Hoppy Times May/June 1999
"Online" Edition - Volume 6 Issue 3
"Every product we make greets you with a Smile"™
Topics In This Illustrious "Online" Issue Are:
HOPPY GOES SPORTING ONLINE!!!
HOPPY PROMOTION...
HOPPY INDUSTRY NEWS!!!
HOPPY REMINDER SERVICE...
HOPPY UPCOMING EVENTS!!!
HOPPY STAFF...
Please feel free to forward this newsletter to anyone you think might enjoy
reading our "hoppy" news...
HOPPY GOES SPORTING ONLINE!!!
AUBURN, CA - With online sales exploding, analysts at Ziff-Davis are projecting Internet sales figures for eCommerce for the fourth-quarter 1999 holiday season to be three times the 7.8 million people who made purchases last year, or about $13.7 billion in retail sales. "That's not surprising," comments Mr. Troy Paski, since he has recently found this website called "Blue-Balls.com" to buy golfballs from, and according to ZDNet's Barry Riggs, "Consumer confidence in the Web as an established and trustworthy buying channel is growing at an astonishing pace."
"It's not like I go golfing all of the time, but I recently got invited to go play, and I needed some golfballs, so being a frugal shopper I went straight to the Internet. I also really hate going to stores, looking for parking places, waiting in checkout lanes, and besides...who's got time to do that anyway? This way, I just clicked on "Blue-Balls.com", chose the golfballs (or other types of sporting equipment, nutrition, or etc.) I wanted, and they showed up at the door a few days later," elaborates a time-sensitive Mr. Paski.
For more information about purchasing sporting equipment online, feel free to check their website out at:
http://www.Blue-Balls.com
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AUBURN, CA - "Last November, after posting our tattoo photo collection from the Great American Beer Festival in Denver, Colorado to our website, we have had over a million people visit that page directly http://www.hoppy.com/gabf98_pix.htm, and that number keeps growing at an astonishing rate from people all over the world," comments Hoppy's Director of Promotions, Mr. Robert Helms. "Therefore, with the number of people entering our site through our [virtual] front-door fast approaching 15,000 since last year, we figured that we would hold a little contest to see who our 15,000th visitor turns out to be," adds Mr. Helms.
"Basically anyone can enter the contest. All they have to do is email, fax, or snail mail, our home page to us with the counter displaying 15,000. In return for being that lucky person, we will mail them a logo sport shirt and a logo ball cap for them to wear wherever they go. It is that easy," finishes an excited Mr. Helms about Hoppy's latest promotion.
For more information on what the prizes look like, please visit
www.hoppy.com/goodies.htm
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AUBURN, CA - The sky is falling, the sky is falling, chicken little was supposedly once heard broadcasting... In similar context, that story has been repeated over and over recently pertaining to the current shake out going on in the craft beer industry. Some of it is indeed true, and in the case with any type of Darwinian model, as the competition becomes greater for a fixed number of resources (i.e., beer drinkers) in any economic model, one will usually see a survival of the fittest type of scenario emerge...
Accordingly, with the heady years of rampant growth behind many craft breweries, 1998 shaped up with most brewers across the nation working harder than ever to keep [their] existing beer sales. In addition, the Institute of Brewing Studies in Boulder, Colorado, reported that 21 of the top 50 craft-brewing companies grew by ten percent or more in 1998, helping the U.S. craft-brewing industry (i.e., brewpubs, microbreweries, regional specialty breweries, and contract brewing companies) maintain approximately 5.6 million barrels in sales - the same amount sold in 1997.
With less "biers de jour" available, and the market beginning to stabilize, this increased stability comes as good news for many consumers. "The quality of the average brewpub and the average microbrew on the shelf is continually improving," says Mr. Dave Edgar, Director of the Institute. "Call it microbrewery and brewpub Darwinism, but while many weaker or lesser-quality companies are either closing or selling out, the brewpubs and craft-beer brands that are surviving represent better-organized, better-managed companies and better beers."
With the craft-brewing movement [seemingly] falling out of vogue with today's mainstream "trendy" popular fashions, one thing remains true, and that is today's small breweries and brewpubs have succeeded in changing and broadening America's taste in beer; while at the same time, elevating small-scale, local brewing to a level unseen nationwide since before Prohibition.
So what does all of this mean as we fast approach the next millennium???
With Congress considering yet again the lowering of BAC driving levels, and the raising of taxes on small craft-brewers, a recently seen [popular] bumper sticker comes to mind. "When brewing beer is outlawed, only outlaws will brew beer", which is something to consider as industry stability provides those successful regional breweries, microbreweries, and brewpubs with a better environment for expanding their companies employment opportunities and local tax revenues. In addition, with a stronger community of craft-brewers, they will be better positioned to introduce more consumers to the pleasures of top-quality, domestic beers that deliver a full-flavor and are brewed locally, or [as consumers] we can choose to put our heads in the sand like Ostriches and let Congress legislate the hard-work of our nations craft-brewers regress into the abyss of blandness...
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AUBURN, CA - Have you ever forgotten an important birthday, event, or significant appointment? If so, Hoppy's brewer at large, Mr. Tom Frisbie, has found a cool little service where you can have your very own Lifetime Reminder Service remind you of those important occasions...
For $39.00 you can have a postcard sent to you, to remind you of every occasion that you want throughout the year. Once you sign up, the service is for the rest of your life!!! You must be wondering, what is the catch??? There is no catch... On the backside of each reminder, there is an option of purchasing a gift basket to send automatically to the person with a birthday or anniversary. This is how the company that sends the postcards make their money!!!
Each Lifetime Reminder Service Kit includes:
� 1 Glossy brochure with membership card
� 1 Occasion Gift Pak form (membership application)
� 1 Gift Pak sheet (for new members to review the selection of gift baskets)Once a membership is purchased, you will receive the three forms above. Simply fill out the occasion form and mail it to the address on the back of the form. Within one month, you will receive a postcard 7-10 days prior to every date you put on the occasion form. It is that simple. Just imagine, never having to remember all those birthdays and anniversaries of all the people that you know!!!
For more information, you may contact him toll free at 1-877-581-8070 (ignore the message) and enter mailbox 8070, or simply email him at tom@hoppy.com. As Tom puts it, "if you try the service, let me know what you think of it, since I have found the service VERY useful." :)
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With the weather getting warmer, the days getting longer, and those weekend activities yet to be planned, we all know what time it is - IT'S FESTIVAL SEASON once again, and we figured that we would provide just a sampling of what is "on-tap" for you this summer...
SUISUN, CA - The 4th Annual Rhythm, Brews & Cigar celebration will be held on Saturday, May 29th from noon till 6:00pm, on the new waterfront marina in Old Town Suisun. There are expected to be 65 breweries participating this year, with musical guests Zasu Pitts Memorial Orchestra headlining the event. In addition, for those who have yet to catch the [legendary] beer industry favorites - Roiling Boil Blues Band, they will be on hand playing many (and we do mean MANY) of their beer blues inspired versions of everyone's favorite tunes...
For more information about this event, they can be found online at http://www.randbrews.com, or contacted by more traditional means at 707.423.5784 and just ask for George. Hope to see you there!SANTA ROSA, CA - The 8th Annual BeerFest, a benefit for the Face to Face organization, will be held on Saturday, June 05th from 1-5:00pm, in the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts. "This is a fantastic [quality] event, and the proceeds go to a very worthy cause," comments Mr. Troy Paski.
For more information regarding this event, one can email Ms. Lynn Newton at newton@monitor.net, or she can be contacted by more traditional means at 707.887.7031. Hope the weather is nice for this partially outdoor event, and we hope to see you there!MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA - The 11th Annual Small Brewers Festival of California will be held on the weekend of August 07th & 08th. In addition, proceeds from this event over the past ten years have raised over $500,000 for various local non-profit organizations. Also, an Amateur Brewing Competition will once again be held. So if you are (or know of someone who is) spending your/their time concocting some [killer] home-brew, make sure to enter the competition - this is how Troy and Hoppy basically got started six "fun-filled" years ago. If you have not been to this event, just look for a 14,000 square foot big-top tent with 40 local breweries pouring their "hand-crafted" products for about 20,000 thirsty people's enjoyment - and that would be the place...
For more information regarding this event, feel free to visit their website at http://www.smallbrewersfest.comIf you are interested in helping out at an event, or know of a good event for Hoppy to attend, please send Troy a note at troy@hoppy.com. I know he will be glad to hear from you.
In addition, if you would like a complete listing of what we currently have on our calendar, please click on the following web address.
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If you are interested in sending one of us a note, just visit the following page and click on a name that has interest to you. We promise to write back in a timely manner... :)
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Remember...the craft brew industry is very competitive, and we can always use your help when you are out there in the bars, restaurants, grocery stores, and etc. How can you help us you may be asking yourselves??? Well...we need you to ask your local retailer(s) for our products (to the point of bugging them if necessary), so that you are able to buy the products that you "really" want - not just what is on the store shelf or on tap at the moment...
You, the consumer, have more power than you may know. Speak up, speak clearly, and your earnest taste buds may reap those proactive rewards. If you do this, then we are sure it will not be long before you will be able to enjoy our Liquid Sunshine™ Blonde, Hoppy Face™ Amber, and Total Eclipse™ Black Ales, and our newest product Hoppy Springs™ "Pre-Brewed" Spring Water outside of attending a local festival...
Thinking Globally - Brewing Locally!!!
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Last updated:
01/17/11 / Comments: Webmaster@hoppy.com
