Recent times have seen the rise of influential food and drinks bloggers – industry insiders with substantial knowledge and a passion for their subjects have set up blogs to educate consumers and retailers alike.

But why have food and drinks bloggers gained so much in popularity?

People no longer just want a nice bottle of wine, they want to know where it’s come from, how it was made and to be able to talk about its history, production, aromas, palate and more.

It’s not enough to serve up a regular bottle of red or just order a beer anymore, people want to impress with their understanding of the latest drinks and knowledge of the history and taste of what they’re drinking, all of which can be gained from bloggers.

Bloggers are not doing this for the revenue, instead writing because they are passionate about what they’re talking about, with a need to share with others.

by Rachel Stevenson

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Distant Thunder Whisky Club

Named due to the late Michael Jackson’s comments on the palate of the Talisker 1982, 20 years old, the Distant Thunder Whisky Club is comprised of a small group of whisky enthusiasts from across the globe who come together every few months to discuss their mutual love of whisky; sharing recipes, stories, tasting notes and more.

What do they do well? The layout of the site is straightforward, with visitors able to easily track down older articles based on brands. We also like that the site has a section highlighting the blogs that they often read, giving readers further useful references.

What would we like to see more of? Pictures. The site’s use of pictures are minimal, with lengthy blog entries it would be nice to see more of a visual focus.

Who are they aimed towards? The average whisky lover – a consumer who has a little knowledge on the subject, but that wants further information, inspiration and an understanding of the golden spirit.

Where to find Distant Thunder Whisky Club: www.dtwc.com.au

 

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drinks Bulletin caught up with Matthew Wooler, one of the writers behind Distant Thunder Whisky Club, to discuss the blog’s success and aims.

DB: How does the language you use in your social media channels and blog differ to that of a more traditional wine blog?

Matthew: Our language is colourful, very down to earth, Australian by nature, and first and foremost written in a way club members will understand. In short, we write for ourselves and if anyone else wants to chime in on the conversation they are welcome.

DB: What can readers expect to get from your blog and social media accounts?

Matthew: Readers can expect an array of articles that in someway will relate to whisky but not necessarily about whisky. We try to ensure the information is informative and constructive.

DB: Is there a ‘secret formula’ that you would point to that has generated such engagement from your audience?

Matthew: No definitely not. If you are in it for the long haul though consistency is a skeleton key to opening many doors. This consistency will validate that your style of writing and types of articles delivered have enough colour for the social climate to pop out amongst all the white noise.

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The Beer Drinkers

A craft beer blog run by two friends covering brewery openings, events and everything beer. Born from a love of craft beer, the duos’ enthusiasm is obvious throughout the blog as they review the latest craft beers with passion, providing matter-of-fact information.

What do they do well? Lots of information, easy to read and great pictures.

What would we like to see more of? Humour.

Who are they aimed towards? The beer lover who wants to experience more flavours, who might like to try more beers at a bar but needs a few pointers.

Where to find The Beer Drinkers: www.thebeerdrinkers.com.au

 

Wine Wankers

A fun and informative blog, run by three guys whose aim is to make wine more accessible, taking the pretentiousness out of it all. Calling themselves the ‘anti wine brigade’, the boys’ name is an extension of their Australian heritage, where nicknames are often the opposite to a personal appearance or character.

What do they do well? Varied content and fun, original features. Use of a humorous tone that makes you want to read a lot of the site. Great use of Instagram and Facebook engagement with customers.

What would we like to see more of? Information.

Who are they aimed towards? The wine lover who wants more in-depth knowledge and an understanding of what he’s drinking, and the ability to talk about wine without sounding pretentious.

Where to find Wine Wankers: www.thewinewankers.com.au

 

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drinks Bulletin sat down with Drew, one of the “Wankers” to discuss the amazing success of the blog and what sets Wine Wankers apart from other wine blogs.

DB: How does the language you use in your social media channels and blog differ to that of a more traditional wine blog?

Drew: The essence of our writing style is to have a lot of fun talking about wine; we don’t take ourselves seriously at all. Our editorial direction is likened to Friday night drinks with your workmates/friends. To the vast majority of wine drinkers, we’re speaking their language, and that is: “Is the wine nice and will I have fun drinking it”.

DB: What can readers expect to get from your blog and social media accounts?

Drew: Our thewinewankers.com.au blog is where we started, so it means the world to us. The blog is where you’ll find our long form articles on a wide range of wine related topics. Twitter has gone crazy; we’re averaging about 20,000 (11 per cent) new followers per month! There’s a lot of wine banter, but we believe it’s helping to increase people’s wine knowledge in a fun way. Instagram shows more of our serious side. It’s where you’ll find us ‘reviewing’ wines we love and our Facebook is generally more topical than our other mediums.

DB: How have wine suppliers reacted to your presence in such an influential role?

Drew: Despite our international following, we’re still relatively unknown by many people in the Australian wine industry. We understand we’re not everyone’s ‘glass of shiraz’! Our unconventional name and what we do are the reasons why people have started following us. Our followers have probably never been interested in following a wine writer – but now they are, and that’s got to be good for the Australian wine industry.

DB: Is there a ‘secret formula’ that you would point to that has generated such engagement from your audience?

Drew: There is no secret other than being social. Treat your audience as if they are your mates.

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Train My Venue

Geared towards retailers and those in the hospitality and tourism sectors, Train My Venue provides online access to lots of training and development resources.

What do they do well? Informative, useful articles for those in the industry. Great layout and the site is easy to navigate.

What would we like to see more of? More articles.

Who are they aimed towards? Retailers and venue managers.

Where to find Train My Venue: www.trainmyvenue.com

 

Time For Whiskey

 A Hong Kong and Australia-based whisky blog, discussing tasting notes, new releases and anything whisky-related, all in the name of ‘dram good fun!’

What do they do well? A large range of articles covering everything to do with whisky, so readers will never get bored of content.

What would we like to see more of? The site is a little hard to navigate and for a blog, it would be great to see more images.

Who are they aimed towards? Whisky lovers – from novices to connoisseurs.

Where to find Time for Whiskey: www.timeforwhisky.com

 

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drinks Bulletin sat down with Hendy Ongkodjojo and Martin Eber – the voices behind Time For Whisky, to find out the drive behind their blog.

DB: How does the language you use differ from a more traditional whisky blog?

Martin: We try to keep it pretty informal and accessible. Things can get pretty over the top when it comes to tasting notes.

Hendy: We ensure the language of the blog can be related to by a wide range of people that are either starting to be integrated into whisky or those that have an ongoing interest in whisky and the wider industry.

DB: What can readers expect to get from your blog?

Martin: Apart from some “dram good fun” – tasting notes, event write ups, product launches, opinion pieces and the occasional press release!

Hendy: Dram good fun indeed. Occasionally also interesting insights into a distillery, a little on history and updates from the whisky industry.

DB: How have whisky suppliers reacted to your presence in the market?

Martin: For the most part there’s been some great engagement from the market. Brands are recognising the importance of the “blogosphere” and have reacted accordingly – not just by sending press releases or samples, but by including bloggers in interactive events and really getting their opinion.

DB: Is there a ‘secret formula’ you would point to that has generated such engagement from your audience?

Martin: I think just being honest, keeping the content accessible, and mixing it up.

Hendy: Cross interactions with our Facebook and Twitter audiences also help with such engagement.

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