What do Betamax, hydrogen-filled blimps, making the Titanic too….titanic, George Lazenby as James Bond and leisure suits have in common?

They were all pretty bad ideas, weren’t they?

Not really such a good idea, was it.......

I had one of those last week when I tried to launch a new monthly Facebook competition concept over at BeerSweden’s FB page I’d been working on called ‘Tag-a-T’ in which all you had to do was tag your name to a picture of a beery T-shirt, ‘LIKE’ BeerSweden’s FB page and the page of the brewery supplying the swag in order to win it.

Simple. I thought.

Until that is until I started getting emails about 15 seconds later after it went live from concerned BeerSweden followers telling me that my Facebook account could be closed down unless I removed the competition immediately.

Some frantic online research later and it turns out it’s true. Buried in Facebook’s Terms and Conditions in small print so small it would make estate agents and divorce lawyers giggle with glee it states that your account can be frozen and your toenails turn black and fall out for improper use of Facebook’s native features. (I may have made the bit about your toenails up).

Which led to one of the shortest T-shirt giveaways in the history of the Internet as I was forced to remove ‘Tag-a-T’ from Facebook and migrate it over here where it’s me rather than Mr Zuckerberg that makes the rules up.

So here it is, slightly re-tweaked but in essence still a simple chance to get a free beery T-shirt every month. Remember you have to be a LIKER of both BeerSweden and BrewDog Scandinavia to stand a chance of winning.

Just post a comment with your preferred T-shirt size (S/M/L/XL) under this post to enter. I’ll pick a winner at random at the end of the month and inform the winner by responding to the mail address registered when you comment.

Happy tagging everyone!

(PS: if you run a cool brewery with great looking T-shirts and want it to feature in next month’s ‘Tag-a-T’ competition just mail me at darren@beersweden.se).

We did it!

Last night, shortly before the stroke of midnight, BeerSweden’s FaceBook page recruited its 1,000^th follower!

This is a massive milestone for me. When I sat down at the end of last year and sketched out my ideas for a beer blog one of my biggest goals was to connect it to Facebook. At that time I couldn’t find one Swedish beer blog on FB and I wondered why, as FB offers a more ‘instant’ way of interacting with people that blogs alone can’t do.

So I became (I think) the first Swedish beer blog to set up shop and regularly post on the world’s biggest online social network. Over the past few months we’ve had a lot of fun there too – with spontaneous ‘live sessions” and the country’s first simultaneous tasting with other beer fanatics from all over Sweden.

To reach 1,000 followers is all the proof I need that the decision to start BeerSweden was the right one. It means a great deal to me we got there so quickly and I want to thank every single one of you who has taken the time to show your support. Thanks!!

I’m giving myself and the rest of you the day off today to celebrate, but remember I want you all back at work here tomorrow as we raise the bar to 1,500!

This milestone coincides nicely with a question somebody asked me earlier this week, which was “Why do you write BeerSweden?” It was a perfectly sensible and straightforward question so it’s rather strange I’ve had so much difficulty answering it.

I spend a lot of time (and I’m talking a World of Warcraft* amount of time here) scanning beer blogs and news sites in an attempt to keep up to date with beery goings-on, be inspired, learn stuff or simply fish around to steal good post ideas.

But I could do all that without having to get up in the early hours when all I really want to do is bury my head under the pillow for another hour to write a post about brewing technicalities, a beer review or the latest goofy PR-stunt from BrewDog.

I could do all that and not feel a constant sense of anxiety that I haven’t posted enough and that in this modern era of instant gratification my readers will suddenly collectively say “that’s it, we’re fed up waiting” and all bugger off to another beer blog that is better written/funnier/better looking than mine.

I could do all that and not be addicted to checking Google f%€king Analytics 20 times a day (even though I tried to convince myself that statistics aren’t important and promised myself, hell even swore on one of my relative’s eyes I wouldn’t peek more than once a week).

And I could certainly do all that without experiencing the dull ache of apprehension I always get after posting a review about a beer that I didn’t like, even though I was only calling it as I saw it, yet knowing that there are good people behind that beer that care about it and work with it every day that will probably read my post and be disappointed in me.

So why do I write BeerSweden?

Ego? Well I’d be lying if I said it didn’t give me a bit of a buzz. Writing one of the most visited blogs in any country is a real rush. It’s not only the stats and number of FaceBook followers that feeds my self-esteem but the newspaper, magazine and radio interviews that come with it. Every writer has a certain reason to be read – to be heard. Ask 50 writers what that reason is and you’ll probably get 50 different answers. For me I find a deep-rooted satisfaction in writing a well-crafted article. The sensation of writing when your fingers dance over the keyboard and the words flow effortlessly is a high I constantly crave.

Money? Again I’d be lying if I said at the beginning I had ambitions to turn BeerSweden into a self-financing blog. I had hoped advertising revenue might cover the hundreds of hours I spend on writing it but it quickly became clear it never would.  Blogs, I have discovered, are often about as financially rewarding as selling VHS video players.

Beery status? Well yes, quite a bit. This is where BeerSweden has been so incredibly successful for me. Before it I knew quite a lot about beer in this country but I didn’t know the people that actually brewed it. The blog has been my ‘in’, my invitation to the beer party in this country.

But above all this there’s one remarkable thing this blog has done for me. In it’s short virtual life BeerSweden has brought me closer to the drink I love and the people that love it than in all the previous 16 years I’ve worked in the beer business put together.

I always thought I was the most passionate person I knew when it came to beer. This blog has shown me I’m not even close. I expected the industry people to be crazy about the stuff but what I didn’t see coming was the seemingly limitless enthusiasm and endless curiosity of the hundreds of followers of BeerSweden who simply like great beer and want to learn more about it.

And so, in a very round-a-bout way I think you’ve managed to answer that question for me. I write BeerSweden because I love great beer and want to learn more about it.

The fact that so many of you feel the same way is the reason why I’m sitting at my keyboard right now writing this with a contented smile on my face, and while I’ll be back here tomorrow morning while everyone else in the house is still tucked up in bed fast asleep.

*I have never played World of Warcraft but used to have a friend that does. I say used to because I haven’t seen him in around 4 years as he’s too busy slaying Ragnarok, The Ice Elemental or gathering embalming Ichor to come outdoors these days. If any subset of society really needs a beer, and I mean REALLY needs one it’s people that play World of Warcraft).

**I’m unusually nervous about posting this article. My intention was to give an honest balls-and-all account of why I write this blog but reading it back now I see that parts of it could come across as being self-congratulatory and pompous at the same time as making me sound like a bit of a whinger. This is not my intention at all. I love writing this blog and am amazingly proud of it..

***There’s one other person that deserves a mention and that’s BeerSweden Trev for his brutally honest opinions about beers (smells like piss) that keep me from getting too carried away and for his energy and enthusiasm in editing BSTV. Trev – you’re a diamond geezer!

**** The next post will be about beer. I promise!

Just a reminder that later on tonight (Wednesday) at 8pm BeerSweden together with Sigtuna Brygghus is going to conduct the first ever simultaneous national beer tasting live on BeerSweden’s Facebook page.

It all sounds a little complicated but in reality it’s pretty straight forward. Right now there are two unmarked bottles of Sigtuna beer chilling out in the fridges of five members of the BeerSweden community located all across Sweden. At 8pm tonight we will all simultaneously open one bottle after the other and post our immediate thoughts on what we think of the beer via this blog’s Facebook page.

According to our research it’s the first time such an online tasting has been done in this country and it’s certain be a lot of fun, so be sure to tune in at 8pm to see whether we all agree on what we think about these beers!

I happen to know that one of the two beers we’ll be trying is this year’s Sigtuna Black October which will be launched at the Systembolaget in the Autumn. But as if getting to try the beer months before it goes on sale isn’t enough Sigtuna Brygghus is also giving followers of BeerSweden the awesome responsibility of choosing the new label design for this beer!

Here are three ‘never-been-seen-before’ front label artwork alternatives for this year’s Sigtuna Black October. You now have a little over 24 hours to decide which one is your favourite and post your choice (of A,B or C) as a comment on the BeerSweden Facebook page or under this article. When the results are added up tomorrow night the design with the most votes will be submitted to the Systembolaget for approval next week and will be the one seen on the shelves come the Autumn.

It’s your chance to get actively involved and help support one of Sweden’s most exciting craft brewers so be sure to join us later tonight to check out the live tasting and to cast your vote for your favourite label design.

Cheers and Beers!

Darren

(here’s a link to a slightly more hi-res picture of the label designs if you want a closer look. Worth noting that the yellow colour shown here will be gold and the white detail will be silver in the final design).

I’ve spent the morning sifting though tasting notes sent in to me by BeerSweden readers all wanting to be a part of a Swedish beer blogging first by joining me for a ‘live’ Facebook tasting of two beers especially released just for us by those nice chaps at Sigtuna Brygghus.

After much deliberation and plenty of laughs I have finally managed to whittle it down to the final five. Three of the chosen ‘jury’ run and write their own Swedish beer blogs (so I suppose you could claim they had an unfair advantage….) and the other two are die-hard BeerSweden fans and regular commenters over at BeerSweden’s Facebook page.

So here, without further ado, are the five chosen panellists for the first ever BeerSweden Facebook Live Tasting:

Pelle Stridh – long-time (and I mean long-time) beer activist and evangelist and the man behind the Allt om Öl and Humulus Lupulus websites

Carl Ralph – one half of the dynamic duo from the respected Swedish beer blog Schnille och Schmak.

Johan Lenner – a relative newcomer to the Swedish beer blogging scene (can I say that as someone who has only been blogging for half a year…..?) with his food and beer-orientated site Portersteken.

Anders Thomas – A loyal BeerSweden fan who submitted his entry within 15 seconds of me posting details of this tasting on Facebook. Such lightening reactions deserve recognition!

Carl Ljungberg – Another BeerSweden follower whose tasting notes of Sailor Premium Lager had me in stitches (”an after-taste that left me feeling sea-sick” being a highlight).

Congratulations to those of you who are going to get the opportunity to try some pretty special Sigtuna beers very soon and a big thank you to all of you who took the time to send in your entries.

As an aside I note that I didn’t receive a single entry written by a woman. This is a shame because not only do I happen to know that over 20% of BeerSweden’s Facebook fans are from the fairer sex but it’s also a pretty well known fact that women generally have a better sense of taste than men. Remember that beer is an equal opportunities drink ladies so please get involved next time!

I’ll be posting details of the exact date and time of this unique Facebook live tasting a little closer to the time – so watch this space!

By now you know that BeerSweden loves to try doing things a little……..differently.

Here we like doing things fast and we like doing them first, which is why I’m really excited (and I mean jumping up and down can barely control my bodily functions excited) to announce yet another game-changing premier – Sweden’s first ever national live Facebook beer tasting!

Huh?? I can almost hear some of you saying? Here’s a little background.

Those of you who are regular followers of BeerSweden’s fanpage over at Facebook (and if you’re not, what’s keeping you?) will know that I have held a couple of completely spontaneous ‘live’ beer tastings there, updating the page as I go along and posting my initial thoughts and feelings live, raw and uncut.

It’s always great fun to do and the feedback from doing these tastings has been so positive that we’re now going to take the concept to a whole new level.

BeerSweden can reveal today that it is hooking up with one of Sweden’s most exciting microbreweries Sigtuna Brygghus to conduct the country’s first national simultaneous beer tasting via Facebook. Here’s how it’s going to work.

Sigtuna has agreed to send out 2 exclusive bottles of beer to five people nominated by BeerSweden to take part in this ground-breaking tasting. These beers are totally different from each other and are not due for release until after the SUMMER! That’s right people, you could be tasting these two beers MONTHS before anyone else can get hold of them. This is without doubt the beery scoop of 2010!

I’m going to keep you guessing as to what these two beers are for now but the idea is that on a date towards the end of May (as yet to be decided) the five lucky five beer tasters and myself will simultaneously open these bottles and conduct a live tasting via BeerSweden’s Facebook fanpage.

Sound amazing? Want to be a part of Swedish beer blogging history?

To stand a chance of being one of the lucky five tasters just write some tastings notes about your favourite beer in 50 words or less and send it to me at darren@beersweden.se. You can write in either English or Swedish and it can be as straightforward or as amusing as you like. Bear in mind though that what I’m looking for are creative ways to describe beer rather than the normal ”it’s brown with a white head” stuff.

The five most imaginative entries will be chosen and have the beers sent to them in the next couple of weeks.

This competition is open until midnight this Sunday (26th April) and the judges decision (that’s basically me) is final.

Good luck everyone!

BeerSweden Darren

(ps: this competition is only open to people living in Sweden)

I’ve been promising something special would happen if BeerSweden reached 500 fans on our Facebook page and over the weekend you’ve hit the target! A big thanks to everyone that’s shown their support and signed up! It’s great to have you here!

So what’s the big deal then? Well some of you might have seen the sneak preview ‘leaked’ on this blog a couple of days ago. If you didn’t the news is that I’m going to start posting regular video episodes on BeerSweden in which I taste some of the most interesting beers available to drink in Sweden right now, explore the often puzzling world of beer styles, meet some amazing beery people, travel to breweries to take a ‘behind-the-scenes’ look at how beers are made and much much more.

Called (would you have guessed it) BeerSweden TV, I plan to film at least two episodes each and every week. It may be more, it may be less. That depends of course largely on you, the BeerSweden nation, so please remember to post your comments after each episode to tell me what you like and dislike about the shows and what you want to see more or less of.

I can’t promise BeerSweden TV is always going to be pretty. I deliberately want to keep it raw and honest, attempting whenever possible to give you reviews of beers ‘shooting from the hip’ with ‘live’ tastings and ratings.

My hope for BeerSweden TV is that it will give me another way besides my writing to share my passion for great beer with you. By actually being able to see the beers being poured up and hear some of the amazing stories behind them directly from the people who created them I hope you’ll get a better understanding of beer and discover why I honestly believe it is the greatest drink on earth

But enough talking already! You’ve all done your bit – now it’s time for me to do mine. I’ll be filming the first episode of BeerSweden TV over the next couple of days so check back soon and remember to give me your feedback on every show!

Now I’ve just got to decide what lucky (or unlucky) beer I’m going to kick things off with………….

This is going to be fun!

Beers and Cheers

BeerSweden Darren

.

Thought I’d experiment a bit by giving you the chance to directly influence the sorts of beers I review here at BeerSweden. So get involved by popping over to my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/beersweden and cast your vote! You’ve only got until 15:00 today so hurry!!

Once upon a time when you wanted to learn about a beer or a brewery you’d go down to your local pub and ask the landlord. Now you can just go online.

The virtual bar these days is always open, with plenty of global beer brands to choose from served to you from countless websites.

Beer review sites such as Ratebeer and BeerAdvocate are your modern-day landlords, happy to provide you with some words of wisdom about which beers to try and blogs such as this one are places people can now come to for a bit of virtual bar-room chit-chat.

There are lots of breweries that understand that the Internet is where its customers now hang out. They’ve understood the importance of exciting, informative, engaging and stylishly designed websites. They’re already tweeters and enthusiastic social networkers, constantly mingling and exchanging email addresses over at community sites like Facebook and MySpace.

I’ve just come back from a virtual pub-crawl of some of the most popular Swedish breweries to see what they’re doing right now to attract their ‘virtual share of throat’ . What I discovered is giving me something of a real-life hangover.

With a few exceptions Swedish breweries seem to be stuck in the dark ages (that’s the 90s in ‘Internet time’) when it comes to their websites and online activity. You only have to compare them with craft brewers from the US – who discovered the power and reach of Twitter and other online communities years ago – to see what I mean.

Although the US leads the way in terms of Internet marketing of beer brands they are by no means alone. BrewDog, a whacky microbrewery from Scotland realised the importance of winning supporters for its extreme beers from the get-go and is a text-book example of how to harness the power of the Net. The brewery’s edgey website/blog/viral activity/online stunts have unquestionably been a major factor behind its explosive growth since it was founded just two years ago.

Clever craft breweries can punch well above their weight if they know how to leverage the internet. It’s never been more important to put your beer online and as bloggers and beer fans we need to do our part to encourage our favourite brewers to go cyber. Therefore here’s my list of the best Swedish brewery websites and most active online beer marketers of 2009:

BEST OVERALL WEBSITE

My current personal nomination is Åbro, which not only looks great but is packed with useful information about brewing and beer facts).

MOST ACTIVE ONLINE BREWERY

My current personal nomination is Sigtuna, whose Head Brewer keeps Facebook fans up-to-date with his choice of hard rock music while he’s mashing in. (They MUST do something about their website though!)

BEST USE OF NEW MEDIA

(this category recognises the use of the internet and other ‘new’ mediums such as mobile phone applications to reach the beer drinking public)

My current nomination is www.norrlandsguld.nu. This brand site is bulging with cool apps and clever ways to interact with the brand and other NG drinkers.

It would be great to get your feedback and personal nominations so we can recognise the efforts of the category winners and more importantly encourage the other breweries who may be virtually lagging behind to update to beer drinking version 2.009.