Pub and restaurant operators are being urged to engage with #dinewithbeer – a new initiative from There’s A Beer For That – to help consumers discover there’s more to beer than they might think and to boost their own beer sales as a result. In particular, they’re being asked to post photos of their favourite beer and food combinations onto social media to stimulate interest and conversation around the best pairings, in order to encourage people to choose a beer with their meal in and out of home.
There’s A Beer For That, the campaign to reignite Britain’s love of beer, is tapping into consumers’ enduring love for sharing images of their favourite food dishes by launching an Instagram account (beerforthat) using the hashtag #dinewithbeer and wants everyone in the hospitality industry to get actively involved. The launch is part of a wider #dinewithbeer programme that includes a new series of videos featuring the best in pub food and beer pairings, as well as a continued drive to promote beer and food through co-hosting Beer Club Events and co-creation of bespoke beer & food menus, with a range of pubs, bars and restaurants.
“Everybody loves sharing photos of the food they’re eating” commented David Cunningham, Programme Director of There’s A Beer For That “and people take fabulous photos all the time that epitomise how great dining with beer is. We want to provide a platform to bring these shots together and encourage everyone to share their great beer & food pairings. The diversity of beer, with more than 140 styles available, provides great versatility to pair with so many different foods and it is increasingly becoming a drink of choice to accompany meals either in pubs and restaurants or at home. We want to encourage everyone in the industry to reinforce the message that beer and food are excellent partners through social media and to share their excitement of discovering great matches.”
The Instagram account for There’s A Beer For That strengthens its already strong digital presence which reaches an average of 200,000 people a day through Facebook and Twitter including the popular #BeerMatch service on Twitter which allows trade and consumers to request an instant beer match for any type of meal or recipe.
“We are asking all operators to encourage staff and customers to post photos of their brilliant beer and food combinations on social media” continued Cunningham. “By tagging @beerforthat and using #dinewithbeer together we can spread the word that there are many beers out there that pair perfectly with, and can enhance, most meals. @beerforthat will then curate and redistribute the best images, with the appropriate permissions and credit, to our followers. As more people change the way they think about – and drink – beer, sales should increase, especially in those outlets that are the most active.”
The #dinewithbeer initiative also includes a series of new videos released by There’s A Beer For That which provide an overview of different beer styles and how they bring out the best in food by complementing, contrasting or cutting through the flavours. The Anchor Inn in Dorset is featured in the first videos with Head Chef Jean Paul De Ronne sharing award-winning dishes, like Popcorn Parfait, paired with great beers and featuring some local Palmers Brewery ales, reaching over 150,000 people on social media on the first day of its release.
David Cunningham added “We want to encourage people to experiment with the different tastes that you can achieve with beer and food matching. These films are designed to be short teasers to excite people about the options available and inspire them to try something different at home and in pubs and restaurants. They promote a greater understanding of dining with beer and I look forward to the ongoing discussions they create at home, on social media and in the pub.”
The initial six films in the #dinewithbeer series will be featured on Instagram and other social channels over the coming months, starting with the beer and dessert campaign.
There`s A Beer For That continues to work in partnership with a range of pub companies, including Ei, Admiral, Everards, Dorbiere and Fullers, promoting beer and food through co- hosting Beer Clubs, where consumers enjoy an evening of great beer, food & education and co-creation of stand-alone menus highlighting pub`s most popular dishes paired with great beer.
Cunningham says “Running Beer Club events and having stand-alone `Dine with Beer` menus are a proven way for pubs, bars & restaurants to increase consumer education and engagement, as well as sales. We are continuing to activate these initiatives with existing & new partners, but we are always wanting to work with new partners, so I would urge anyone interested to contact us at [email protected].”