happiness — precisely the state of mind I find myself in after a few beers.

4. @BrewYorkNY

Play on the city New York, New York. If I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere. It’s up to you Brew York, NY.

5. @BREWBACCA

Play on the Star Wars character Chewbacca — the sexiest Wookie in the galaxy. I’ve turned into Brewbacca after a few too many beers. Rrrrrrr-ghghghghgh!

6. @brewtress

Play on the word mistress. A long-term female lover and companion of beer. What woman doesn’t want this title?

7. @hoptopia & @brewtopia

Play on the word utopia. A world of hops and brews sure sounds like utopia to me. How soon can we get there?

8. @hoperatives

Play on the word operatives. A secret agent, spy, private investigator of beer. The name is Wench, Beer Wench. I’ll take my beer-tini shaken, not stirred.

9. @TheHoparazzi

Play on the word paparazzi. Online photojournalists who specialize in candid photography and exploitation of beer celebrities in 140 characters or less. I’m your biggest fan, I’ll follow you until you love me. Hopa-hoparazzi

10. @BREWPUBLIC

Play on the word republic. A form of government in which the supreme power rests with the people — or in this case, beer. I pledge allegiance to this beer…

11.@Beervangelist

Play on the word evangelist. One who preaches the gospel of craft beer. Accept Craft Beer as your Lord and Savior and repent your yellow fizzy beer sins!!

12. @hopcircles

Play on the word crop circles. If aliens come to our planet and make hop circles, I’m going with them. TAKE ME TO YOUR BREWER.

13. @Hopapalooza

Play on the “word” palooza. Urban Dictionary has at least 7 different definitions of the term, but my favorite is a wild crazed out mutha fuckin party that no one will forget. Who doesn’t love the idea of a hopapalooza?

14. @hopsandrobbers

Play on the game cops and robbers. But instead of chasing down robbers, hops are on a mission to tag fizzy yellow beer drinkers, bringing them onto the “good guy” team.

15. @Brewgasm

Play on the word orgasm. The moment of most intense pleasure while drinking beer. The beer climax. I think I had a brewgasm just thinking about it.

16. @DoctorBrew

Play on the TV show title Doctor Who. Who needs human companions when you can explore time and space with a couple of brewskies? Twitter really is bigger on the inside than it is on the outside.

17. @MaltyByNature

Play on the hip hop trio Naughty By Nature. Who’s down with H.O.P.? Yeah you know me.

18. @apunkybrewster

Not just a play on words, but literally from the sitcom Punky Brewster. Bonus points for the handle being run by a real brewer. Holy Macanoli! Punky Power!

19. @brews_clues

Play on the TV show Blues Clues. The shows goals were to empower, challenge, and build the sell-esteem of preschoolers while entertaining them. Beer works the same way on adults.

20. @BarleysAngels

Play on the TV show Charlie’s Angels. Good morning, Angels. Good morning, Barley.

__________________

Cheers!

 

 

 

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FTW: Budnitz Titanium Beer Wrench http://drinkwiththewench.com/2012/06/ftw-budnitz-titanium-beer-wrench/ http://drinkwiththewench.com/2012/06/ftw-budnitz-titanium-beer-wrench/#comments Fri, 22 Jun 2012 17:16:36 +0000 http://drinkwiththewench.com/?p=8407 True story: I love to Google random word combinations that involve beer. And by doing so, I stumble across some pretty awesome (and some not-so-awesome) things. So I have decided that, from now on, I am going to start posting my awesome discoveries on Drink With The Wench in the category I am calling FTW — aka For The Win.

If you have a habit of biking and drinking like me, boy do I have a tool for you!

Known for his super-light bicycles made of titanium, stainless steel, and cro-moly, Paul Budnitz has taken his vision of optimizing the bicycle ride to the next level with his latest titanium design — a Beer Wrench. No kids, not a Beer Wench (that’s me), but a Beer Wrench.

The Budnitz Beer Wrench has a titanium 15mm spanner on one side, and a bottle opener on the other.  Two titanium thumb-screws attach it securely the the water bottle mounts on most bicycles. The 15mm wrench will remove rear axle bolts, Alfine internal hub bolts, and Pitlock keys — whatever all that means. Essentially, it is perfect for removing a wheel on the road — and opening a cold one while you (me) completely destroy a bike because you have no idea what you are doing.

The Beer Wrench only costs $38, making it a pretty solid gift for that beer cycling fiend in your life.

Paul Budnitz Biography

Paul Budnitz is an artist, author, filmmaker, product designer & entrepreneur.

Budnitz is well known as the founder of Kidrobot, the world’s premiere creator of art toys. He has designed hundreds of products, created Kidrobot’s apparel lines and retail stores, and collaborated with many of the world’s top artists and designers. More than a dozen of his toys are featured in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.

Budnitz regularly appears in the media and lectures on creativity worldwide. He is the author of several books, is an award winning filmmaker, and is often recognized for his innovative use of technology in art and business.

You can read Paul Budnitz’ biography in greater detail here.

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FTW: Beer Bottle Blues [Video] http://drinkwiththewench.com/2012/06/ftw-beer-bottle-blues-video/ http://drinkwiththewench.com/2012/06/ftw-beer-bottle-blues-video/#comments Wed, 06 Jun 2012 16:46:39 +0000 http://drinkwiththewench.com/?p=8324 True story: I love to Google random word combinations that involve beer. And by doing so, I stumble across some pretty awesome (and some not-so-awesome) things. So I have decided that, from now on, I am going to start posting my awesome discoveries on Drink With The Wench in the category I am calling FTW — aka For The Win.

I found this awesome video on Twitter thanks to my good friend and foremost resource on all things awesome in Austin, @baconator. It was put together by Austin videographer Chris Summers and artist Adam Young. “This is a short film that I was a part of for Adam Young’s solo Art Show at Common House Gallery entitled: Songs of the Early Riser. Adam had a concept for a video installation. I took his concept and put it into a video. We originally had 4 different edits looping at the show in his installation, but this edit is a compilation of my favorite clips from the three day shoot. This has been the most fun project I have been a part of to date. Sitting around with your friends killing a couple of six packs of beer trying to think of different means to open your next drink is pretty fun. I encourage you to try it.” - Chris Summers.

The video showcases a variety of ways to open a beer bottle, some more successful than others, and all pretty damn creative. My personal favorite was the pizza crust. Enjoy!

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