So it’s basically Google Hangouts for hipsters?
Sure, but with the added encouragement that you should be holding a beer or two. And let’s face it, right now, we could all use a beer.
Agreed. How will it work?
BrewDog will launch its first ever online bar this Friday (27 March) at 6pm. Details of how to register to access the bar have yet to be revealed, but BrewDog says the system is designed to give locals and regulars a chance to reconnect and share a beer. The set-up basically looks like a more informal version of a Skype Business conference call, with used superimposed against a BrewDog bar backdrop.
Will it be free to enter?
Again, details regarding this are a little thin on the ground at the time of writing. BrewDog says the bars will be open to anyone in the world over the age of 18, which presumably means there must be some safety mechanism in place; perhaps having to use a credit/debit card when registering. The bars will be available in the US, Australia and Germany, and will feature live beer tastings with BrewDog co-founders James Watt and Martin Dickie and other beer experts; home-brew masterclasses, also hosted by Dickie; virtual pub quizzes; question and answer sessions with BrewDog crew members; as well as live music and comedy sessions.
This is all well and good, but what happens if none of my local shops actually sell BrewDog?
Fear not, providing you live close to a BrewDog you’re covered. Using the brewer’s Hop Drop app, you can now click and collect beer, food, spirits and cider from almost any BrewDog bar in the UK, and either pick them up in your car or have them delivered to you.
Sounds ideal. Are there any other brewers offering pub experiences at home?
Certainly. For those looking for a more tangible experience, Signature Brew has launched Pub in a Box so you can recreate a night out at the boozer at home. The boxes, which are available to order online, contain cans of beer, beer mats, branded beer glasses, a Spotify QR code to a playlist made by music journalists, a music pub quiz, and some classic pub snacks. And, what’s more, Signature has hired out-of-work musicians who have had their tours cancelled as a result of the Coronavirus crisis to deliver the boxes; therefore giving them the opportunity to make some much-needed money.
Well, cheers to that
Cheers!