Just for a change, some news about Beer Today, which, incidentally, celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. It’s time for a new project…

BT mag promo

First of all, though, thank you to the daily readers of the website, who currently number just under 20,000. It’s good to have such a loyal audience, and great to receive so many messages appreciating the coverage, from both industry members and general readers.

The site is updated seven days a week, usually several times a day, and not just with news stories. There’s news in brief, too, now pubs and bars news in brief, as well, and the event listings are constantly added to (complete with Google maps, to easily discover what’s on near you).

I’ve been at this journalism mullarkey for 44 years now and I’ve quite a soft spot still for print. And I think there are a lot of fellow beer fans out there who also have a soft spot for print, in this era of digital coverage. There’s nothing quite like a beery read while sipping a favourite pint in the pub, is there?

So I’m finally going to achieve a long-held dream of spinning Beer Today off into a printed magazine, bi-monthly, of between 52 and 60 pages, hopefully launching in October. I’m still gathering prices for printing etc, and trying to gauge potential circulation — a split between individual posted subscriptions and copies bulk dropped to selected pubs and bars.

It will embrace all beer. Those who know me well know I have a great love for cask, and it seems to be enjoying a bit of a resurgence at the moment. There will be news, of course — Beer Today’s raison d’être — but also features and listings.

I’m hoping the cost of an individual supscription will be around £20 a year. This is based on the costs of a publication I already run, a community magazine for St Ives in west Cornwall. If you’d be interested in a subscription — I don’t want your money yet — drop me a brief email, or leave a message on Beer Today’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn accounts.

There will be a discount, incidentally, for Patreon supporters. If you’re not a Patreon supporter, please give it some consideration. It helps me to keep doing what I do! Sign up here.

More news on the magazine project will come as it progresses!

Darren