This article was published on January 20, 2012

Crowdsourcing a beer recipe? That’s what’s on tap with Guy Kawasaki and Samuel Adams


Crowdsourcing a beer recipe? That’s what’s on tap with Guy Kawasaki and Samuel Adams

Let’s be honest, whether it’s that cocktail that went down before dinner, or the “Let’s get together for a beer and talk through this idea I’ve got,” alcoholic beverages often play a crucial role in getting the ball rolling. And while social media and drinking don’t always go so well together, social media guru Guy Kawasaki and Boston, MA based Samuel Adams brewery have recently teamed up to put the power of the brew in consumers’ hands.

The Samuel Adams Crowd Craft Project has been unleashed to the beer loving public via a custom Facebook Page, prompting users to weigh in on what makes for a great tasting beer. A crowdsourced recipe for sure, the campaign also seeks to inform users of the different aspects and makeup of a great beer including color, clarity, and body (mouth feel), as well as the physical ingredients of Malt (sweetness), Hops (bitterness), and Yeast (finish).

“I’m a total believer in crowdsourcing. It brings great minds together that might not collaborate otherwise. The Samuel Adams Crowd Craft Project is exciting because it’s not only asking for input, but it’s educating people about what it takes to make a great beer. These brewers are extremely passionate about crafting something special and we are all going to help them do it,” says Kawasaki in a statement.

Crowdsourcing the winning recipe is now active on Facebook and runs until February 5th. After this time, Samuel Adams brewers will review fan favorites from each category and use this information to craft the collaborative brew. The fan recommended beer will then be brewed over the month of February, and debuted to the public at Kawasaki’s popular Girl+Guy Party on March 13th during this year’s SXSW festival.

So braumeisters and would be beer crafters, if you’ve ever attempted to brew your own, or know someone that has, now’s the time to step up to the plate, or keg, as it were, and make your voice heard. The beauty of the Crowd Craft Project is that Samuel Adams is saving you the tedious work of researching which ingredients blend and work well with each other, providing a simple slider interface to customize your own flavor. With that said, do yourself a favor and read the information at the bottom of the selector, as it’ll not only up your barroom game, but provide some food for thought before you go aimlessly sliding away. Beer is a treasure, craft it wisely.

If fans do their job and brewers do theirs, Guy’s Girl+Guy party could very well be the “Do not miss” event simply for the beer alone. Cheers!

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