Katz Partners with Blippar!

KATZ Americas is proud to announce an exciting new partnership with Blippar to bring you the premier providers of beverage coasters and augmented reality. A partnership built on providing the highest quality product and experience to your brand and your audience.

Katz Americas and Blippar! from Katz Americas on Vimeo.

Augmented reality allows your printed coaster to come alive opening up a digital world previously only experienced in the web, tv or radio. Blippar is based on a breakthrough visual discovery platform that combines image recognition with incredible graphic design and mobile engineering. Blippar brings your digital world to the KATZ coaster by way of the strongest design and engineering team in the visual discovery marketplace. When you use KATZ Americas and Blippar, you enhance the engagement of your message in a highly captive audience, creating a memorable and positive brand interaction.

Ready to try it for yourself? Contact us to find out more about how KATZ and Blippar can help your brand, and make your coasters Blipp-able today!

Thanksgiving Fun Facts!

Thanksgiving; it's a time to reflect on the fortunes we so often take for granted in life, a time to pay respect to the hard work we've put in as a country, and a time to cherish the moments spent with family that come too far and few between... 

It's also the time of year that the average American consumes 16-18 lbs of turkey, the time of year when tryptophan is a valid excuse for skipping the dishes, and the time of year polite citizens don cleats and pepper spray for early morning department store tramplings. We've compiled a list of some interesting Thanksgiving facts to start a conversation around the kids table this year (don't lie, you still sit there.) Check it out!

• 91% of Americans eat Turkey on Thanksgiving
• Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey to be the official U.S. bird
• Thomas Jefferson thought that Thanksgiving was "The most ridiculous idea I've ever heard..."
• President Abraham Lincoln made an official proclamation to observe Thanksgiving on the last Thursday of each November
• President Franklin Roosevelt declared Thanksgiving be observed a week earlier to entice holiday shopping and boost the economy during the end of the Great Depression
• Congress declared Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1941
• The Pilgrims were accompanied by the Wampanoag Tribe of Natice Americans during the first Thanksgiving feast
• During the first Thanksgiving, the meal consisted of deer, lobster, rabbit, chicken, fish, squashes, beans, chestnuts, hickory nuts, onions, leeks, dried fruits, maple syrup and honey, radishes, cabbage, carrots, eggs, and goat cheese as opposed to our standard Turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberries, etc.

All Bottled Up: Lager! An Infographic from Katz

Movember at Katz Americas

The month of November is finally here! And with it comes one of man's greatest feats of strength; Movember. Movember is the global initiative for men to wear moustaches during the month of November to raise awareness and funds for prostate and testicular cancer research. More at www.movember.com

Our Movember promo video:


Movember at Katz from Katz Americas on Vimeo.


This year, Katz will be supporting the Movember initiative by distributing coasters featuring Movember information and fostering communication about Movember through our website, blog, social media channels, and other outlets. If you would like to get more information or free Movember coasters from Katz, connect with us via Facebook, Twitter, Vimeo, or send us an email at christiann@katzamericas.com (I'll respond, I promise.)

There's an App for that...Free Beer

Normally, when I see the telltale sign of FWD:>> FWD>>> FWD>>> in the subject line of an email, it's delete and move on, however... one that had also contained two additional words:  free beer -- was somewhat intriguing.

I was certainly entertained by the show that opened up in front of my eyes on my desktop.

I wonder how they did that?  After a time pondering and a second time watching...

IT MUST BE THE COASTERS.  

What else could it be?   Cheers to Simon Pierro, and for Munich's famous Hofbraeuhaus pub, for playing along!

Enjoy! 

Get Ready to Mo!

Movember is soon upon us... Unlike other cancer awareness initiatives, Movember is only cut out for a certain breed of man. Characteristics of this man include; one or more Y chromosomes, a primal sense of authority, endless stomach capacity for red meat, the ability to lift immense amounts of weight, and the mindset that a gentleman settles his disputes by way of pugilism. Does that sound like you or someone you know?

One of the best examples of the classic Movember Man I can find this year (besides myself, naturally) would have to be Nick Offerman. You may know him as Ron Swanson from the television show Parks and Recreation, but I know him simply as a man; a Movember man. This year, Nick has offered up some tips and secrets on how to take your moustache from peach fuzz to lip sweater status. Take a look here:

Stay tuned for upcoming Movember announcements and hairy insights from the Katz team!!

Get Out and Eat!

The fall resurgence of local restaurant week is upon us here in Western New York! Time to loosen up the wallet and check out some of Western New York's best restaurants and maybe even find a new favorite!

 Local restaurant week will feature a wide selection of eateries, all with fixed price menus offering meals for $20.12. Local Restaurant Week has grown significantly in recent years, being pioneered from 60 participants in 2009 to more than 200 participants this year. For more information on Local Restaurant Week and a full list of participating restaurants, visit www.localrestaurantweek.com

I'd Tap That...

What do bears, rollerskates, and fireworks have to do with each other (besides being completely awesome)? Nothing, this is a blog post about turning a pumpkin into a keg. Seriously, turning a pumpkin into a keg of beer!

I have long heard about using hollowed out fruits and melons as punch bowls, but now that I'm more "aware of my beer surroundings" I came across a very simple and incredibly cool twist on the fruit-as-a-drink-holder concept, and needless to say I've been wanting to try it since I first saw it. As a side note, if anyone wants to debate the "Is pumpkin a fruit or a vegetable?" topic, find me on twitter. Without further delay, here is the video that has inspired me; it gives step by step instruction on how to make the pumpkin keg, and shows you how hard it can be to open a beer. Enjoy!

Pursuit of Hoppiness 10/5/12

Welcome Back! It's been a quick week, but I will be keeping in the spirit of the season with this week's review. This week I am reviewing Long Trail Pumpkin Ale. I will rate the beer by Appearance, Taste, Finish, Body, and an Overall Rating.

Appearance - Long Trail Pumpkin Ale has a nice smooth pour with a dark orange color, almost copper. The beer has a clearness to it, and not much carbonation is seen aside from the foam head on the glass.

Taste - I'm always skeptical about pumpkin beers, and to be honest, I usually just don't like them. Long trail Pumpkin Ale was not one of these instances. This pumpkin ale had a very rich and balanced flavor between the pumpkin, spice, hops, and wheat. It was a very flavorful beer.

Finish - Long Trail Pumpkin Ale had a very clean finish with lingering notes of light spice (primarily the classic pumpkin pie spices nutmeg and clove) and actually has a bit of a hop bitterness, like that of a pale ale.

Body - Long Trail Pumpkin Ale is a medium bodied beer with a nice robust flavor. The beer is not heavy, but surely doesn't drink like a light beer or a standard Ale. Mid-High Carbonation provided a bit of a crispness to the beer that I enjoyed.

Overall Rating - I'm not usually a Pumpkin beer drinker, but Long Trail did this one right. It has a nice seasonal flavor without going too far, and drinks like a flavorful pale ale. I give Long Trail Pumpkin Ale a rating of 8.0/10

Thanks for reading! Check back next Friday for more craft beer reviews!

The Pursuit of Hoppiness

Welcome to the first installment of Christian's "The Pursuit of Hoppiness" Blog segment! Each week, I will be featuring a new review on a craft beer that you should probably try out.

Allow me to first introduce myself; I work as the Marketing Coordinator for Katz Americas and during my time here, I have been exposed to a lot of new beers and breweries that I most likely would never have known existed. I've developed a bit of a taste (okay, more like a love) for craft beers, and have been trying new brews ever since. The goal of this segment is to hopefully provide you with some insight into new beers and get you to reach for something different the next time you're at the pub. Having said that, I'd also like to note that my thoughts are my own, and in no way do the opinions expressed in this segment reflect Katz Americas directly or the brands that I'm reviewing. Okay, lets get tasting...

This week I am reviewing Paulaner Oktoberfest Marzen, a classic German seasonal brewed for the famed Oktoberfest celebration in Germany. I will rate the beer by Appearance, Taste, Finish, Body, and an Overall Rating.

Appearance - Medium-dark amber with a thick creamy head, dissipating evenly over time. The beer coats the glass nicely, and as you drink you can see the lines of foam ringing the glass. The beer itself is very clear despite its darker color, and you can see the carbonation streaming upward.

Taste - The first thing I noticed about taste was the delicious malty flavor. There were notes of sweet, caramel, and a heavier tone from the the wheat aspect of the beer. There wasn't much of a hoppiness, but just enough to balance the beer.

Finish - For a darker malty amber, I was surprised by the cleanness of the finish. The sweet malt lingered a bit on my palate, but aside from that, there were no tones that had lingered.

Body - Paulaner Oktoberfest was a very full bodied beer, but was not heavy. The carbonation was at a moderate level, and I would have enjoyed it a bit more had it been a less carbonated beer, similar to a cask-style brew.

Overall Rating - I thoroughly enjoyed this beer, and would recommend it to anyone looking for a beer to celebrate Oktoberfest with. I give Paulaner Oktoberfest Marzen a rating of 8.5/10

Thanks for reading! Check back next Friday for more craft beer reviews!

Anyone in for Chili's tonight? Dining for a cause!

Do you need dinner plans for tonight?  If you have a Chili's in your area, here is great reason to stop in.   You can't make it?  tell a friend, or, as a matter of fact, tell many.  





On Monday, September 24th, Chili's will donate 100% of profits to St Jude. 

Dine with them on Donate Profits Day

and help make a difference in the fight against pediatric cancer and other 

childhood diseases.

Please try to join them today.  
The chain is in their ninth year of support to St. Jude,and we love kids.

Not to mention delicious food we don't have to prepare ourselves.   Hope to see you there. 

Welcome!

Hey Everyone,

Welcome to the new Katz Americas Blog! Take a minute to familiarize yourself with the page, the comments section, the share buttons, and the archive of posts. We would love to hear your thoughts and opinions along the way to make this an awesome way to communicate, so let us know what comes to mind when we speak ours! We also have an infographic segment coming up, so don't miss it! Having said that, take a scroll through and check out our posts, and check back for new ones as we will be blogging about a lot of great topics, such as...

• Awesome coasters
• Beer
• Events
• Wine
• Restaurants
• New technology
• Football
• Recipes
• Hockey
• New animals at the zoo
• Tide schedules and lunar phases
• 80's Nostalgia
• George Orwell vs. Stanley Kubrick
• Spirits and Liquors
• Advertising
• The parallel universe
• Why Jurassic Park was the greatest film ever made
• The occasional rant...

Just When You Thought It Couldn't Get Any Better...

I love the fall time, I have to say that it is honestly my favorite season. Part of the reason that I enjoy it so much is all of the wonderful craft brews that come out of the barrels and kegs to celebrate the changing of seasons. For a long time, and it continues to be so, my go-to fall beer has been Samuel Adams Octoberfest. The beer is a classic; a dark amber with a reddish hue, rich malty flavor courtesy of five different blends of malted barley, Bavarian Noble hops to balance the flavor, and a lightly sweetened finish with notes of caramel and toffee. Is your mouth watering yet?

Apparently, someone at the think tank of Red Robin decided that this delicious beer was in need of an even greater upgrade. Red Robin has introduced a fall specialty item to their menu; the Samuel Adams Octoberfest Milkshake. Okay, now I know you're drooling... But seriously, it's blended Octoberfest beer and soft serve ice cream with vanilla extract, whipped cream, and a caramel topping. Here's where the title comes in: It doesn't get any better than this!

The Über-shake is available until November 11th or until supplies run out, so get out there and taste this incredible treat!

Ale to the Chief

It was recently made public that the Obama Administration had installed a craft brewing operation in the White House. Being curious by nature, people were wondering, and even asking the president on his campaign trail, what type of brews were being made there and what ingredients were being used. After about a week of speculation, the recipes were made public.

The first beer is The White House Honey Ale; a light and crisp beer with a rich aroma and bright finish. TWH Honey Ale uses honey extracted from honeycombs right on the White House grounds, which is a cool touch to make a unique brew. Unfortunately, the official White House Honey doesn't seem to be on sale, but can be substituted if trying to make it at home. The official recipe is as follows:

The second brew is The White House Honey Porter; a darker, maltier brew that has a heavier, more robust flavor with chocolate accents and a sweeter finish. Again, the Honey Porter uses Honey from the White House South Lawn beehive and four different types of malt. The recipe is as follows;

Although we haven't actually tasted these beers yet (and I do mean yet), we're pretty sure they taste like freedom.

Social Media in the Brewing World

The Yazoo Brewing Company, based in Nashville, Tennessee, has seen some very significant success in using social media to brand their brews. The local craft brewery has thousands of friends and followers on Twitter and Facebook (including us, of course) and has four star reviews on Yelp to go along with their nearly 4000 check-ins on Foursquare. 

Neil McCormick, Yazoo Brewing's Marketing Manager and resident social media guru, offered up some advice on how to make the most of social media platforms to brand your small business.

1) Try a personal touch. Rather than investing in a large firm to manage your social media, update internally whenever something is going on. Keep your followers up to date and engaged.

2) Use a hands-on approach. Don't sit back and wait for people to specifically call upon your social media platforms. Make use of the search features on twitter to see what people are talking about in your industry, and then join the conversation.

3) Careful dialogue and more. McCormick advises not to shy away from being funny or addressing negatives in public forum, but do so with caution. Always remember, "there's a human on each end of that interaction." Also, don't find yourself being one-dimensional in your social media voice. There are many social media platforms out there for a reason; use them to your advantage.

4) Next Up: Pinterest. Pinterest is an exciting new opportunity for small businesses to gain more exposure through social media. Pinterest allows for a streamlined interface that puts more information in front of users without having to dig through searches, links, and websites. McCormick says that he likes Pinterest based on its ability to translate the vibe and personality of his brewery and the people who work there.

For more information, please check out Sarah Stansbury's original article from The Tennessean here.

Strong Growth for U.S. Breweries

The Brewers Association (BA) recently published some very promising statistics for the first half of 2012. According to BA, dollar sales were up 14 percent in the first half, while the volume of craft beer sold had climbed by 12 percent. It was quite an impressive first half as an estimated 6.0 million barrels were sold by craft breweries. 

If that wasn't enough to prove that craft continues an incredible upward trend, check out the infographic below, showing the highest brewery count in the U.S. in the past 125 years!

The US brewery count has grown by 350 breweries since June of 2011, and has added numerous jobs to the economy. Currently, the craft beer industry contributes approximately 104,000 full and part-time jobs. Furthermore, the trend continues to grow as 1252 craft breweries are in planning phases, up from 725 only a year ago.

For more information, please visit the Brewers Association here.