Input Wanted! For Magazine Ideas

[Scotty]

I posted a poll about how much you would pay for a magazine (if you havent voted could you please as i would appreciate alot). I am now curious to what my fellow brewers would want to read in this magazine. Any input would be greatly appreciated and negative and positive feedback is fine as long as its justified. Thank you all again and hopefully in the near future this dream will become a reality.

Scotty

 

[MAH]

Hi Scotty

I don't think you need to stray too much from the US examples, picking the best bits from Zymurgy and Brew Your Own. The trick would be to contextualise it for your intended Australian readers. For example, provide reviews on brew gear available in Oz such as the Tobins thermostat. You could have a regular article on home breweries in Oz. Formulate recipes that use the malts available in Oz. Have beer reviews and clone brew recipes for Oz beers (not VB but beers like Alpha Pale Ale etc). Regularly reviewing the Oz forums will help you keep abreast of Oz brewing interests.

You don't need to reinvent the wheel, just put a good set of Australian made tyres on it.

Also don't try and be all things to all brewers. People who will regularly buy a homebrew magazine will be reasonably advanced, so you need to keep this in mind when writing articles.

Cheers
MAH

 

[Gulf Brewery]

Scotty

I would also do a feature in each issue about a craftbrewery - their gear, their beers and where you can get them

Cheers
Pedro

 

[Batz]

Feature on a homebrewers set up
Batz

 

[Dunkel_Boy]

I think you could divide it up into a number of areas, you'd also need a write-in section to keep in contact with the public.
All-grain and extract could be separated, but then again when doing recipes (probably 1-3 a month), you could do a Can and sugar + partial grain + all-grain to cater for all three brewers. Reviews can be 3-4 per month, covering equipment, a product (yeast) and a kit. I like the way Oliver and Geoff do things (www.homebrewandbeer.com), with some reviews and recipes, stuff like that. You should also add an article or two, including maybe fermentation (temperatures, secondary fermentation, etc), kegging, aging, water chemistry, etc. If you split the magazine into all grain and extract, you could whack half a page worth of text (which would be repeated each month) for example "For the brewer who likes to do things from scratch... this is not for amateurs..." etc and I think you have a lot of potential for articles.
If you can, although I don't know how sustainable it is, you could do the interview thing, a site tour article, things like that.
I hope you end up doing this.

 

[Scotty]

Thats something i personally love reading about. Is there anyone out there wanting their brewery to feature in the first issue of the magazine?

 

[Gulf Brewery]

Is there anyone out there wanting their brewery to feature in the first issue of the magazine?

[post="51708"][/post]​

I know this has been done before in BYO, but the PintOfLager setup has to be the most innovative one I have seen. Woould be a good start.

Cheers
Pedro

 

[Scotty]

Interested Pint of lager?

 

[GMK]

one of the things i think needs to be in the mag - ie always on the back page is an upto date Micro Brewery map of Australia - it is so hard when travelling interstate to find out where all the micro's are...

Address and phone numbers - essential.

web page links would be good also ....

try and get some sponsorship from them as well.
Also ask Ballarat uni for sponsorship as they offer a course - could be a good running feature article - choose someone who is just starting doing the course and let them do a review in every issue - good sponsorship $ there....

Also, perhaps those involved in the AUS BJCP program can/should approach the Uni to get it listed/taught as a topic in the course...

Will also need a competition section for state by state competitions and also a home brew club list and contact details every issue...

Perhaps even a buy sell and swap - esp for second hand brewery stuff...

A beer of the month review as well - try and review by seasons ie a lager/wheat beer in summer, a stout etc in winter - could also do a deal with the international beer shop/beer king on the featured beer...ie special price etc.

Just some thoughts and ideas.

 

[normell]

MAH, you are that far from the point with your statement "I don't think you need to stray too much from the US examples, picking the best bits from Zymurgy and Brew Your Own."
The majority of Aussie brewers that I fell would be interested in a magazine are NOT all grain brewers, but more the kit & kilo type that go into HBS's trying to learn :blink: , not the "I know everything already type"

No where in the yank mags do you see much for the kit brewer, or much for the extract brewer either

Much to the dismay of most AGers a big portion of Aussie brewers are K&K, extract or partial's

Normell

 

[big d]

well considering there are so many familiar names on ahb/grumpys etc maybe a feature each issue could be a brewing with ...insert name.... and there system and a current favourite brew.including recipe and a few photos.this would cover ALL types of brewing and would be a great way of showing off what works for you.
the input from all forum members as to the points raised by gmk would make it a good read and a winner.

hope you have success with this venture scotty.
count me in as i believe in australian content rather than usa dreaming.

cheers
big d

 

[normell]

GMK
Also ask Ballarat uni for sponsorship as they offer a course Don't think they are doing a course this year ????

Normell

 

[Gulf Brewery]

MAH, you are that far from the point with your statement "I don't think you need to stray too much from the US examples, picking the best bits from Zymurgy and Brew Your Own."
<snip>
Much to the dismay of most AGers a big portion of Aussie brewers are K&K, extract or partial's

[post="51724"][/post]​

Normell

I have to disagree on these two points. There are recipes in Zymurgy for extract brewers and the odd one or two that are Kits + mini-mash. When it comes to details on K&K, how many people are going to read about the new style "xxx" in a can - they will/should get this from their LHBS or in some cases, a supermarket. I don't think these people will be reading a magazine, unless they are going to move up to mini-mash and above.

Your second comment about "dismay of most AGers" is not true - in Adelaide we have groups where we help those that want to move up to AG to get there with advice and help getting there gear going. These groups would never stop giving assistance to those still on K&K (and may remain forever using kits), because they are all part of OUR brewing community.

Cheers
Pedro

 

[normell]

MAH, you are that far from the point with your statement "I don't think you need to stray too much from the US examples, picking the best bits from Zymurgy and Brew Your Own."
<snip>
Much to the dismay of most AGers a big portion of Aussie brewers are K&K, extract or partial's

[post="51724"][/post]​

Normell

I have to disagree on these two points. There are recipes in Zymurgy for extract brewers and the odd one or two that are Kits + mini-mash. When it comes to details on K&K, how many people are going to read about the new style "xxx" in a can - they will/should get this from their LHBS or in some cases, a supermarket. I don't think these people will be reading a magazine, unless they are going to move up to mini-mash and above.

Your second comment about "dismay of most AGers" is not true - in Adelaide we have groups where we help those that want to move up to AG to get there with advice and help getting there gear going. These groups would never stop giving assistance to those still on K&K (and may remain forever using kits), because they are all part of OUR brewing community.

Cheers
Pedro

[post="51729"][/post]​

Sorry Pedro, it may be the case in Adelaide, but not really here the majority of times.
If you show no intention of becoming an AGer most loose interest in you pretty bloody quick.
So if we are gunna do a mag the same as Zymurgy, whats the point :blink: If that aint trying to re-invent the wheel :blink: :blink:

Normell

 

[Gulf Brewery]

So if we are gunna do a mag the same as Zymurgy, whats the point :blink: If that aint trying to re-invent the wheel :blink: :blink:

Normell

[post="51732"][/post]​

Simple - because it will contain info on the kits, extracts, grains, hops, yeast and bits that you can get in Oz. When a recipe is published, it must use local easy to get ingredients.

Doesn't mean that I think that the magazine is viable though.

Pedro

 

[big d]

normell im sure the zymurgy thing was only as a general guide.scotty is seeking ways to make it truely an australian brewing mag that we can all have input into and hopefully it will evolve over time into a truely ozzie mag with ozzie input that is
very relevant to our conditions and product availability.

cheers
big d

 

[normell]

normell im sure the zymurgy thing was only as a general guide.scotty is seeking ways to make it truely an australian brewing mag that we can all have input into and hopefully it will evolve over time into a truely ozzie mag with ozzie input that is
very relevant to our conditions and product availability.

cheers
big d

[post="51735"][/post]​

My point EXACTLY Big D, as long as it represents ALL aussie brewers, with out segregration of K&K from AGers.
I am not long moved from K&K to extracts and partials, with no intention of becoming an AGer ( if I want to taste a "real" beer, I'll buy a fresh wort kit ), but I fell my beers are every bit as good, my opinion only, but you try and convince me otherwise.

Normell

 

[pint of lager]

Let's get this back on track for ideas for Scotty, rather than a K&K vs AG debate. Normell, there will always be articles in it that will be too easy or too hard for you, turn the page.

The west coast brewers will need to be included in the magazine.

Features on what different micros are up to and book reviews would be good in a mag.

 

[PostModern]

Scotty, I've been thinking there is a sizable hole in the Australian market for a brewing magazine. I think there is scope in, say, a quarterly rag to keep all types of brewers happy. If you tried to cover all bases as often as monthly, you'll simply run out of material very quickly. I think a decent sized publication with a good ratio of editorial:advertising would work well.

Normell, this thread is not about your brewing. Keep your posts on topic or I'll start clicking the delete button.

 

[normell]

Let's get this back on track for ideas for Scotty, rather than a K&K vs AG debate. Normell, there will always be articles in it that will be too easy or too hard for you, turn the page.

The west coast brewers will need to be included in the magazine.

Features on what different micros are up to and book reviews would be good in a mag.

[post="51745"][/post]​

Sorry, how have I gone off track :blink: :blink: I only made a few suggestions

Normell