Is a cocktail convention for getting drunk or professional development? I’ve attended many events in the beer, wine and spirits category that focus solely on serving people copious amounts of alcohol. I spoke with a few industry insiders that are offering professional bartenders, servers and restaurant owners a different cocktail convention model.
You can read the full PDF version of my piece, “Tapping the Local Network” featured in the September 2016 issue of Market Watch: mw0916_bartalk
I like to interview a few freelance writers and editors each year for my workshop to give me a more comprehensive view of what’s happening in the freelance universe. I’d come to know Erik through a mutual friend and his excellent Instagram account. He is an editor for ZEST Magazine out of Portland, Maine and has ample freelance writing experience. I emailed him a few questions about his roles on either side of the editor’s desk. Here are his answers.
Erik Neilson, editor ZEST Magazine, freelance writer
What advice would you give to freelance writers trying to break into a new publication?
Take as much time as you can to internalize the publication through and through. Read back copies, pay attention to what they’re doing on the web etc. This is the only way to be sure that the pitches you structure will be a good fit; otherwise, you’re throwing darts blindly and hoping something sticks.
How much success have you had pitching editors you don’t know personally?
It’s always harder at first, but once you actually get in the door with a piece, you have the opportunity to establish that personal relationship with an editor and maintain it over time. Persistence is a big part of the initial push, as is having a portfolio that will make the person do a double-take on you.
How much of your publication is written by freelancers?
ZEST is entirely freelance; we don’t employ any staff writers.
What are editor’s looking for at your publication?
Our editorial calendar is pretty far out; we’re working on September/October now. We always ask that writers keep this in mind when pitching and also look at the sub-sections that tend to be static throughout each issue. As our niche is fairly specific (Maine Food and Drink) but also open, we’ll hear any pitches that fit the format.
How much does a story pay at Zest?
For seasoned writers, $0.50/word.
Winter in Portland, just as nice.
I’ve loved Portland, Maine for a long time. It’s where I got engaged and where I’ve spent nearly every birthday since. It’s a city I visit with friends and go to visit friends. I walk the waterfront and the Eastern Promenade. I eat and drink and repeat. It’s almost criminal how many great places there are to get a beer, a cocktail you’ve never tried before or a dish that will leave you licking the plate. When my friend and editor of Market Watch magazine asked if I wanted to write a profile about the city’s beer, wine and cocktail scene, I didn’t have to think about it for long.
I contacted dozens of restaurants, bars, distilleries and breweries. The ones featured are places I love, but I easily could have included more. It’s a story that helped me make some great contacts in Portland and one I hope leads to more profiles of the city.
“The Other Portland” is only available in PDF form, so please click through if you’d like to read the rest.
Craft beer and an emerging cocktail culture define Maine’s largest city
Walk into Pai Men Miyake, a noodle bar in Portland, Maine’s Longfellow Square, and one of the first things you see is the craft beer list. On a prominently displayed chalkboard adjacent to the front door, guests can scan the list of 12 draft beers when they walk in. Half of the venue’s taps and six of its 12 bottles are reserved for regional craft beers, which are regularly rotated, offering patrons an opportunity to try the latest local expressions.
Steaming bowls of ramen, such as the Kimchee Beef with braised short rib ($13), are commonly ordered with a Mainebrewed draft like Bissell Brothers’ The Substance ale ($7 a 16-ounce pour) or Oxbow Farmhouse pale ale ($6 a 12-ounce pour), says bar manager Jack Van Paepeghem. The menu also includes Japanese beers, such as Sapporo, which is $3 a 16-ounce pour during happy hour.
A casual Japanese restaurant may not be the first place Portland visitors look to find a robust craft beer program, but Pai Men Miyake is considered a top spot for sampling local beer and was on Eater.com’s 2013 list of “14 Essential Maine Craft Beer Bars.” Van Paepeghem says customers usually look for locally made beers, whether it’s a Pilsner or a darker brew. “My responsibility is to keep a balance,” he says. “I could have 10 IPAs if I wanted, but that’s not my style.”
Heather Sanborn, co-owner of Rising Tide Brewing Co. and president of the Maine Brewers’ Guild, says Portland residents expect a well-curated craft beer menu stocked with Maine products at local bars and restaurants. “New places in the Portland area need to have a significant beer program,” Sanborn says. “They’re not so much putting Bud Light on tap, but instead building a strong regional craft beer plan. It’s become as important as having a good wine list—or maybe more important.”
To read more, go to: Market Watch, “The Other Portland”
Gardner State 