The Diversity in British Beer Writing Grant was launched in partnership by the British Guild of Beer Writers and Good Beer Hunting in Summer 2022.
The British Guild of Beer Writers has announced the recipients of a new grant that has been launched in partnership with Good Beer Hunting to highlight stories that celebrate diversity and inclusion within beer, pubs and the wider hospitality industry.
The grant aims to help those from marginalised communities access to the world of beer writing with the support of a fantastic editorial team, whilst simultaneously sharing new voices and perspectives across the industry.
The three winners selected are:
Damian Kerlin – an LGBTQ+ writer and journalist and a consumer PR and communications consultant. He is a columnist for Out News Global and an LGBTQ+ reporter for The Belfast Telegraph. In his story, he will be exploring how LGBTQ+ drinkers come to craft beer and examine the barriers that ‘lad culture’ poses.
Amy Lo – a journalist and content creator who specialises in writing about the food and drink industry. Her proposal for a short film about the families behind the U.K.’s Chinese takeaways was shortlisted in Netflix’s Documentary Talent Fund. In her piece, she will be exploring the connection between pubs and East and Southeast Asian cooking in the UK and connecting that to her experiences growing up in a Chinese takeaway.
Liz Chambers – runs a freehouse in Bristol called The Hare on the Hill with her partner. Previously, she was accepted onto a PhD programme in sociology, where she studied far-right groups. She will be writing about her experiences as a pub landlord with a chronic illness, and reporting on other publicans’ experiences of disability and running a beer business.
The winners will each be awarded £350 and work closely with British Guild of Beer Writers Director David Jesudason and the Good Beer Hunting editorial team to edit and illustrate their work. The final piece will appear on both platforms, and they will be invited to participate in an interview on the highly regarded Good Beer Hunting Podcast about their story.
Guild Board Director David Jesudason said: “The pitches we were sent were of such a high quality that choosing three winners was a very difficult—but very fulfilling—experience. The three winners all had unique, personal pitches that represent the types of stories that are so often lacking in beer writing. I am looking forward to seeing these stories published and for all three to have long, rewarding careers in drinks journalism.”
Winners will additionally be awarded one year of associate membership to the British Guild of Beer Writers, including access to training, events, and awards, and will be invited to take part in a Zoom panel discussion for members about their stories. They will also be awarded one year of membership to the Fervent Few, GBH’s subscriber community.
Claire Bullen, Editor-in-Chief of Good Beer Hunting, said: “It’s been such a privilege to join forces with the British Guild of Beer Writers for the inaugural edition of the Diversity in British Beer Writing Grant, and we were really thrilled by the response. I look forward to working with all three grant winners and can’t wait to share their work this autumn.”