WASB (Werewolves and Silver Bullets) is an evening where the city of Costa Mesa rallies once a month, during the full moon, to primarily watch a film that is focused on a globally relevant issue and secondly to hang out with good friends, meet new friends and come together in concert to celebrate community.

This month we screened Beer Wars, a documentary film about the monopolization of the beer industry. The point was made that in America size matters and with enough size and money anyone can deflate local artisanal business if one so chooses.  Ad wars, shelf invasion, law suits and product copies are all a piece of  big business’s broader arsenal of tactics to eliminate emerging competition.

However, now, the traditional game has changed a bit.  A neutral platform where organic conversation is stimulated by ones own impetus has brought a megaphone to the little guys whose personality is rich, but pocket book limited.  Social Media has enabled these craft brewers to be showcased on a new shelf, now with a national billboard that is redrafted daily by online conversation.  These craft brewers are empowered to grow against all competitive odds, to share their dynamic brand story and to engage with a growing consumer base that appreciates the hoppy palate of a boutique $10 bottle of 120 minute IPA from Dogfish Head that is brewed with something other then margin on their mind. So, let’s take a moment to appreciate the power of our voice and encourage the craft breweries around the nation to continue their pursuit of bringing a premium artisanal product to our grocery store shelves, our bars and our refrigerators so that we can all enjoy a good beer with our friends.

Here are some breweries we enjoy:

Dogfish Head
@dogfishbeer
www.facebook.com/dogfishheadbeer

Russian River Brewing Company
Facebook

Stone Brewing Co.
@stonebrewingco
www.facebook.com/StoneBrewingCo

And of course, our sponsor for the evening, Pyramid Brewing Company
@pyramidbrew
www.facebook.com/#!/PyramidBrew

If you would like to join us for our next screening check out the WASB blog or follow @werewolfcinema for the time, date and location of our next screening.

Tags: backyard cinema, beer wars, community mobilzation, mobile cinema, pyramid beer, Werewolves and Silver Bullets