CL-022 Ben Keene on the evolution of BeerAdvocate

Like so many other areas of publishing, things have changed in recent years for beer-focused media. While the stories told from all corners of the world have gotten more in-depth and introduced new people and ideas, the number of platforms where enthusiasts can find this information has been shifting. It wasn’t long ago that All About Beer, one of the most prominent beer publications in the country, folded, along with DRAFT magazine. More recently, some newspaper-style “brewsletters” have disappeared, either under the weight of failing advertising or other pressures. Throughout it all, BeerAdvocate has remained—but things are about to change there, too. On today’s GBH Collective, we’re talking with Ben Keene, editorial director for BeerAdvocate, and moving forward, perhaps a little more. Ben has long overseen the evolution of BeerAdvocate magazine, but with the print edition going away, he’s now shifting his attention to other daily responsibilities related to storytelling and the business. The rating website is still a big part of what BeerAdvocate offers fans, and even a new app that recently launched, but it can’t stop the same challenges of publishing that have impacted others. We’ll talk all this, and reflect on the state of beer-focused media, in this Collective conversation, part of our special series of interviews to dive deeper with Good Beer Hunting contributors and friends on topics of writing, beer, and all the ways they intersect. This is Ben Keene, BeerAdvocate editorial director. Listen in.