The Beervana Community's Next Step
For the past two years, I’ve been experimenting with a reader-supported component to the blog, the Beervana Community. It seemed like a great way to connect with folks who support my writing, especially in the depths of the pandemic. I also thought it would be nice to create a social dimension, which differs from the Patreon/Substack approach of restricting some content or writing special content for members. I have always been pretty committed to keeping everything I write free and unrestricted.
Although I’m an introvert, I’ve always liked community. It’s one of the main reasons I’m attracted to the beer world. When I set up the Beervana Community, I thought it would be great to do periodic events and get to know the folks in the group. And it has been! We had some wonderful discussions, and I have made some great friends.
Along the way, however, I made an interesting discovery. Of the few dozen folks signed up to support the blog, only a small fraction attended events. We tried different days and times, thinking that might have been part of the issue. Yet despite mixing up the times and event types, attendance actually dwindled. In the end, I think that as Covid restrictions gradually relaxed, folks didn’t need another group.
If you like the work I do, consider supporting Beervana. You can be a supporter by setting up a recurring donation, or make a one-time donation. If you're inspired, donate here. Thanks so much!
I’m not complaining! I suspect many people would describe the past three years as among the hardest in their lives. My own energy level has been low. I really enjoyed getting to know the people who did attend, and hope to see them in the flesh in coming months and years. Yet looking forward to 2023, I don’t think we need to continue the experiment.
Some of you might still like to support the blog, however. I have been frankly astonished at your generosity. It is wonderful in crass dollars-and-cents terms (writing is sadly not super-lucrative), but your donations have meant more to me as a vote of confidence. Writers are never totally sure if anyone is out there, and to see so many of you step forward to support the blog has been incredibly supportive to me. Many, many thanks to anyone who made an offering. It really means a lot. you’re awesome!
I keep a database of your names and emails, and for those new and continuing supporters, expect some communication throughout the year—and possibly some behind-the-scenes glimpses of future projects. Mostly, though, your dollars will support what appears in the front pages.
About Beervana
This blog has been cited as the best or second-best blog four of the past five years by my writing peers in the North American Guild of Beer Writers. Founded in 2007, it has been my main vehicle for thinking about and exploring the beer world, trying out new ideas, and offering periodic deeply-reported pieces. The past two years it won multiple awards for pieces that appeared here (2021, 2022) in competition with articles published at major national outlets. In addition to the accolades, the blog allows me to publish content like the Diverse Breweries Database and my annual Portland’s Best Breweries. This work has only been possible through the support of readers and sponsors.