Beer Nation: A TGIF Video Worth More Than A Chuckle

Some Fridays we post a beer-related video for comic relief, as a small gesture of camaraderie for our readers who are miserably chained to their computers and in desperate need of distraction. This week instead of finding some mindless but entertaining drivel or stupid human trick to share, we decided to feature some videos with educational value. We hope the discovery will help you spend more time looking busy and less time watching the clock today. Happy Friday!

Beer Nation is a series of webisodes that explore the “craft beer revolution” from the vantage point of great beer destinations and the people behind them in New York (so far). The beer enthusiasts at Beer Nation have released only three full episodes, but Mike Winn and Seth Wright‘s well-produced, full-scale videos aren’t the only engaging content on the site. They occasionally blog about important goings-on in the craft beer world and post short but entertaining video clips from their beer outings.

Despite limited content, Beer Nation is doing well. Their episode premieres at top NYC beer bars are well-attended, and their Facebook group has managed to go from 50 to over 1,500 members in only six months (in some part due to a friend-off with a coffee company). During a mini-beer trip to Brooklyn in November, we had the chance to meet a handful of the Beer Nation team at a site from their first episode, Brooklyn beer bar Pacific Standard.

After meeting Mike and Seth and learning more about the production of the show, which is done in coordination with goboHD / Dakoit Pictures, we understood what sets Beer Nation apart from other beer videocasts. Each episode as well as the series overall has a narrative, and Mike and Seth talk to people in their local beer community about issues facing the craft beer movement. This format is a welcomed rarity, as we have been surprised and disappointed about how many beercasts are just two dudes opening some bottles and then describing beer into the camera (or worse yet, audio recorder).

So far the Beer Nation duo have visited great New York beer spots like Sixpoint Craft Ales, Rattle ‘N Hum Bar, Captain Lawrence Brewing Company, and Barcade to explore the definition of craft beer, who drives the craft beer movement,and what is important to craft beer drinkers. You can see what they found out by watching the episodes below.

Episode 1