BC is proud to announce the formation of a strategic partnership with Tappan Street Restaurant Group, the company behind the popular restaurant and sports bar chain, Taco Mac. Tappan Street will be advertising on the back cover of all four 2010 issues of The Beer Connoisseur Magazine, and Taco Mac, which has locations throughout the Atlanta metro area and in Chattanooga, Tenn., will serve as host for a variety Beer Connoisseur events throughout the year. Additionally, the devoted members of Taco Mac’s Brewniversity beer-tasting program will receive discounts on subscriptions to the magazine.

“A perfect match,” said Beer Connoisseur Founder and Publisher Lynn Davis of the new alliance between the two companies. “This is just the beginning of what promises to be an amazing long-term relationship.”

At the root of the partnership is a common mission shared by The Beer Connoisseur and Taco Mac, which is to promote the burgeoning craft beer movement and to quench every aspect of beer lovers’ thirst for knowledge.

The Beer Connoisseur, whose first issue arrived on newsstands nationwide in December 2009, is bringing all types of consumers closer to craft beer by providing a wealth of information that even the average beer enthusiast can connect with. Indeed, the high-end magazine represents a new caliber of beer journalism, a level of sophistication never before found in the fast-growing industry. Taco Mac seeks to attract the same types of passionate beer lovers to its upscale and lively sports-focused restaurants, which offer an ever-changing lineup of more than 100 craft beers on tap and more than 300 over all.

“The more educated the consumer becomes, the more likely it is that they will seek out a Taco Mac location to broaden their palates,” said Bruce Skala, Vice President of Marketing for Tappan Street Restaurant Group.. “Our companies have somewhat of a symbiotic relationship. The Beer Connoisseur is connecting the consumer to beer and inspiring them to venture into un-tasted territory, and Taco Mac’s customer base is naturally interested in staying informed on the latest developments in today’s vibrant beer landscape. By partnering, we merge our audiences, which benefits not only the magazine and the restaurants but the consumer as well. It’s a win-win partnership all the way around.”

Beer fans can expect to see much from the companies’ partnership this year. Through the awards program, Taco Mac’s Brewniversity members will receive magazine subscription discounts and eventually – once they have graduated to certain levels within the program – a free 1-year, 2-year, or lifetime subscription. Existing upper-level members will be receiving a subscription to the magazine at the start of this exciting new cooperative venture.

A number of Beer Connoisseur Magazine events will also be held at various Taco Mac locations, particularly at the new Prado location in north Atlanta, which includes The Fred, an exclusive dining room and bar reserved specifically for Brewniversity members and private events. “We are looking to hold our Founding Subscriber and VIP appreciation beer and cheese pairing event at The Fred in the very near future,” said Davis. “The room is classy. It’s the perfect size and contains all the amenities we require for our events.”

The first Taco Mac opened more than 30 years ago, and since then the chain has made quite a name for itself throughout Georgia and in southeastern Tennessee. Now Tappan Street is aiming to expand the brand into new markets, with the hugely anticipated opening of a new Charlotte, N.C., location planned for this spring. The Beer Connoisseur will lend a hand by throwing a magazine-sponsored event to help promote Taco Mac’s arrival in North Carolina, and the chain will spread the word of its expansion through its back-cover ads. The partnership will also introduce Beer Connoisseur readers outside the Southeast to Taco Mac, lending credibility to the brand as it moves into new markets.


More information about The Beer Connoisseur™ Magazine is available onliine at www.beerconnoisseur.com. Copies of the magazine may be purchased nationwide at bookstores such as Borders, Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million. In the Atlanta area, The Beer Connoisseur is also available at Kroger grocery stores, Greens Beverages, Mac’s Beer & Wine, Tower Package and Hop City.

To learn more about Taco Mac and its Brewniversity program, please visit www.tacomac.com

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