Best Beer Writing Contest

December 19, 2013 by Allan

The Beer Bloggers Conference and the National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) are excited to announce a Best Beer Writing Contest with 25 entrants receiving free registration to the 2014 Beer Bloggers Conference and a grand prize of a free trip for two to attend NBWA’s 77^th Annual Convention in New Orleans.

How the Contest Works

All you have to do is write an article on your blog or website that discusses the topic of “America’s Beer Renaissance: Consumer Choice and Variety in the U.S. Beer Market.” Articles must be a minimum of 400 words in length and the author must be a U.S. citizen of at least 21 years of age. Entries must be new writing (after the publishing of this post). Only one entry per author is allowed. To have your article entered in the contest, simply provide a comment below with the article name and link. The deadline for submission is January 31, 2014.

25 entries will be drawn at random and the authors will receive a free registration to the 2014 Beer Bloggers Conference in San Diego. See below for details.

Five entries will be selected as finalists and a public vote will be held to determine the winner of the grand prize – a free trip for two to attend NBWA’s 77^th Annual Convention, September 28 – October 1, 2014, in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Judging Criteria

A team from the National Beer Wholesalers Association will narrow down the entries and select five finalists for the public to vote on and determine the winner. In determining the finalists, entries will be judged based on these criteria:

Strong writing that is both educational and entertaining
Unique and insightful point of view
Demonstration of a working understanding of the beer business
Sharing of real-life examples from the writer’s perspective
Incorporation of some form of supporting audiovisual element, such as original photography or video

Sample Topics

What you write about is up to you as long as the article addresses “America’s Beer Renaissance: Consumer Choice and Variety in the U.S. Beer Market.” The more creative the better. Some sample topics that your entry could address include:

With more than 2,400 breweries in operation across America and hundreds of new beer brands entering the American beer scene each year, discuss the growth of the industry and how new brands are able to get to market from coast to coast.
How can beer writers partner with brewers, beer distributors and retailers to promote beer in their communities?
What has contributed to America’s booming beer market? What can other countries learn from the U.S. beer industry?
Pick one of your favorite brews from an out-of-state brewery and discuss its journey from raw ingredients to your local retailer.

Awarding of Prizes

Entries are due by January 31. There are two ways to win:

1) 25 qualifying entries will be randomly chosen by February 7, 2014, and each author will receive a complimentary registration for the 2014 Beer Bloggers Conference, scheduled for August 22-24 in San Diego. Registration winners must register and pay for the conference on their own and actually attend to receive a $95 reimbursement of their registration fee on-site. (Winners who register at a higher registration price because they register after March 31 or because they are not Citizen Beer Bloggers will still only receive a $95 refund.)

2) Five finalists will be selected by February 28, and a public vote will be held thereafter with voting ending on March 31. The winner of the public vote, whose work is judged Best Beer Writing, will receive a trip for two – including airfare, hotel and convention registration – to attend the National Beer Wholesalers Association 77^th Annual Convention at the Hyatt Regency New Orleans in New Orleans, Louisiana, September 28 – October 1, 2014. The winner will be notified by April 30 and announced during the 2014 Beer Bloggers Conference, to be held August 22-24, in San Diego, California.

About the NBWA

America’s independent beer distributors are local businesses that operate in every state across the country. By working with numerous brewers, distributors provide efficient access to market for all beer brands to licensed retailers. Because beer distributors help get new brands to market, consumers benefit by having the choice of the largest international brands and the smallest local brews all on the same store shelf, restaurant menu or bar tap.

Through partnerships with brewers, retailers and beer enthusiasts like beer bloggers, independent beer distributors seek to educate consumers about America’s thriving beer industry and its unparalleled selection. With thousands of labels of beer available across America today, there is a flavor and style for every palate!

Hiring Digital Marketing Manager for Zephyr United (Our Tour Division)

July 19, 2022 By Sarah Wohlner

Taste Vacations (or, more specifically, our overarching travel company, Zephyr United Travel Collection, which is our sister company) is hiring a new office employee to conduct the marketing for all three of our travel brands.

As you probably know, Zephyr United is a small company. We currently have 4.5 full-time employees (including Allan), and one of those positions is left vacant by our Marketing Lead to pursue a new career path.

We are specifically looking for an individual with marketing experience, preferably in the travel industry. The individual also needs to have an outgoing, caring, fun personality, as all our office staff also guide tours. The pay is not going to make you rich, but the lifestyle benefits are superb. Plus, you can work where you live as we gave up our brick-and-mortar office long ago (way before the pandemic).

Do you know someone who might be interested? Please refer them to the job description and application form. Application deadline is August 10.