In an effort to make it easier for writers to find out how to pitch beer publications and what those outlets pay, NAGBW is working to compile information. This page will be updated as publications share information with us.
Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine
Pitching information
Accepted pitches are very infrequent, but if you can get deeply technical when writing about brewing without losing sight of the story, use sources for original reporting, and cover the beer industry in a serious way—by all means, drop us a line with an idea:
- Pitches not related directly to the brewing process (say, beer travel or beer culture) will not be considered.
- Please don’t waste your time, or ours, with story pitches to justify a press junket.
- For our writers who get assignments, we agree in advance to a flat fee that typically works out to about 35 cents/word, and we have paid promptly and reliably upon publication since our first issue in 2014.
- Direct pitches to editorial director Jamie Bogner at jbogner@beerandbrewing.com, along with managing editor Joe Stange at jstange@beerandbrewing.com.
Looking for: Pitches that contain answers, not questions. (Or, if you don’t have answers yet, an explanation of why you don’t — and the reason shouldn’t be “I haven’t started the reporting.”) Your pitch should also serve as an example of your writing style and tone. Please familiarize yourself with our archives to get a sense of the kind of stories we publish.
Not looking for: Cooking show recaps, stunt pieces, defenses of specific diet and wellness practices, linear travelogues, dining reviews, or humor pieces that aren’t actually funny.
All submissions should include a very short explanation of who you are and why you’re qualified to cover this story, along with links to previously published pieces and/or your online portfolio.
Reports: Eater’s reports section assigns original, reported stories and are usually assigned with a lead time of a few days to several weeks. Everything from dining trends and the particulars of restaurant operations, to food world curiosities, to where food intersects with culture at large is fair game, and we’re particularly interested in stories that center workers and underrepresented communities. Pitches should not only identify an interesting topic or trend, but offer some case-making around its place in history or culture and a thesis or forward-thinking statement. Send pitches to editor@eater.com.
Final Gravity Zine
Pitching information
Final Gravity is an old-school stapled zine that tells immersive, personal stories from the world of beer. We publish intimate, human-centric writing about beer and the people and places that brew it, writing focused on people, places, ingredients, sensory experiences, cultural intersections, and the holistic ways we interact with and around beer.
Looking for: Just as the subject matter of the stories we publish is focused on people and our personal and cultural interactions with beer, we want the writing in these stories to be personal and intimate. Feel free to insert yourself into the story, write in the first person, and share your own observations. We want writing that is beautiful to read while still being efficient and focused.
What we are NOT looking for:
– News or trend coverage, industry and business coverage, etc.
– How-to guides, homebrewing recipes, technical explainers, etc.
– Any story positively representing a business or individual with a known record of bad behavior.
– Conventional reviews, event recaps, etc.
While we accept and assign pitches from writers of all identities, we are particularly interested in reading pitches from writers from historically under-represented communities.
A flat pay rate will be agreed upon when a story is assigned. Pay ranges from $175-$300 for features. We do publish some shorter vignettes and reflections, which generally pay $100-150.
The Food Section
Pitching information
The Food Section is actively seeking freelance contributors to add their voices to the newsletter’s mix, with a particular emphasis on reported stories that reflect the diversity of the South. We pay $1,000 for a feature story, which runs about 1200 words. While we typically don’t cover expenses, if you need 50 bucks in gas money to cover something thoughtfully and thoroughly, we’re open to those conversations.
Just about every story has a food angle, but for The Food Section’s purposes, that story must unfold in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, or West Virginia (or the northernmost reaches of Florida. Learn more and start pitching.
Good Beer Hunting
Style guide and pitching information
The GBH Style Guide goes beyond basic grammar stuff (though there’s some of that, too), opting instead to define what it is that we do, why we do it, and how to do it every time. This is a living document which will evolve as GBH—and GBH’s style—evolves.
Rates:
- Features – $700
- Mini-features – $325
- Podcast episode – $250
- One-off Sightlines primary sources, interviewed – $200
- One-off Sightlines secondary source recap – $125
- Blog posts (for this with GBH blogs) – $100
- B-Roll – $60
Ferment Magazine
Pitching information
UK’s most-read craft beer magazine, in print monthly. Stories cover beer, culture and adventure, bringing readers “the best beery experiences from all over the world.” Emphasis on finding writers who identify as BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ or have often been left out of beer conversations.
- To pitch, send a one-paragraph synopsis of your story to ferment@beer52.com
- Ferment cannot accept advertorials or listicles.
- Pitches should have a strong focus on people and stories – brewery profiles and beer reviews are less likely to be accepted.
- Rate: 22p per word (30 cents USD)
A New York-based lifestyle publication, InsideHook does a fair amount of coverage of spirits, beer, and wine. Editorial staff is open to interesting stories/profiles, trends, and explainers (but not for obvious subjects).
- To pitch, email Kirk Miller at kirk@insidehook.com (who may reply or share your idea with another editor, depending on angle).
- Please put “pitch” in your subject line and introduce yourself (where you’ve been published, areas of interest) and explain how you would go about accomplishing your feature — who you’d talk to, what timeframe you need, etc.
- Rates vary by topic, research/interviews required, etc., but consider $300 a starting point for a first-time contributor. Articles are about 600-1,000 words.
On Tap Magazine is South Africa’s only beer mag, a quarterly print publication that’s distributed via brewery taprooms, airport lounges, homebrew stores and directly to subscribers. We are always looking for content from writers around the world.
- We include one feature focusing on an international beer scene in each issue (could cover a city or two or a larger region).
- We also welcome contributions to our Against the Grain section (covering other beverages) as well and general features – profiles, exciting trends, some technical content.
- Content must to be relevant to our audience, so reviews of beers they can’t get here for example will not work.
Email Lucy Corne at lucy@ontapmag.co.za for full contributor guidelines. Due to the fragile South African economy, rates are not on a par with international magazines, but we do accept reprints provided that the writer retains copyright of the article and they don’t mind making small tweaks to make the article in line with house style.
Pellicle
Style guide and pitching information
- Features: £0.23p per word, rounded to the nearest 100 words up to a maximum of £575 per feature (excluding extras should the writer also provide photography or illustrations.)
- Q&A’s: £300 per feature.
- Photography: £200 per feature, with an expectation of between 30-40 stills for us to work with.
- Illustration: £200 per header including one spot illustration. (Additional spots are paid at £25 each.)
Porch Drinking
Style guide and pitching information
PorchDrinking.com is always seeking thoughtful pitches on industry trends, stories on diversity, mental health awareness within the industry, pop culture in relation to the industry as well as long-form stories. While we are still working on a limited budget and can’t pay our writers on a consistent basis, we do on occasion allocate pay for more extensive pieces relating to these listed topics.
Stories We Are Looking For
We’re interested in exploring drinking culture from all angles including its connection to tradition, place, people and innovation. We have a great fondness for unusual characters, fringe movements, unsung traditions and overlooked haunts reported from the farthest flung corners of the world. Stories should be narrative-driven and thoroughly reported.
What Does a PUNCH Pitch Look Like?
A well-written paragraph or two that conveys your point of view and why you are the right person to write this story. Please tell us what your angle is, who you plan to talk to and where you plan to go. We appreciate reporters who report. Pre-reporting is important too; tell us what the thing is about before you pitch. If you’re new to us, please send clips that best illustrate the kind of writing you want to do for PUNCH.
Where to Send Pitches
The best way to reach us is by emailing editorial@punchdrink.com. This will ensure your pitch reaches the entirety of our editorial team. Please include “pitch” in the subject line so we don’t miss it. No attachments.
Salon (Food section)
Style guide and pitching information
How to pitch: Consider your pitch as your first writing sample. It should have a lede, a sense of story structure, and enough background information to answer “who, what, where, when and why?” If applicable, include a reporting plan — who you envision your characters or sources will be, what scenes you envision and what kind of access you have. As long as the pitches are comprehensive, they don’t have to be incredibly long. A few paragraphs will do. Please do not send full stories in lieu of a pitch.
Pitches for Salon’s food vertical can be emailed to astevens@salon.com or food@salon.com.
Rates and Compensation
Payment varies depending on a story’s length, the amount of reporting required, and the format. Rates start at $125 and the majority of commissioned articles are between 600 to 1,200 words. Invoices are filed upon publication and you should receive payment within 30 days, but usually within two weeks.
SOMM TV Magazine
Pitching information
We want voices who can relay consumer and trade stories across the food and drink industries. Generally, we aim to cover all things related to wine, spirits, beer, food, and travel. From historical deep dives to current trends to change-makers and innovators.
Keep in mind:
- Is it a reported story?
- Is the topic current?
- Want to write an educational piece?
- What about seasonal content?
How To Pitch:
- Please send us an email with your story idea explaining why it’s exciting and how you’re going to convey it.
- Include the format or style of the article. i.e. feature story, interview q&a, food pairing/recipe, listicle etc.
- Don’t forget to tell us who you are, including any relevant industry experience or previous writing (links are encouraged).
- Email your pitch to editors@sommtv.com
VinePair
Style guide and pitching information
How to pitch:
- Introduction: In an email, tell us who you are, and explain your relevant experience. Please include clips or links to past coverage of this topic or similar. If you have not been published: Show us something that demonstrates your writing ability, such as a blog post or essay.
- Idea: Tell us why this story will be interesting to our readership and/or why this is important for us to cover right now: How does this connect with our previous coverage and/or an emerging trend, event, or issue for wine, beer, and spirits enthusiasts?
Beyond Beer
The world of beer and beverage alcohol is so much more than what’s in a can, bottle, or your glass. It intersects with politics, labor, climate, agriculture, and so much more. The stories you can find from the humans who make up these industries and their fans can fill the real or digital pages of all sorts of publications. If you want to take your unique pitches to places outside trade media, here are some places to start.
Clever
Style guide and pitching information
Clever is a digital extension of Architectural Digest that covers design advice for real life in the form of actionable service. Our content is packaged in a way that comes across as aspirational, accessible, and attainable. We have four sections within the vertical—Decoration, Renovation, Conversation, and Shopping.
For consideration, all pitches should be submitted directly to Sydney_Gore@condenast.com (trend reports + evergreen service features + shopping stories) or Zoe_Sessums@condenast.com (home tours + renovation) with a subject along the lines of “PITCH FOR CLEVER” in the following format:
- An introduction: If you’re reaching out for the first time, please provide a short bio and links to some of your published clips. We don’t need a full-on cover letter, but it’s never a bad idea to show us your portfolio or website so we can review your credentials. Pull up and tell us what you bring to the table!
- A working headline: Give us a sense of the angle and tone that you have in mind for your story. Is it a roundup? An explainer? A how-to? An interview? Let us know!
- A brief description: Be specific about what the story will cover, how it will be framed, and what questions you’re aiming to answer. Tell us about your vision for the story and how you intend to execute it. Please keep it brief, no more than a paragraph or less.
- A list of sources: Any type of reported piece will require speaking to relevant experts on the subject so please come prepared with who you specifically have in mind. Ideally, your group of sources are diverse and inclusive.
- Time sensitivity: Note if the story is timely so we can prioritize it accordingly.
- Images: Attach any relevant photos that would correspond with the assignment. (Dropbox link or Google Drive is preferred)
Rate: start at $200 and the majority of commissioned stories hit the 700 word mark unless otherwise specified.
The Objective
Pitch information
The Objective is a nonprofit newsroom that publishes articles on communities that journalism in the United States have typically ignored. They accept pitches for pieces that cover “marginalized journalists and audiences in American newsrooms.” Emails pitches should include “Pitch: [Proposed Headline]” in the subject line. Please also include:
- What: What is your piece about? Keep us interested, but keep the pitch short.
- Who: Who do you expect to interview (if anyone)?
- When: How long do you expect writing and interviews to take? When can you send us a draft?
- Why: Why are you the best person to write this piece? And why does it fit at The Objective?
- The Fixings: How many words do you expect your piece to be? Who do you expect to interview (if anyone)? Please also include a short bio and (a maximum of three) relevant examples of previous work.
Rate: $200 to $600 per article
Prism is a BIPOC-led news outlet that covers voting rights, electoral justice, criminal justice, racial justice, workers’ rights, immigration, the environment, gender and LGBTQIA+ issues, and more. They actively look for BIPOC reporters and op-ed writers who are interested in covering the news in a way that centers these communities and other marginalized people. Particular interest in coverage around education, housing, disability, climate change (esp. from Indigenous folks), reproductive rights and justice, unionization efforts/workers’ rights, incarceration/abolition, and more.
- Email pitches to pitch@prismreports.org with the word “Pitch” in the subject line. Include links to previously published works if you have them, but don’t worry if you don’t—if you don’t have published clips to share, send writing samples that you feel best represent your voice and writing style.
- Do not send drafts of a proposed article, whether in part or in full, for consideration.
Rate: $.40 per word
Wired
Style guide and pitching information
There are two main areas where we assign stories to contributors from outside our staff: features and essays (for our Ideas section). We also assign a smaller number of freelance stories for our business, science, and service sections. The vast majority of the features we publish are narratives. Which is to say, for best results pitch us a tale you’re going to tell, not a topic you want to explore.
- For any feature pitch, give us a sentence or two about the sort of work you’ve done, and please include links to other stories, especially long-form narrative pieces.
- A pitch needs to have enough detail to intrigue us, but not TMI. For a feature, 500 to 700 words is a good range. For Ideas, 200 to 300.
Rates:
- Short, online-only content starts at $500 and rises with time commitment and reporting intensity.
- Larger and print stories scale based on story length, time involved, and intensity of the reporting and writing involved. These story fees now start at about $2,500 and rise from there.
BisonBrew.com
The team behind BisonBrew.com is seeking writers to create weekly articles between 1,500-2,000 words about the beer industry and homebrewing. They already have a list of ideas with briefs they need, but are open to input for future story ideas. Pay is currently set at 4-6 cents per word, but rate may be negotiable, especially if photos are provided. To learn more, contact Jay at hello@bisonbrew.com. See the about page for more info and a list of contributors.
The bi-monthly magazine from the Brewers Association is seeking article pitches from members of the craft beer industry who want to share their knowledge, unique expertise, and distinct perspective with the beer community and beyond.
This is a paid writing opportunity. Pay rates for articles range from $250-600 depending on the scope and length of the piece. There is no editorial style per se, but pieces should include sound reporting and sourcing. Tone can be journalistic or technical in nature. The New Brewer produces issues in alignment with its Editorial Focus calendar. Pitches for specific editions need at least a 3 month lead time to be considered for publication. Please submit your article pitches to Amahl Turczyn, Associate Editor of The New Brewer at amahl@brewersassociation.org
Proof Podcast
Pitching information
Proof is an award-winning narrative podcast from America’s Test Kitchen hosted by James Beard Award-winning journalist Kevin Pang. It’s a podcast that takes listeners into the curious, often unexamined and unexpected corners of the food world, and turns seemingly small questions into expansive storytelling journeys. The questions that Proof stories dive into shouldn’t have easily Google-able answers. Rates are generally $3200-$3500 for 30-35 min. podcasts, and $1200-$1500 for 12-15 min. segments.
How to Pitch:
In your pitch, tell us: Who are the characters we’ll follow? What quest are they on and what challenges are they trying to overcome? What are the stakes? What central question and/or larger themes does your story attempt to answer and explore? To the extent that you’ve gleaned some of this through pre-reporting, what is the proposed narrative arc of your story?
Diversity—subject matter, viewpoints, the reporters telling the stories—is crucial to Proof.
One more tip for a successful pitch: Ask yourself, is the story better as a 7-minute segment on All Things Considered, or does it carry the narrative momentum to sustain a 35-minute episode?