Ocean City beer challenge promotes craft beer, tourism

Celebrate local craft beer with the Ocean City beer challenge during FeBREWary and every other month this year. 

Shore Craft Beer and the town of Ocean City kicked off the challenge in January and plan to keep it around all year for craft beer drinkers to participate. Participants can download the Shore Craft Beer app to get started. The challenge is listed as "OCraft Challenge." 

The rules to the challenge are simple: check into a hotel for at least one night and take a photo enjoying a craft beer or menu item made with craft beer. After submitting five selfies, the challenge is completed.  

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Challenge winners receive a pint glass, their name on OCocean.com's winner walls and their name on the Shore Craft Beer Gallery of Champions. 

Currently, there are about 36 participating restaurants, breweries and hotels in the challenge. 

The app's participants are convention and visitors bureau members, said Ann McGinnis Hillyer, Shore Craft Beer CEO. The amount of restaurants, breweries and hotels can be expanded to other interested CVB members. 

McGinnis Hillyer has seen craft beer take off in Ocean City with various breweries and restaurants filling its taps with local brews or using craft beer in food items.

"It's so vital," she said. 

Donna Abbott, Ocean City tourism and marketing director, worked with Shore Craft Beer to create the challenges. She said craft beer provides a lot of great opportunities for Ocean City with tourists and locals looking for a unique, exclusive dining experience. 

Ocean City is always looking for ways to expand its shoulder and winter seasons, she said. With the beer challenge being promoted in FeBREWary, it encourages spending time and money enjoying the town's food and drink outside of the summer months. 

"Just marketing a different segment," she said. 

Abbott said the town is getting word out about the challenge through a landing page on www.ococean.com, e-blasts and social media. 

One of the participating restaurants is Longboard Café, located at 6701 Coastal Hwy in Ocean City.

Owner Rick Vach said the restaurant offers eight taps, prioritizing local craft brews. It also uses craft beer in some of its food items like the beer braised short rips. 

Shore Craft Beer approached Vach about being a part of the challenge, he said. He's seen customers coming in and participating. With the push of the challenge and the specials during FeBREWary, Vach said he's seen it affect business positively. 

"It's been a good source of business for us," he said. 

During the month of February the eatery is also offering beer and food pairings for $16.50 each. The four specials offered include Longboard wings paired with Burley Oak Brewing Company's Aboriginal Gangster, maple sriracha burger with RAR Nanticoke Nectar, jerk mahi tacos with Evolution Craft Brewing Co.'s Lucky 7 Porter and Waimea burger with RAR Groove CIty.

Vach has seen customers' knowledge of beer grow over time. People are more educated on different kinds of beer and different breweries. 

Promoting local craft beer allowed restaurants like Longboard Cafe to respond to the growing demand.

"It was sort of riding the wave of popularity," Vach said. 

Backshore Brewing Co., located at 913 Atlantic Ave., has been involved with Shore Craft Beer for multiple events and other craft beer challenges on its app. The brewery hasn't seen many participants of the OCraft Challenge in its taproom yet, but expects plenty once the warmer weather picks up, said Nathan Todd, manager and assistant brewer. 

Todd has seen customers coming in for other Shore Craft Beer challenges and expects this one to follow suit. 

"I'm really excited to see what kind of attention we get from this," he said. 

The assistant brewer is happy to see tourists and locals enjoying local craft beer instead of reaching for the national brand names. When Todd and his wife travel, he said they two look for local breweries to try. 

Todd always suggests trying local craft beer as its fresher ingredients and made by people who are passionate and putting their life into their work.  

"You can go to a place and get something they put their life into," he said. 

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