It’s OK if you don’t know Larry McCallister. But about 133,000 people on TikTok do.
While many people are still just beginning to explore the social media platform where creators share short videos, McCallister has established himself as one of the preeminent accounts for anyone interested in beer and other forms of alcohol on the site. His handle, @HomebrewKing, is fitting as he racks up thousands of views on videos that include reviews, homebrew tips, and explanations of beer language like the meaning of “Reinheitsgebot,” the German beer purity law. A review of Rolling Rock has garnered nearly 1 million views alone.
We can take our own knowledge and experience for granted when we interact with like-minded beer lovers. McCallister’s following on TikTok reaches people and places many of us can’t or don’t, and his success on the site in 2021 is a powerful reminder of how much work can be done every day to connect to others, and share information and education, that can transform their appreciation for beer and other kinds of alcohol.
TikTok reached 1 billion monthly users this fall—less than a third of what Facebook and its family of apps pulls in—but the rise of the platform has been monumental. Early adopters like McCallister are going to have lasting impact. Before this year he would get thousands of views on videos, but it’s now tens and hundreds of thousands daily, ensuring he won’t just be an “influencer” in years to come, but a pivotal educator for many.
Words,Bryan Roth