On August 23, from 6-7 p.m. CST, join Whole Foods Market and myself as we taste and tweet through an array of fruit beers and ciders, challenging our friends and fans to think outside the typical brunch beverage box. Tweet alongside foodies and beer lovers as the beer-loving community discusses breakfast beer and cider pairings, cooking with beer, and more.

To participate, pick up one or all of the featured fruit beers and ciders and tweet your experience using the hashtag #WFMBeer. Every 15 minutes, the focus of the tasting will shift to a different beverage. The schedule is as follows:

5:00 p.m. PST: Fox Barrel Ginger Blackcurrant
Follow: @FoxBarrel

5:15 p.m. PST: Widmer Marionberry Hibiscus Gose
Follow: @Widmer_Brothers

5:30 p.m. PST: Crispin Honey Crisp Cider
Follow: @CrispinCider

5:45 p.m. PST: MOA  Breakfast Beer
Follow: @MOABEER

Even if you don’t have a delicious fruit beer or cider in hand, join the conversation on Twitter. Just don’t forget the hashtag #WFMBeer.

Participation is limited to those 21 years or older.

The organic beer-themed tasting takes place on Twitter from 8-9 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Apr. 10. The tasting, featuring four organic beers from some of the world’s most respected and innovative brewers, includes:

• 8 p.m. ET: Dupont — Avril (led by @belgianexpert): The brewer’s favorite beer. Light in alcohol, full in flavor. 3.5 percent alcohol by volume (ABV).
• 8:15 p.m. ET: Samuel Smith — Strawberry Ale (led by @merchantduvin): Smooth malt and aromatic strawberry flavors merge together in an elegant fashion with fresh, ripe strawberries. 5.1 percent ABV.
• 8:30 p.m. ET: Bison Brewing — Honey Basil Ale (led by @bisonbrew): Creatively infused with fresh, organic whole leaf basil and organic clover honey. Crisp and herbaceous with a hint of sweetness. 6 percent ABV.
• 8:45 p.m. ET: Hopworks – Rise Up Red (led by @HopworksBeer): Mahogany smooth with mild caramel sweetness, balanced by local Cascade and Centennial hops for a crisp finish. 5.8 percent ABV.
• 9 p.m. ET: After party (free for all!)

Every fifteen minutes, the focus will shift to a different featured beer as brew masters take questions from Twitter fans and share stories about the beers and the breweries. To follow the conversation, use the hashtag #WFMBeer. At least one, if not all, of the beers listed above should be available at most Whole Foods Market stores that sell beer.

Participation is limited to those 21 years or older (duh!).

Twitter Beer Tasting FAQs

What is a Twitter beer tasting?

A Twitter beer tasting is a virtual event where people simultaneously taste beers together, and share their tasting notes in 140 character or less messages on Twitter.

What do I need to do to participate?

At the bare minimum, all you need to participate is a Twitter account and a beer in hand! For each #WFMBeer Twitter tasting, a particular theme is selected by Whole Foods and The Beer Wench. Participation in the Twitter tasting is enhanced when you follow the theme.

How do I follow the conversation?

All people participating in the Twitter beer tasting are encouraged to use the hashtag #WFMBeer in all of their tweets. If you have Tweetdeck or Hootsuite, we recommend that you create and dedicate an entire column to the hashtag, so you can follow the conversation as it happens!

What if I can’t find any of the beers on the “official” list?

You can still participate! Just find a beer or two that fits into the theme and join in. The theme this time around is organic beer — if you can’t find one of the delicious organic beers listed above, just look for the USDA organic logo on the beer shelf in a Whole Foods Market near you!

What if I have questions about the beers that I’m tasting?

You are in luck! Representatives from each of the breweries selected will be on Twitter during the entire event to lead the tasting and answer your questions. All of the representatives are listed next to the beers in the schedule above.

Is it okay to join the conversation late?

Of course! Better late than never!!!

Have more questions? Send me a tweet @TheBeerWench, or leave a message in the comment section below!!!

Michael Bepko, the Global Online Community Manager for Whole Foods Market, has been nominated for 4th Annual Shorty Industry Award in the category of Best Social Media Manager.

According to the Shorty Awards website, “Whole Foods Market is often looked to as a brand “who gets it” when it comes to social media. Revered for its thriving social communities and innovative use of social media strategies, Whole Foods isn’t afraid to try new things in the ever-evolving social media landscape to see what best resonates with their community and drives engagement from their customers. While the organization has gained notable social media success, what might be lesser known is the man behind the scenes who is at the helm of the company’s online network – Michael Bepko. Better known in social spheres as @Bepkoboy, Michael is the global online community manger for Whole Foods and is the person who lives behind the logo that resides among a social community of over 3.5 million friends, followers and fans.”

But, forget about what Michael has done for Whole Foods. Let’s focus on what he has done for craft beer. The equivalent of many celebrities, Whole Foods boasts over 2.2 million followers on its corporate Twitter account, and hundreds of thousands of followers from individual store accounts. In a day and time when no craft breweries have exceeded 100k followers on Twitter and only 3 have gone over the 50k point, Michael has graciously given craft beer a powerful voice in the form of “virtual beer tastings”.

Every two months, Michael works with me to scheme up a theme for a virtual tasting, featuring four different craft breweries. For days and even weeks up until the event, you can find Michael (under the moniker of @WholeFoods) promoting the virtual tasting, giving shout-outs to the breweries involved. Michael also communicates internally with all the WFM Marketing Managers, further amplifying the message at a regional and store level. During each live tasting, Michael and many of his Whole Foods colleagues devote an entire hour to talking about beer on Twitter, with both beer geeks and beer newbies alike. The result is one big craft beer love fest.

Personally, I was influenced by Michael even before partnering with him on virtual beer tastings. I was shocked the first time Michael tweeted a response back to me. After all, it’s not everyday that someone with over 2 million followers talks to me on Twitter. I was immediately impressed with Whole Foods’ level on engagement on Twitter, and Michael has only continued to impress me ever since.

So friends, I am asking you to give Michael a little bit of love for all the love he has given to craft beer. Head on over to this link, and give him some love in the form of “likes” and retweets! XOXO!!

Aptly themed “Beer is for Lovers,” the virtual tasting is on February 7, from 7 to 8 p.m. EST, live on Twitter. Join Whole Foods Market and The Beer Wench as they taste through a playful quartet of palate-tantalizing beers, sure to bring out the romantic side of even the most cynical beer lover. All it takes to participate is a Twitter account and a beer in hand. To follow the conversation, use the hashtag #WFMBeer in your tweets.

For this event, four craft breweries across the country will participate to present a lineup of beers worthy of Cupid’s praise. Whether you plan on snuggling up with a loved one or celebrating with friends on Valentine’s Day, any or all of these beers will do the trick.

The featured beers include:

• The Poet, New Holland Brewing Co.: The Poet has a rich, smooth malt character enveloped in tones of roast and chocolate. A soft mouth-feel brings luxurious flavors and soothing aroma. The Poet is a seductive companion to dinner and dessert, especially beef, mushrooms & chocolate. 5.2% abv.
• Raging Bitch Belgian-Style IPA, Flying Dog: In the words of Gonzo artist Ralph Steadman, Raging Bitch is “two inflammatory words…one wild drink. Nectar imprisoned in a bottle.” With fruity funk and hop bite, it’s big, bold, beautiful, and complex, just like a Raging Bitch should be. 8.3% abv.
• Chocolate Stout, Bison Brewing: Often referred to as Barry White’s voice in a bottle, Bison’s Chocolate Stout is a dark, slow-pouring aphrodisiac of the smoothest proportions; rich roast, slightly bitter but, oh so luscious. 100% certified organic, 100% certified orgasmic. 5% abv.
• Total Domination, Ninkasi Brewing: Multiple hops collide in balanced perfection, dominating the senses, achieving total satisfaction. From the Pacific Northwest, birthplace of the modern IPA, comes a beer whose name says it all. 6.7 abv.

Every fifteen minutes, the focus will shift to a different brewery as brewmasters and brewery representatives actively answer questions and share stories about the beers and the breweries. The February 7 “Beer is for Lovers” Twitter Tasting schedule is:

7 p.m. EST: New Holland (@newhollandbrew) “The Poet”
7:15 p.m. EST: Flying Dog (@flyingdog) “Raging Bitch”
7:30 p.m. EST: Bison Brewing (@bisonbrew) “Chocolate Stout”
7:45 p.m. EST: Ninkasi (@Ninkasi) “Total Domination”
8 p.m. EST: After-party (free for all!)

In addition to tasting via Twitter, Whole Foods Market will be streaming the tasting live, with The Beer Wench, from it’s Coddingtown store located in Santa Rosa, CA. All are welcome to join the event in person, or watch it live on the Whole Foods Market LiveStream channel (http://www.livestream.com/wholefoodsmarket)

Participation is limited to those 21 years or older.

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About Whole Foods Market^®
Founded in 1980 in Austin, Texas, Whole Foods Market (wholefoodsmarket.com, NASDAQ: WFM), is the leading natural and organic food retailer. As America’s first national certified organic grocer, Whole Foods Market was named “America’s Healthiest Grocery Store” by Health magazine. The company’s motto, “Whole Foods, Whole People, Whole Planet”™ captures its mission to ensure customer satisfaction and health, Team Member excellence and happiness, enhanced shareholder value, community support and environmental improvement. Thanks to the company’s more than 64,000 Team Members, Whole Foods Market has been ranked as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” in America by FORTUNE magazine for 14 consecutive years. In fiscal year 2011, the company had sales of more than $10 billion and currently has more than 315 stores in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.