Portland Beer Blog is trying to make a difference

Portland Beer Blog
OK, I guess that I have been working in this business since I won the Homebrewers competition for Best Pale Ale at the GABF in 1986. Yep! I took the Gold for the category! Over 486 entries and I took Gold with the first homebrew that I had ever entered in a competition. I thought I was hot stuff! I was destined to be a great brewer. I came to Portland and could not find a job and went back to Steamboat Springs, Colorado where I took over the sales department of KFMU-FM Radio,The World's Only Wind & Solar Powered Radio Station. It was there that I made helping craft brewers in marketing their wonderful products my mission. So it has been 19 years since then, even though I could call it over 20 years because of my work for Old Chicago on the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder was in 1984 and I was on the Hall of Foam then.
With 20 years in the business then I finally set out to do what I always thought should have been done a long time ago,
"To develop a beer community of honest discussion about quality beer in a region. One in which every aspect of beer, brewing, distributing, selling, and marketing are discussed openly and honestly among the people of the region where the beer is consumed. To empower the people of this beer community to make better choices in the products that they consume, to help direct the ongoing growth of the Portland beer scene, and to think about what went into getting their beer to their glass." My hopes and dreams are for more people to add their thoughts to this beer blog and keep the dream of better, fresher, beer to all! I raise my glass to all of you! Cheers! Dave Dronkowski

Portland Beer Blog

Portland Beer Blog
As a marketer of beer for numerous years, I have been trying to get people to discuss aspects of advertising craft beers for years. It seems as though there is this extreme dislike of advertising in general in the craft beer industry. In the old days, I would hear that "we don't need to advertise, we sell all that we produce." Then I would hear.."we are all friends in this community, there is plenty of business for everyone. We don't need to grow our market from our competitors." Then things got rough. Many small breweries went under or were bought out. Then all of sudden.. brewery people are calling Widmer names because they have grown so much with the help of A/B. You still have Jack Joyce from Rogue saying he doesn't advertise even though he spends thousands of dollars on a newspaper of his own and merchandising like there is no tomorrow. Yeah, right! I get sick of the spin sometimes.

Homebrewers! They made the real beer movement. What should we do with them?

Pabst Blue Ribbon! Why is it so hot in Portland? Has it started to decline?

New Beer styles in Portland. What is new in the Pubs?

Sports vs Portland Life. Where should Guest on Tap be in the Portland Tribune?

Imports vs. local craft beers! What's better?

Beer in Strip Clubs. Can you get a real beer served right in an adult strip club?

Distributors. What is wrong and what is right about the distribution system that Portland has?

Cheater Pints! Who is selling them in Portland? Tell us who is ripping us off!

Comments about Guest on Tap?

Please feel free to tell us what you think of Guest on Tap! We want ideas on how to make it better.

What do think of the new GABF winners?

Portland Beer issues

What are you issues in the Portland Beer scene do you feel need coverage?