Award Winner Third Shift

Introducing the gold medal award winning beer, Third Shift. This is a dark, amber lager from the makes of the MillerCoors Company and it has gained a lot of attention in the last few months because it is new and its taste is something to note.

What is really cool about this beer is that it is considered a craft brew, even though it is under the MillerCoors brand. How is that? This beer is made by a team of brewers from the company who decided to try their hand at brewing outside of their normal work. Pretty cool, huh?

The impressive part is that it does not lose flavor or quality from this craft-brew process. It tastes every bit like it was made commercially, from the big companies. The dark amber color is very attractive and the taste is there to match. Made with more hops than traditional beer, but not too much to overwhelm, the beer presented a bitter taste that was quickly washed away with a sweet and refreshing hit of flavor. I think this beer is perfectly balanced with hops and malt. It is a tease. Just when you're about to decide if you like it or not, from the bitterness, the sweet kicks in and keeps you coming back for more.

This is a fantastic product with a cool story. This has been on the shelves for a few months, so it is fairly new in the market. I've started seeing more and more commercials for it, which are made very simply, but elegantly presented. Good work, Third Shift! You've created a beer that is great and a marketing campaign that is just as good.

Batch 19: A Pre-Prohibition Beer

Batch 19 is a new product from the Coors Brewing Company. Many people are surprised that the light beer company created something so dark and rich with flavor. Not that it's a bad thing, but consumers, especially those who love the brand, are caught off guard with the dark brew.

Batch 19 gets its name from the year which it was originally made, 1919. In 1920, prohibition was introduced into the country and the recipe was lost. It was within the last couple years that Coors found the recipe and began producing it again. This product has merely been on the shelves for a few months. Although sales started slowly, the beer is gaining speed and popularity with consumers and sales are on the rise.

The beer is a hoppy, malty brew with a darker color than popular draft beer. As you take a drink, your taste buds are greeted with a spicy and heavier-than-used-to taste and feel. As you swallow, the true flavors kick in as you experience bitterness, followed by a slight sweetness to round out the bitter flavor. The alcohol content is more than your average beer, at roughly 5.5%.

When I sample this product to consumers, the majority of them are interested in learning more and making a future purchase. Many agree that the beer is dark, but not too overwhelming on taste. Coors brand enthusiasts agree that this is an awesome dark option for the organization that is most known for its light option.

Check it out and even though it is a little more expensive, it is not a product to be overlooked.

Check Out the Channels

Don't forget to check out the Drink Connoisseur Twitter as well as the Facebook page for my MillerCoors Promo Team!

Drink Connoisseur Twitter: @DrnkConnoisseur
Cedar Valley MillerCoors Promo Team Facebook Page

Get a Glimpse of What I Do:

Two years ago, I started a job that I thought was the greatest thing in the world. I was going to promote beer... out at the bars... and get paid. I was on cloud nine. There was a TV show years ago that featured a promoter/salesman who traveled around the world to various bars to push a new beer product to patrons. I remember watching that (at 8 years old) and thinking, "this would be the greatest job ever." At 21, I just achieved that job.

It's quite simple actually. Myself, along with the Miller team (yes, guys. I work with the Miller Lite girls) go out to various bars in the area which happens to be Cedar Falls and the surrounding communities. At the bars, we talk with people, play games with them and essentially drive sales for the MillerCoors brand. We also attend events at liquor and grocery stores to sample out our products to interested passerby's. To save MillerCoors money, we are hired to promote in other parts of Iowa rather than those rural areas hiring their own promotions teams. The out-of-town promotions are a blast.

I worked this job for 3 months before I was promoted to Promotions Team Manager. In this role, I would assist with event planning as well as manage the team's budget, scheduling, bar management relations, corporate relations and many, many other aspects.

Lately, promotions have been slow, but that happens. Coming up, there are new bar openings and events which will keep us busy.

Upcoming blog posts will feature information about some of our promotions and my thoughts to give you a better insight. These will most likely be the highlights of this blog, so don't miss out!

I Apologize

I would like to say I'm sorry for my absence. In addition to being a student, I have two internships and a job (being my MillerCoors branding position) as well as student organizations to deal with. My twitter has been active just because twitter and I are readily available via mobile devices.

I will try my hardest to stay on top of posts, because I've gotten a lot of traffic here lately... for my one post on Redd's Apple Ale. I have a lot of ideas, just not enough time to sit down and write them.

If you want more from me, leave me comments, messages, etc and tell me to get my drinking behind in gear. I do want to share my experiences with you, so like I said, I will try my hardest from this point on. Therefore, there are more posts to come, shortly.

Stay Tuned...

Learn About Beer From The Drink Connoisseur!

Connoisseur: (noun) a person who is especially competent to pass critical judgments in an art, particularly one of the fine arts or in matters of taste.

It's a hard word to spell, but an easy one to remember. You always hear it used with wines and foods, but not much with beer, right? Well here is your source of information for beer!

The Drink Connoisseur, also available on Twitter @DrnkConnoisseur, follows the news and reviews for beer. I also bring a fresh look at events and promotions for the beer industry and shares it all with you, the aspiring connoisseur! 

I have worked in the industry for nearly two years, working as a MillerCoors product promotional ambassador. I have worked with, sampled and informed others about the tastes, histories and background information about the companies products. They include, but are not limited to Miller, Coors, Blue Moon, Leinenkugel's, Guinness, Fat Tire and many more.

Follow this blog for the latest information and new beer products that become available in the market!

If you have any questions, let me know