Invasions can come in many forms, and are typically met by the general public with protest and resistance. But apparently, that generalization doesn’t apply to beer. In the bar and restaurant scene, there’s one type of objection that’s being met with open arms: It’s the phenomenon known as a “tap takeover.”
A tap takeover is an event where a specific brewery — sometimes with a sponsored organization in tow — “invades” a restaurant, bar or growler fill-station and features its beers on tap that evening. Usually accompanying the beer on tap is a representative from the brewery or organization. Some growlers are filled with obscure exotic beers and merchandise, some of which is free.
In the last few months alone, Claim 52, Georgetown and Mazama Brewing have all occupied Growler University, a growler fill-station near campus. At the Claim 52 event, participants got to try a variety of the small, local brewery’s beers and even meet its owner. According to Growler U’s Aaron Rumble, it’s because of things like that that these events are special.
“Usually they’re beers that you never get to try; you can interact with the brewers and hear stories,” said Rumble. “It turns beer into an experience.”
Establishments and brewers collaborate like this for a variety of reasons. Some takeovers take place so that smaller, local breweries, like Claim 52 or Viking Braggot, can expand their market by introducing their brews to the unacquainted; but other takeovers are regional brewers trying to broaden their appeal on a national scale.
For example, last night, local favorite Hop Valley invaded the taps at Hot Mama’s Wings (craft beer and craft wings? say no more), and two weeks from now it will be invaded by California’s Sierra Nevada Brewing.
These events are generally about the beer and the people who brew them, but sometimes they can go beyond that.
At The Barn Light, a coffee shop and bar hybrid in downtown Eugene, takeovers are usually accompanied by an outside organization being sponsored by a brewery and sending representatives. With the help of Ninkasi, companies and organizations like Madison Meadow, Create! and Womenspace are the focal points of the event. The companies partner with Ninkasi, who reaches out to venues like The Barn Light, and then advertise to draw people to the event. In this sense, the Ninkasi beers occupying the taps are just a bonus.
According to The Barn Light’s Mark Sheppard, some of the events are packed, like the Ninkasi/Madison Meadow takeover, while others are slower.
“How many people show up usually depends on how well the group does their own advertising,” said Sheppard.
The tap takeover isn’t necessarily a revolutionary marketing scheme, or a raucous beer-festival like event, but a clever way the craft beer industry is continuing to evolve and find ways to reach out to the community in a mutually beneficial way.
“There’s free stuff, which people like, and you get to drink beer,” said First National Taphouse’s Justin Rathsuck.
Look for tap takeovers at all your favorite local food and drink venues — they’re becoming a regular phenomenon.