In January 2012, I launched The Craft Beer Girl, a social brand and blog that grew to 15,000+ engaged followers, positioning me as an industry expert and opening doors to work with breweries and lifestyle brands, and eventually a full-time job in the industry. Through strategic content creation, audience insights, and consistent brand messaging, I turned a personal passion into a trusted platform—an experience that shaped how I approach social strategy, content development, and community-building today.
- 18 of the Best Female Beer Lovers on Instagram (hopculture.com)
- The 55 Best Beer Instagram Accounts To Follow in 2022 (hopculture.com)
- For the Love of Beer (southwedge.com)
- Rochester’s Craft Beer Girl: Amy Ellsworth (Rochester Woman Magazine, July 2015)
- Women still wanted in craft beer world (democratandchronicle.com)
📱 Social Media Strategy
Crafting a brand voice and building community from the first post.
When I launched The Craft Beer Girl, Instagram was the primary focus of the brand’s social strategy — a place to capture the stories behind the beer, highlight hidden-gem breweries, and build authentic connections with craft beer enthusiasts across the country.
Content Planning
A consistent, intentional posting schedule kept followers engaged and looking forward to new content. Posts ranged from beautifully styled beer photography to real-time stories from brewery visits, all with engaging captions that made craft beer more approachable. Every piece of content was designed to entertain, inform, or spark conversation — ensuring the feed always felt authentic, welcoming, and worth following.
Brand Voice
The tone was key to standing out. I crafted a friendly, knowledgeable voice — one that spoke with curiosity and enthusiasm rather than authority, inviting followers into the experience. Whether sharing tasting notes, exploring beer trends, or spotlighting breweries and craft beer bars, the voice balanced expertise with approachability, making everyone feel welcome — from craft beer newbies to seasoned beer geeks.
Hashtag & Community Engagement
To grow the brand’s visibility, I took an active engagement approach, using relevant hashtags like #craftbeer and #drinklocal to tap into broader beer conversations, while also commenting, sharing, and connecting with fellow beer lovers and breweries. By treating Instagram as a two-way conversation instead of just a publishing platform, The Craft Beer Girl became more than an account — it became a trusted voice in the online craft beer community.
✍️ Content Development
Blending storytelling, education, and creativity to craft a brand worth following.
At the heart of The Craft Beer Girl was a steady stream of content that went beyond beer photos — it was about telling stories, sharing knowledge, and celebrating the craft beer community in ways that felt fresh, fun, and informative. Each piece of content was designed to either educate, entertain, or inspire engagement — often all three.
Blog Articles & Long-Form Content
On TheCraftBeerGirl.com, I wrote dozens of blog posts covering everything from beer events and brewery spotlights to personal reflections on industry trends. Each article blended practical knowledge with a personal, relatable tone, making the blog a go-to resource for followers who wanted to learn without feeling overwhelmed.
Example Topics:
- The Complete Guide to Craft Beer Glassware
- Crushing the Myths: Craft Cans
- Local Spotlight: Victoire Belgium Beer Bar
Visual Storytelling & Photography
Every post was paired with original photography, capturing the details that make craft beer culture so rich — the golden hue of a freshly poured IPA, the weathered wood of a beloved taproom bar, or the smiles at a brewery’s grand opening. These visuals gave the brand a consistent aesthetic that felt authentic, approachable, and always in-the-moment.
Creative Series & Recurring Content
To keep followers engaged over time, I developed recurring creative content that gave the audience something different to look forward to — and reasons to return. From “Fractured Beer Quotes” (famous quotes reimagined with a beer twist) to craft beer inspired valentines, these creative touches made The Craft Beer Girl more than just another beer blog — it became a personality with its own creative rhythm.
🍻 Community-Building
More than followers — building a connected craft beer community.
From the beginning, The Craft Beer Girl was never just about the beer — it was about the people who brew it, drink it, and celebrate it. My approach to community-building focused on creating spaces where those conversations could happen, both online and offline, fostering a welcoming, inclusive craft beer culture that followers felt proud to be part of.
Audience Engagement & Two-Way Conversations
On Instagram, community-building meant treating every comment, message, and tag as an opportunity to connect. Whether answering questions about beer styles, shouting out a follower’s homebrew success, or sparking conversations with polls and Q&As, the goal was to ensure every follower felt seen. This genuine engagement built loyalty, transforming casual followers into active participants and real friendships within the craft beer community.
Advocacy & Inclusivity
Craft beer has been a male-dominated space — and I wanted The Craft Beer Girl to help change that. By regularly highlighting women in the industry, sharing stories from female brewers, and celebrating diversity in craft beer, the brand became a platform that welcomed everyone, regardless of experience or background. That welcoming spirit became part of the brand’s DNA — and part of why it resonated so strongly with followers.
Offline Events & Real-World Connections
The online community extended into real life through brewery visits, festival meetups, and even my own events, like the Women & Beer Symposium — a gathering that brought together women in craft beer for networking, thoughtful discussion, and pairings. These real-world events turned online followers into real-life connections, building relationships that lasted well beyond the event itself.
