Beer Rocks Episode 1 - Beer Style

BrewDog to create the world's first democratically created beer via online - never mind web2.0, this is web brew.0

  BrewDog have set about giving the whole world the chance to make the next BrewDog beer.

Inspired by the turnout in the recent US election, James Watt and Martin Dickie are now going to create a beer based purely on what the public vote for via the Brewdog website.

Each Saturday on the site, a short video will be posted about the beermaking process with founders Martin Dickie, James Watt and head brewer Stewart Bowman all showing different aspects of each part of the beer making process.

The five week process will involve:

•·         Week 1 - Beer Style

•·         Week 2 - Malts used and target gravities/ABV

•·         Week 3 - Hops used

•·         Week 4 - Speciality processes/ingredients

•·         Week 5 - Beer Name and packaging

James said: "This a beer for the people, by the people and we're going to do it through the web, posting video blogs about each step of the process - you could call it web brew point oh.

"People will then have five days to cast their votes for their preferred item that week and then we'll move on to the next step.

"This came about for a couple of reasons. There's been a lot of interest in democracy with the US elections, but also our fans are very passionate about their beer.

"So this is not only a chance to have them create their own beer, it's a chance to educate others in what goes into beers and what makes a good natural beer, free from artificial ingredients. Also, Martin and I remember from our days as students in Edinburgh that making beers can be a messy business, so this is a chance for people to make their own beer without making any mess.

"The first episode will be about beer style so I have advocated a Black IPA while Martin has gone for a Porter and Stewart a Barley Wine.

"It's going to be quite wild and exciting - by week four you could be deciding whether to cask age, add raspberries or dry hop a 9% Imperial Porter brewed with Chinook and Pacific Gem. The only limit here is what people can come up with.

"The possibilities really are endless and the voters will be in complete control of the entire process, including packaging!

"It's a risky thing to try, but it's also different and a way of speaking to out customers directly. We're not one of these global mega-corporations putting out bland, additive-ridden beers and telling people that they have to like it or lump it."

After the five-week series, the beer will be made and then be offered to sale early in 2009.