When’s a warehouse not a warehouse?

Some people have all the luck. Beer expert Pete Brown had just returned from New York where he’d been visiting ‘just a warehouse’ but as he bloggs himself, “My, what you can do with a warehouse and a little vision and passion”.

The warehouse in question was that of Brooklyn Brewery and the time was a Sunday afternoon when said warehouse hosted its Tasting Room and tours for the public.

Pete goes on to describe the wonderful innovations and twists that has the Brooklyn brewers leaning over the drawing board, even introducing some of them into the craft beer market. But what struck home most though was that they actually have an open day on a Sunday – and every day – which transforms a workaday ale warehouse into a sparkling showboat for the beer-loving consumer (replete with beer shop, local artisans’ stalls, deli delights and a bar –  and why not?).

What a great marketing wheeze! Sure there would be a few  licensing and security issues involved in doing that here among our now two-dozen or so craft breweries, but it would be a great development in helping promote Irish craft beers to the on-the-point-of-being-switched-on general consumer – and as Ireland enjoys huge numbers of tourists, wouldn’t it be a useful marker towards exporting when the time was right?

Just think what a regular open day at a brewery warehouse near you could do for international as well as national sales of our developing craft beer market.

Are you listening Irish brewing guys?