I admit it- I'm a stalker of all things beer related. When the European Beer Bloggers Conference 2013 rolled around this year, my bitch fest post "I'm not going" was inspired by my inability to host selfless joy in other people's fun. So I've followed the #EBB13 updates graciously put together by fellow beer bloggers with lusty interest.
Like a voyuer in a tree, Nitch sits in France with internet binoculars, watching the fun of the neighbors in Edinborough. Not at all a bad position to be in, since I'm at least in the proper time zone and can see saucy up to the minute twitters without the downside of delayed or lost luggage. I'll wipe the drool from the corners of my mouth and share with you my #EBBC13 amusements.
You know you're as dirty as I am, to know the who said what and what was drank during the orgiastic affair.
In no particular order Nitch's "I've been watching you" #EBBC13 Blog Highlights:
Good Morning Beer Lovers's is one of my regularly followed Swedish beer blogs and adds a great insight into the international aspects of beer blogging. JoeG with four blog mates battled through flight delays (paper vs electronic) and luggage issues, but were not held back from sampling all the the UK had to offer, being mostly impressed by the Brit's ability to make a full body session ale.
Johan with Portersteken lays out a simple net of Three Top Bars in Edinburgh, stating:
"Edinburgh is a great weekend destination for those who need a dose of bagpipes, castles, haggis and good beer."
Ofiltrerat's Magnus regularly does a great job of putting up prompt and concise articles, making sure to get lovely picy pics for visual ad junkies like yours truly. His coverage of the discussion panel with Christer Edvartsen, Elspeth Payne, Tomasz Kopyra and Reuben Gray got into one aspect of international beer blogging that has often tugged my question tail:
"The blogs all in English. Why? For Reuben and Elspeth the choice was not that hard. Both Chris and Tomasz told me that they chose to write in English mainly to reach out and evangelize about local breweries for an international audience to help them out on a larger market."
Christer at BeerNorway had his hands full with interviews and networking during the #EBBC13, so has yet to post anything about the event on his blog, but states clearly on the front page that he posts (mostly) about Norwegian beers. Not only does he post about Norwegian beers but he takes some of the freshest beerp0rn this veteran viewer has ever seen. (0.o)
Matt at Pilgrim and Progress had a great interview with Nøgne Ø's brewer Ingrid Skistad.
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Stewart Brewing, official host of #EBBC13[/caption]Although normally Polish Beer Guide's Tomasz only focuses on Polish related beer items, he did dip into a Visit to Stewart Brewing in Edinburgh with a chummy interview video!
Beers I've Known aka Stephanos, says that although he tried 65 new beers over the three days, "it wasn't just a chance to score free beer, there was also some serious ideas sharing going on too." Displayed clearly in his to the point, ever interesting writing on the entire conference.
Beer Lens is the Playboy of beerp0rn- classy but still very, very porn, they cover #EBBC13 with a professional lens.
Craig Heap writes like you're sitting there next to him, cozy in the middle of a speech and he has just leaned over to comfortably whisper, "psst, the problem with Beer Sommeliers- is it the title?" Which isn't too surprising because he writes for Rum & Reviews and just happens to have a bit of time left over for an entirely Welsh beer dedicated blog- he's a natural.
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Bibulous.me's Utopias[/caption]Bibulous Me makes a bit size round up with quotes (if Garrett says...), insights ("I had forgotten how much I like Edinburgh") and facts (even if it bankrupts you, try Samuel Adams Utopias). YUM!
The Beercast is a go-to for all things outstanding UK beer (but doesn't work in my Newblur due to it's snazzy layout), highlight of the #EEBBC13 is this chapter by Richard on the take-home message of the conference. A joy to read- pure class, we can only hope to write as eloquently.
Billy's Booze Blog does the best job of getting deep into the famed bottle of Sam Adams Utopias 10th Anniversary Edition that I keep hearing about, but is generally spot on with all the #EBBC13 events. His quick tasting notes on the beers of the conference is a great run though of what was being consumed and when.
The Tale Of Ale's own Reuben Gray was not only extremely instrumental in holding the #EBBC13 together but he found time to whip up some great blog postings- my favorite of which is an outing walk through at Steward Brewery, one the of event sponsors. More recently he rolled out a FANTASTIC inside view of the Traquair (pronounced 'track-ware') House: Scotland's oldest continually inhabited house. And, of course, a 300 year old, recently rediscovered (50 years ago) in-house brewery.
Total Ales was the first of the blogs I read along with that gave an outsider a little run down of the pocket price involved in attending: £100.00 attendance fee, train tickets, a hotel room plus food and drink (yeow) but then continues to gush about how it was all completely worth it.
Live Blogging of #EBBC13
If you haven’t participated in Live Beer Blogging before, here’s a re-cap of what to expect:
Bloggers all spread out and sit among 9 tables in the room and stay in their same seat throughout the hour.
A brewery then has 5 timed minutes per table and goes to 5 different tables throughout the hour. They pour their one beer to the bloggers at each table, and shares insights into the beer, brewery, history, or whatever they want to communicate in that short period of time.
Bloggers then live blog their experience on each beer. Some bloggers may publish an individual post on each beer/brewery, some may write one post that summarizes each beer, and some bloggers live-tweet and/or live-instagram their notes and observations.
Matt from Total Ales also participated in a live blog session, which was full of spunk (beware the Crtl-B bold lock) and wisdom ("I don't worry about how many hits I'm getting I find the most important part of blogging, the writing itself, far more enjoyable") I loved being able to read a live post! New sensations for everyone involved.
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Chris Hall learned that, "you should always have a face that people can click on..."[/caption]Chris at the Beer Diary not only did a live blog but does his usual immensely entertaining bit of capping off the #EBBC13 with What Did We Learn? Noting that he also learned how much beer is body was able to hold:
"Attending the European Beer Bloggers Conference this year filled me with excellent beer and information. Well, mostly beer."
Ofiltrerat does it in Swedish- accents make me tickle.
Diary of a Hop Head compares live blogging to speed dating and gushes over Traquair's Jacobite Ale "So complex" and Ilkley's The Mayan "I love it".
The Ormskirk Baron doesn't say much but there are links and pretty pictures.
Zak at Are You Tasting The Pith? goes all out with full descriptions (and comical editing) including: Badger Roaming Roy Dog with "perhaps too much fruit and not enough fruit [this should read "too much fruit and not enough chocolate"] and Harviestoun Ola Dubh 30th Anniversary Ale with "from a 40yr old first-fill sherry cask, and click on my face if yu can't tell the sherry character bursting out of the glass."
Lady Beer Bloggers!
I hate to segregate but women deserve more attention then men. To be fair, I give female bloggers more attention so it's proper fair that I put them in a double highlighted area, just as they are on my news feed.
Girl Goes Abroad with Tanya (and her partner Jim) had reservations about the term 'conference' when first heading to the #EBBC13, reservations that were soon tossed to the wind. The pair got personal inspiration from foudners of Steward brewing, married couple Steve and Jo- nudging Tanya and Jim to go ahead with their dreams of being drown in the beer world (we support you too!). And of course, they drank great beer.
Beer Beauty is one of my all time absolute favorite beer bloggers in the woman world- she has it all, looks, style, and a fantastic palate. Marverine Cole poses the question: "what do you call a gaggle of beer bloggers?" But wastes no time in hitting up the bars, breweries and networking her pretty little bum off. Cherry topping for us- a juicy wrap up article where she proclaims her favorite beers of the event:
"WILLIAMS BROTHERS IMPALE IPA, with their BIRDS AND BEES coming a veerrry close second!"
Elspeth Payne is spoiled rotten. She did the discussion panel for #EBBC13 but should also be currently returning home from the U.S. beer bloggers conference. After getting her hands on her first Irish homeland Guinness pour and hobnobbing with Scottish Real Ale Festival and the Independent Beer Festival goers she might be travel weary. If she survived this Herculean task of travel, sight seeing and beer sampling, we'll know when she posts for the U.S. conference. Simply SPOILED!
Lindsey over at Adventures in Beerland on the other hand might not have survived the #EBBC13, as she has yet to post and has made no attempt to hide that fact that the site is "updated whenever I'm not hungover." Best wishes sister, can't wait to see your follow up! Or at least hope that you had a great time- see you next year!
Technical Notes:
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Pilsner Urquell, official sponsor of #EBBC13[/caption]If I neglected to see someone's post on the event, send your link my way and I'll update my highlight list/add you to my stalking list. Err.. Newsblur.com
Also, you can' go wrong with a look at Zephyr Adventure's official round up of the event.
See you IRL soon!
So we have some video interviews, enticing beerp0rn shots and lots o-lots'a great beer diary writing. I felt involved like a slightly lagging Skype meeting with a paid professional, I'm satisfied but would still prefer the real thing.
Thank you to everyone involved in putting the #EBBC13 together and keeping it running: sponsors, breweries, key note speakers with funny hats, keg tappers, dish washers, yeasty beasts (that make it all possible) and all the folks who dream up such an exciting meeting. Until next year folks, keep up the great work, I am your fan!
I'd shake your hand good evening as I sign off, but... my hands are sticky. (LME is sticky, I home brew and blog, wait.. what did you think I meant? Dirty mind...)
XOXO
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