The ABC Fine Wine & Spirits liquor store chain has been training some of its employees to be beer geeks, calling them Beer Consultants. They are in about 30 stores and are putting an emphasis on using Twitter to help customers.
There are three Beer Consultants in Sarasota and Manatee counties:
• Cameron McDaniel from the ABC at 5810 Manatee Ave. W. in Bradenton.
• Alex Smith from the ABC at 8470 37th St. E. in southern Manatee County (off University Parkway).
• Nadine Sweeten from the ABC at 2720 Bee Ridge Road in Sarasota.
Here's ABC's news release:
ABC Fine Wine & Spirits Introduces Beer Consultant Program
ABC Fine Wine & Spirits guests now have access to knowledgeable, certified Beer Consultants both in and out of the company’s 140+ stores. The Beer Consultants operate as go-to “beer geeks” in person in more than 30 stores, and via social media, primarily through Twitter. Many of the Beer Consultants—who receive extra training and have access to national training programs such as the training offered through Cicerone, have certified as a “Beer Server,” with others to follow through Cicerone and other formal training programs.
The Beer Consultants are responsible for tweeting, blogging on ABC’s blog, “Brew Hops and Wine Stops,” and writing individual articles for ABC’s quarterly craft beer publication, Off Tap,in addition to working directly with customers. As the craft beer category continues to trend upward, consumers are becoming even more interested in the details of how those beers are crafted and what makes an individual beer unique. The Beer Consultant fills that knowledge gap with not only expertise on the beers, but through working with the particular tastes and needs of the customer to explore the more than 400 domestic craft and specialty import options available in ABC’s larger stores.
With Beer Consultants on social media, particularly Twitter, the same conversation can be held before the consumer stops at the store, allowing them to locate hard to find items, learn about new beers, find scheduled tastings, and so forth. All Beer Consultants build a store of knowledge about craft beer before they are even considered for the position, and are well-versed in tasting, storage, the brewing process, styles and food pairings of craft beer.
Beer Consultants will also be able to communicate with brewers and suppliers on social media, discussing new beers, brew tips and upcoming events, allowing them to pass on this information to consumers without delay. Chris Larue, ABC’s Merchandising & Inventory Planning Manager, is excited for the Beer Consultants to be a “set of boots on the ground, giving breweries and suppliers a way to share their passion for craft beer with store guests.” Brewers will have targeted, knowledgeable listeners for information they want to see in the hands of their ultimate audience, beer-passionate shoppers.
ABC Fine Wine and Spirits is America’s largest privately owned wine and spirits retailer, founded by Jack Holloway in Orlando, Florida, in 1936. To find a certified Beer Consultant in a particular area, tweet to @ABCBeerCountry and ask to be pointed in the right direction, or email OffTap@abcfws.com.
