A Beer Drinking Social Network

To me, that almost sounds redundant.

A love for beer has many consequences. Primarily, beer creates the opportunity to make friends. I’ve made this argument before. But that social network came about at the advent of beer, and has, until recently, remained somewhat muted online. Now, there are more ways than ever to use the “information superhighway” to further our passion for all things fermented.

I can’t pretend that I’ve searched every nook and cranny to find every beer-related source online. But here are a few that I think are truly neat.

Untappd

Untappd is a fusion of all things I like about social media, and tailored specifically to beer geeks. It’s a social network for sharing your beers. For me, it helps me track things I’ve tasted and enjoyed in a passive, easy way. With access on the web and on any mobile platform with a browser, uptappd.com lets you check in, rate, and share the beer you’re enjoying. Additionally, you can earn fun badges for your progress. While I’m relatively new to Uptappd, I can’t wait to keep using it to discover more beer, meet fellow enthusiasts, and collect badges like a grown-up girl scout.

Check out the video below from Brad Chmielewski (@beerad on Twitter) to learn more about Untappd.


Untappd - Drink Socially from Brad Chmielewski on Vimeo.

Google +

No, Google + wasn’t created specifically for beer. But it’s a great platform for sharing information. If you haven’t joined yet, you can leave your email address here and I will send you an invite. While the bugs aren’t fully worked out yet, Google + offers very easy management of the groups you follow and share information. So if you love beer, you can create a “circle” for it and follow all your beer friends – virtual or otherwise. You can keep your personal information for your family and close friends, and still get a ton of great information, news, and event invites related to any of your interests (but most especially, beer).

Blogs

Siciliano's Market: The Buzz

Cleveland Food and Brews

Clearly, you’re aware of this medium, or you wouldn’t be here. But I’d like to take a quick minute to point out some of the blogs I follow. You can see the list to your right.

So…there’s a lot to be excited about online when it comes to beer. Don’t forget that you can also check out many of your favorite microbreweries, brewers, and beer evangelists on Twitter (you can find me @emilygremily), Facebook, Tumblr, and more.