Announcing the Maine Beer Writers' Guild

[Jason]

After a “get together for a beer” at Great Lost Bear last week, Russ from Beer, Maine & Me, Luke from A Blog About Beer, and I formed the Maine Beer Writers’ Guild. Beer and Maine seem to go together like beer and, well, just about anything really. Microbrewed “craft” beer flourishes here, as does its appreciation. So it should come as no surprise—especially with the recent rise in popularity of both craft beer & blogging—that a number of beer-themed blogs and print publications have been popping up across the state. But there has been no way to connect these local beer writers and enthusiasts with one another—until now.

While similar organizations exist on a national scale (The British Guild of Beer Writers & the North American Guild of Beer Writers), the Maine Beer Writers’ Guild is believed to be the only such organization which currently exists on a local, state level.

Our goals are simple: to promote better beer writing and celebrate Maine’s craft brew culture. Meetings will be held on a monthly basis, beginning with an April 2nd meeting at Gritty McDuff’s on Fore Street in Portland.

For more information on the Maine Beer Writers’ Guild and its members, to join (writers), or to help with a future meeting (publicans & brewers), visit www.mainebeerwriters.org.

[Eli the Mad Beer Man]

Congrats guys! Great idea. Wish I lived in Maine - I'd give ya'll a hand! By the way, the NAGBW turned out the lights and shut the doors in 2003. The site is still up, and they may reemerge at some point (soon I hope!)... but they no longer function per say.

I wonder if enough of us started our own state BWG's if it might not wake the sleeping giant. Hmmm....

[The Beer Philosopher]

The giant is tossing about a bit of late ... there has been a massive discussion going on over at Stan Hieronymus' blog about beer writers, bloggers and the ethics or lack thereof that govern them. I chimed in early, but then bowed out as it quickly became apparent that I didn't have the time or mental energy to sustain the conversation ... I've been following it loosely via RSS though.

Anyway, the North American Beer Writers Guild may be defunct, but this one seems to have gained some interest as a result of the epic post on Stan's blog. I don't think it's the same one, but I didn't have a chance to check the link ...

Interestingly, I have had a few email conversations with Jay Brooks about this subject ... I've often thought there ought to be a Beer Writer's Guild, but I certainly don't feel I have the national (or international) clout to instigate such a thing ... hence the reason I asked Jay about it. Looks like I'm not the only one to have this thought ... that's okay, I don't have time to take on another project anyway! I barely have time to write as it is ... ...

[Eli the Mad Beer Man]

You're right, Shawn... the BWG seems like the real deal. Heck, along with Jay and Stan there's Stephen Beaumont, Lew Bryson and Lisa Morrison (I met and chatted with he rand her husband for some time up at the Wynkoop BDotY awards up in Denver). This BWG will go somewhere. Thanks for the heads up!