Beer Diplomacy? Try Twitter and Aalbeke Style

It started with a single Tweet. 

When Schubros Brewery of San Ramon, still in only its second year of operations, tweeted about the launch of its new Belgian Strong Golden Ale, Aalbeke, they didn’t expect anything out of the ordinary. They just wanted to inform followers and fans of their upcoming beer release, and to invite them to a launch party.  But as Twitter proves -- time and time again – news can travel fast and reach farther than you would ever expect.

The tweet was picked up by journalist Axel Vandenheede in Kortrijk, Belgium, the city where the timeless village of Aalbeke (population 2,953 and 2.8 miles square in size) is found. Intrigued, he reached out to Schubros via their website and this started a chain of events, reflecting the interconnected world in which we live today.

Articles about the launch of the Schubros beer and the story behind the choice of the Aalbeke name appeared in his journal, and also got picked up by an Amsterdam blog.  The San Ramon and Kortrijk mayors even began their own conversation, and now Ian Schuster, Schubros’ CEO, is scheduled to fly out to Belgium. There, in addition to touring several local breweries and meeting with their brewers, he will meet Kortrijk Mayor Vincent Van Quickenborne, who previously served as Economy and Pensions Minister, and as the President of the Open VLD party that ran the Belgian government as recently as 2007. 

Bearing gifts from San Ramon and Schubros, Schuster’s mission is part beer and part beer-diplomacy. 

“The great thing is, I can fly to Belgium, meet their ex-Deputy Prime minister, tour breweries, hang out with some of the world’s most talented brewmasters, and honestly call that work – more exciting than my last few business trips,” said Schuster.

About Schubros Brewery

San Ramon-based Schubros Brewery was founded in 2011 by four beer and food industry veterans who, together, possess nearly 50 years of industry experience. Striving to elevate beer enjoyment to the highest level, Schubros believes in creating the ultimate epicurean experience through its purposefully reciped beers. The brewery is guided by three core values: community, responsibility and quality; and it donates 1% of its Core 4 beer sales to charitable causes.  For more information about Schubros Brewery and its management and values, please visit www.schubrosbrewery.com (http://schubrosbrewery.com/) or call (925) 327-0700.