Comments on: Media Draft: Anheuser Busch, Paid Travel, and the Ethics of Beer Writers…

By: Bob Skilnik

Bob Skilnik — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 21:00:42 +0000

I went to the St. Louis Brewers Heritage Fest, paid by A-B, and I’d do it again in a heartbeat. In no way did A-B try to lock us in a room like a 90-minute pitch to buy a timeshare, nor was it ever implied that we were brought to St. Louis for the purpose of pumping up A-B. Instead, as silly as it might sound, it really was all about the beer, from the hospitality of St. Louis brewpubs such as Steve Neukomm’s Square One Brewery, to Ray and his son Bob Griesidieck letting everyone know they were ready to revive the history and beer of a very old and famous St. Louis brewery, to a historical presentation by local brewery historian Henry Herbst, to a personal invitation by Steve Schlafly to come by his house after hours for more beer and the chance to meet members of the St. Louis beer community.

I even pressed some of the beer folks in St. Louis about A-B possibly hovering too closely over the festivities, and as one brewer admitted, “We couldn’t have done this without A-B, and after some hesitancy by most of us during the first year (this 2008 gathering was the 2nd Annual fest), we’ve never felt they were anything but a help.”

Another brewer was a bit more blunt, “Hell, we’re a bunch of small businesses and could never have pulled this off by ourselves.” And when I pressed further, everyone was extremely happy that A-B had brought the festival to fruition. Some admitted some worries about where A-B was taking all of this during the first year, but this year, the worry—the paranoia—was gone.

It’s A-B’s stated intention to grow this festival, to celebrate beer, at the moment, St. Louis beer, and not turn the event into a competition like the GABF has become, as A-B Vice-Prsident Bob Lachky noted during the dinner’s opening notes. No medals, no back stage fighting, no accusing other brewers of buying off votes with free swag…just a celebration of good beer. How refreshing.

I can’t believe that all the brewers I met in St. Louis were A-B pod people. They were happy. The crowds at the VIP dinner were happy. The folks lined up in muddy fields and under tents waiting for their 4-ounce pours were happy. The Mayor of St. Louis and the Missouri Secretary of State who attended the kick-off dinner were happy.

Seems to me that the only people who weren’t happy weren’t in St. Louis.

By: Nathalia

Nathalia — Thu, 22 May 2008 10:53:03 +0000

Found your post to be very delightful. Really enjoyed it.

By: DR WORT

DR WORT — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:58:02 +0000

Andy and William,

I found it refreshing it read your honest comments.

Currently, I live in the Northwest and have a beer blog that I occasionally submit posts. I make NO Money; I expect no perks. I don’t write to appease anyone, writing only for the love of beer. It’s just my opinions on breweries, pubs, beers and the like. I have no bounds for what I write. No one paying or perking my opinion. Ergo, my opinions are true and NOT purchased or influenced.

I’m not saying that everyone who gets paid to write about beer are influenced by the perks or the cash, but I feel the abusers are out weighing the honest and sincere.

I prefer to call some of these writers “Beer Pimps and Whores.” Doesn’t the name make sense? “X” named brewery, pub, event approaches a Beer writer and offers free meals, lodging, beer and transportation. The Beer writer accepts… The prostitution is done. The Whore gets their money and the buyer gets the promotional sex.

If these writers continue to make this a practice, then don’t they just become Pimps? Someone who can offer positive press for a price. Maybe, the quality of article could be based on the quality of perks? ;-}

Here in the Northwest we have tons of beer writers and bloggers. For the most part, it appears to be a group of writers and beer fans who want to positively promote ‘everything’ beer in the Northwest and poo poo every other brewing arena in the country. There are a few honest writers, but mostly sugar coated deceptive crap. I guess ones pint glass doesn’t get filled with negative write ups?? Of course, I’d prefer to purchase my own pint and write whatever I like.

Yes…. Honesty doesn’t pay! I don’t get any invites to any Beer media events; No free bee bottles or pints of beer; No free junkets to AB, Germany or Belgium…. I go to my local beer store and sample the beers like general public…. You know, our true writing audience!!!

I’m sure there are some writers out there who can be impartial, except the perks, but still write with integrity. That said, most probably don’t want to lose the gravy train of perks. A couple bad reviews or even honest reviews might not get one invited to the next London junket to Young’s Brewery. ;-}

I’m not very religious, but “…lead us not into temptation.” Wouldn’t it be nice if the public could get their beer info from those who haven’t soul their souls, as well perspective?

Cheers!

By: Andy

Andy — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 20:43:02 +0000

Very well put William, all around.

By: William Brand

William Brand — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 04:43:44 +0000

I started writing about beer in the late 1980s and watched other people who wrote about beer get free trips everywhere. It harkened (is there really such a word?) back to the days when journalists weren’t paid very well and everything was furnished by concerned companies.)
But my company, in those days the Oakland Tribune under editor Bob Maynard, had a strict no freebies policy.
I also wrote for the New York Times and once had a story on whale watching killed because I took a free two hour whale watching trip. Didn’t want that to happen again.
So I stayed rooted in Oakland, traveling only to the GABF always paying my own way. I turned down my share of offers.
Then about 10 years ago, Interbrew offered me a trip to Belgium. I dithered and dithered and finally decided, what the hell, I’ve never been to Belgium and took ‘em up on the trip.
I didn’t consult anyone at my company (Bob Maynard was dead and a mega-corporation owned the paper).
When I got back — I wrote a big piece on a great beer dinner in Bruges. We published a note on the story that the dinner was part of a trip to Belgium paid for by Interbrew and the Belgian Tourist Board.
Since then, I’ve taken a handfull of free trips and each time when I write something, I simply say: Full Disclosure. This trip was underwritted by blah-blah.
Yes, I feel a bit uncomfortable. Yes, it can put one in a compromising position and if you say it doesn’t, I say, hmmm.
But when the alternative is not going, and it’s a really big deal, I’ll do it. And you know what, these days no editor has ever complained. About the New York Times, I dunno. Their pay was mostly in prestige and a bit short in the cash department, like most print outlets.
Let’s face the facts. You’ve got to have an independent source of income and badly need a tax deduction, if you’re always going to pay your own way.
In the newspaper world, with the net crashing down on us, the chances of getting a travel advance for a beer junket are remote, indeed.
It’s a lousy situation and the danger for beer writers is we can become kind of house pets for the big breweries, etc.
I don’t know the economics of the beer brewspapers and magazines, but it would be nice if they could pay more, wouldn’t it.

By: Lew Bryson

Lew Bryson — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 16:03:32 +0000

You know, you CAN tag my name to that piece. I wrote it, I’m not ashamed of it.

For what it’s worth, I turned down the A-B trip to St. Louis, and told them it was because I had problems with conflict of interest. I can send you a copy of the e-mail, if you’d like.