How Much Would You Pay For A Home Brewing Mag

[Steve Lacey]

FWIW, I wouldn't subscribe, as I can get all I need on the net, but others might, if the content is good enough.

[post="51640"][/post]​

There are some valuable lessons in this thread so far. a) It is hard work and very, very tough to make a commercial success of a special interest magazine, regardless of how good it is. "b) If the content is not better than anything you can get on the net, people won't buy it regardless of the price; c) It has to be in full gloss colour and have pictures of naked women, preferably reclining in a tub of spent grain. Or possibly mud wrestling, but in a mash instead of mud. :lol:

But seriously, the question of needing absolutely ball-tearer, stick-em-away-for-future-reference articles is essential, and to have that, you need a stable of good writers. The Australian brewing magazines mentioned that have failed in the past were a mix of middle-of-the-road articles amongst some absolute rubbish, partly because of the perceived need to appeal to all types of brewers and partly because most articles were done for love not money. Can you produce a local version of Zymurgy? If not, you are probably not even in the hunt. Sorry to sound so negative, but like someone else said, I'm just trying to be realistic.

Steve

 

[BrewGuru]

Yep ! Great Idea, There has been a few in the Past - Australian Home Brewer Editored bt Laurie Strachan and Ausbeer editored by Colin Penrose.
To make an income from the mag and pay for printing and distribution, you'll have to advertise your target income would be from Home brew kit producers and from home brew shops who all make them money from the sale of kits. The Home brew shop and producers will the try and sway your content of the mag to see them in a favourable light and they will try and sway you not to have any articles which refer to mashing and hop suppliers.
I wish you all the best

 

[GMK]

also - if the mag could have a monthly special promo - ie this month send this coupon to xyz and received ABC for special price...

also need ask the brewer questions...
recipe section

Just an Idea...

 

[Dunkel_Boy]

I think it's viable.
If you need to balance the extract/all-grain, maybe you can have two separate sections in the magazine. Recipes, reviews, articles, interviews, etc. will fill up a magazine I'm sure. Sustainability comes down to keeping the content flowing, which means knowing the content and keeping very very busy... as well as having the resources (writers, finance, production equipment). I'd definitely buy it, but professionalism and quality content is the key.

 

[Gulf Brewery]

Scotty

I might have missed the obvious here (or just assumed a bit too much), but how many issues are you going to do a year? Zymurgy is 6 per year, and I don't think they have enought content for more issues without repeating themselves.

Cheers
Pedro

 

[Scotty]

Pedro, i was thinking of doing it 4 time a year for the first two years then i would try to go monthly. Its still in the very early stages and ill keep everyone informed with the progress. (The first issue wouldn't be until early 2006)

 

[DrewCarey82]

Hows this going or did it die in the arse.

 

[WillM]

With great resources like the internet and books like John Palmer's "How to Brew", I can't really see the point of magainzes for home brewers.

I can imagine that the mag would sell well to people just starting out, wanting to get as much info as possible about all the various cans & kits out there. Once people give up the cans, they pretty much know enough to get good results and then want very specialised articles / reference materials. Most of this stuff available on the www.

The only way I could see it working is if it is more general interest. Some examples:
- Beer recipes and several food recipes that would go well with it
- Reviews of pubs and the beers they have
- General stories about the people who brew
- Nice travel stories to breweries, the experiences along the way and backgrounds into the beer they produce (together wih a suggested recipe)

I know this is a bit negative, but hope it helps you along the way.

 

[tangent]

my 2c
I've worked in the mag & newspaper trade for a fair while and most of the movers and shakers who aren't willing to throw $10,000 into trying to start something are putting their publications out as 99% PDF and 1% printed. They're getting mixed results.
One example would be a designer mate of mine just starting a Skate mag.
http://www.gap-zine.com/
Very limited readership, like brewing, but excellent stuff! Hell of a lot of work for no return other than praise and a slap on the back.

As far as brewing content, I'd like overseas anecdotes from Ross, bulkbuy tips from Batz and award results from Crispy, with some humerous bits from Wee Stu.....oh wait that's all in this website
See the dilemma? I think this site is excellent, especially with the photos and such.

I think the money would be in a brewmag for the grey-army and non computer people (who can't be arsed with PDFs and websites)
Don't get me wrong, I'd love to contribute to something like this!
but as a commercial venture, I'd want to have a top gun advertising manager with the first 6months worth of ads already booked before I'd commit $$ to it.

my 2c over
good luck

 

[Tseay]

I work in the publishing business and about 12 months ago looked at producing a free inserted brewing magazine in a number of our regional papers as a trial. The bottom line is the advertising dollars aren't available to support the venture in the format that would have worked for us. At the very least it would need to have a high subscription content and probably a broader focus eg family bbq set. The other option is an e-zine that could be grown over time.

T

 

[Kramer]

I like the idea of an actual paper magazine it is nice to sit in a comfy chair with a beer and read it at your own lesiure (sp). Also its always on hand for extra little bits of info that way I don't have to fire up the computer or sort through a mass of printed sheets! I get regularly 4WD monthly, PC User & Silicone chip, I can get all the info I want off the net but sometimes it pays to have it in print, also the ads are all worthwhile cause you can compare places and prices right away without going to different web pages!

Thats my 2c if it was only coming out 4 times a year I would easily pay 10+ dollars for it.

 

[peas_and_corn]

The only way I could see it working is if it is more general interest. Some examples:
- Beer recipes and several food recipes that would go well with it
- Reviews of pubs and the beers they have
- General stories about the people who brew
- Nice travel stories to breweries, the experiences along the way and backgrounds into the beer they produce (together wih a suggested recipe)

[post="86261"][/post]​

If a mag had the above content, I'd be quite interested. Beer recipes- there needs to be a kit, partial and ag recipe per issue so everyone has a recipe they could use.

I don't know what I'd pay for one; depends on the quality of the content.

BTW, I like the idea of the women in the mash!

 

[tangent]

yeah, looking at the demographic, a page 3 girly page would make sense.

 

[Mr Bond]

Having some micro brewers or owners as regular contributors, recipes etc would be nice

Starting out will be easier than maintaining the impetus methinks.

 

[spog]

i would take a 1 year sub,i reckon a quarterly edition may be the go,it would give you more time to source stories etc.but,yeah sitting down with a coldie and reading at your leisure would be a bonus

 

[Mercs Own]

I think that it has been proven over the last ten years that an Aussie brewer Mag doesnt work. There have been some great examples that have failed due to no advertising dollar to help prop it up or low consumer support. The australian market is probably too small and local. Sites like this and others mean that we can get information immediately and from various sources. I have been thinking about subscribing to Zymergy but flicking through it at Grain and Grape and comparing it to the access I have via the internet I ask my self why should I bother, save my money.

Maybe you should think about an internet magazine but even that would be a tough slog.

 

[BrissyBrew]

I think a subscription only, advertised on the web with good content would kick ass. brewingtechniques was ok but it too went by the wayside.

There are heaps web surfs that like hard copies, aim for the global market, UK, US, Canada, Australia, NZ etc. Subscription and marketing via website. BYO does this a little but I am actually thinking of a Mag with good content, written by pros.

I think there is a gap in the market between the kit beer brewer, and professional brewers, something that would cater for all grainers, craftbrewers, something technical but written in a way you dont need a PhD in chemistry to understand.