Skip to main content
10th January 2023

Pellicle Launches Funding Drive, Targets 500 Subscribers

Pellicle, the independent beer, wine, and cider publication, is today launching a fundraising drive in which it hopes to reach 500 paid subscribers, and achieve profitability, before celebrating its fourth birthday this May.

Founded in May 2019 by writer Matthew Curtis and brewer Jonathan Hamilton, Pellicle has grown to become one of the most popular consumer drinks platforms in the UK. In 2022 its audience reached over 100,000 unique readers and listeners—a 15% increase on the previous year—while it’s contributors picked up awards from the British Guild of Beer Writers and the North American Guild of Beer Writers, in addition to nominations from the Fortnum & Mason Drinks Writing Awards, and the Guild of Food Writers. In March 2022 it was awarded ‘Best Craft Beer Promotion’ by SIBA, the Society of Independent Brewers, at its annual Business Awards.

Pellicle expanded its team in 2021, with writers Lily Waite and Katie Mather joining as associate editors. In May 2022, with the cost of living crisis looming, the publication increased its rates, ensuring its contributors—who are all paid for their work—continued to receive fair remuneration for published features, photography and illustration. In almost four years of operation it has worked with and paid over 130 freelance writers, illustrators and photographers. It also pays each of its editorial team a small retainer for their work behind the scenes.

Since increasing its rates, the publication has been running at a steady loss, and in 2023 it intends to reverse this and become profitable, ensuring it can continue to invest in the freelancers who created the award-winning content the platform is known and loved for.

Unlike traditional publications, Pellicle aims to create an almost entirely reader-supporter model through the Patreon platform. This means its readers don’t need to worry about a website that’s saturated with advertising, and can trust the editorial integrity of its content, with no outside influences determining what gets published, and what doesn’t.

At the start of 2023, the publication had achieved the target of 300 paid Patreon subscribers. This year it’s aim is to reach the target of 500 paid subscribers by its fourth birthday on May 1st 2023. Hitting this number means the publication would become profitable, giving it the freedom to commission more work, as well as invest in its editorial team, giving them more time to work on the publication.

“After increasing our rates last year we’ve more or less managed to maintain our level of subscribers, with our income staying the same. As such our resources have slowly become depleted,” Pellicle’s co-founder and editor-in-chief Matthew Curtis commented.

“We want to spend more time working on the mag, both writing and commissioning more features, which we don’t want to be limited by not being able to afford it. This is only achievable if more paid subscribers get behind us, and help Pellicle become profitable in 2023.”

Subscriptions are available exclusively through the Patreon platform, and are available from £1/$1.50 a month for individual subscribers, and £40/$50 a month for businesses interested in lending the publication their support. Annual subscriptions are also available with a lifetime 10% discount.

While the publication will remain paywall free, it wishes to reiterate that the production of each feature costs money, and asks that if readers can afford a subscription, they head on over to Patreon and sign up at www.patreon.com/pelliclemag. Ends

Notes for editors: Established in 2019 by writer Matthew Curtis, and brewer Jonny Hamilton, Pellicle is a website and podcast that aims to capture the joy we so often find within our favourite cultures. In 2021 the publication expanded its team,welcoming Katie Mather and Lily Waite as associate editors. Its collective ethos is about celebrating what makes modern drinks culture so vital, through insightful journalism alongside beautiful illustration and photography. All of its contributors are paid for their work, supported by over 300 paid subscribers, and long-time sponsor Hop Burns & Black. Interview requests can be sent to matthew@pelliclemag.com


Press release from Pellicle.

For further information, please contact Matthew Curtis via matthew@pelliclemag.com.