Brú Trail - CIT exhibition

[leahyed]

An exhibition by final year Visual Communications students is currently running in the James Barry Exhibition Centre in CIT. (Cork Institute of Technology - for those outside Cork!!)

The project by one of the students, Stephen Walsh, is on setting up a visitor trail of Irish Craft Breweries, principally aimed at tourists. This project would mainly be of interest to brewery owners. The concept is very well developed and is divided into four separate "Brú Trails" corresponding to each of the four provinces which are linked to the four principal ingredients of beer.

Each "Brú Trail" has it's own detailed map showing the Craft Brewery locations. There is also a separate booklet with each trail giving information on each of the breweries. The idea is that a beer lover would travel around to each of the breweries on a particular trail and have a tour of the brewery and also, sample the produce (very important, hic, hic!). The visitor would then have their booklet stamped (using a specially designed celtic knot stamp and also the brewery's own stamp) by each of the breweries visited.

This project is difficult to explain fully, and has to be seen to be fully understood and appreciated. I believe that this could form the basis of quite a unique and interesting marketing concept. I also think that this could get support from Failte Ireland. Anything that gives tourists an interesting and enjoyable activity to do on a wet day and aso promote awareness of Irish Craft Beers has to be good!

I strongly recommend that any brewery owners/marketing managers would have a look at this project. The exhibition is on until the 9th June, open daily from 10.00am to 4.00pm.  I think that this student deserves to be encouraged and supported for developing this project.

I would welcome any comments.     



     

[Will_D]

Whilst I appreciate the thought and design effort that has gone into this project, there is on Major problem:

Small (1 or 2 people present in 10 hour shift) or even medium (3 to 5 peeps for 14 hours) cannot manage to give a brewey tour every time a tourist or group ( 2 to 50 [max coach size]) turn up.

Caveat: Unless there is money and pre planning involved!

[LordEoin]

I'd imagine tourists would be more interested in seeing where Guinness or 'Smitviks' are brewed, no?
DO many of our craft beers make it far out of the country?

[irish_goat]

I'd imagine tourists would be more interested in seeing where Guinness or 'Smitviks' are brewed, no?
DO many of our craft beers make it far out of the country?

Tourists all want to see Guinesss but in my experience at the B&C they were always a lot more willing to try a craft beer as well, when compared to Irish customers.

There's a good few micros exporting, I think O'Haras are in 30+ countries, Eight Degrees made it to Australia and Singapore recently and White Hag's first batch went to the US. To name a few. Still only time amounts though so I doubt it would translate into a lot of beer tourism.