North American Guild of Beer Writers

There are presently no open calls for submissions.

The North American Guild of Beer Writers announces its 5th annual Awards for writers, bloggers, broadcasters, and authors. Submit your work to the contest August 7 to August 25, 2017. 

The NAGBW Awards honor the best beer and brewing industry coverage in 11 categories. Please note the categories below and their descriptions, instructions, and examples of publication type within each Submittable category. 

Through the annual writing competition, the Guild aims to broaden the conversation about beer and brewing, raise the standards of writing and provide leadership and continuing education for practitioners of our profession, while also encouraging and supporting more participation throughout all media channels.


The 2017 NAGBW Awards categories:
Best Beer Book
Best Beer Podcast
Best Beer Blog
Best Beer and Food Writing
Best Beer and Travel Writing
Best Local Reporting
Best National/ International Reporting
Best Short Form Writing (fewer than 600 words)
Best History Writing
Best Technical Writing
Best Beer Criticism or Commentary

Deadline to apply: August 25, 2017

Eligible entries were published July 1, 2016 - June 30, 2017


Submission guidelines:

Acceptable formats include: .pdf, .doc, .docx. URLs of stories can also be submitted in the "Cover Letter" section of the submission process.

The Submittable site accepts large files. One article/ item per entry, except where indicated for Blog and Podcast/ Broadcast. If you have a book that is not available in .pdf form or would prefer to submit a hard copy, please email bryandroth@gmail.com for mailing instructions.

Judging criteria:

Readability 25%
Voice and style 25%
Knowledge of subject/accuracy/factual content 20%
Creativity/originality 15%
Interest/newsworthiness 15%

Fees are prorated for members ($15 per entry)/non-members ($30 per entry). You must be a current paid member of the NAGBW to get the discount. Entry proceeds go toward winner prizes and modest judge stipends. Because there is some overlap, contestants may submit an entry in up to two eligible categories, though each submission requires an entry fee. We encourage contestants to enter the category best suited to their work.


To join the NAGBW, please allow 24 hours for your application to be processed at www.nagbw.org.

NAGBW Director: Bryan Roth | bryandroth@gmail.com

See links to instructions and entry forms below. For questions email bryandroth@gmail.com. Follow NAGBW on Twitter and Facebook for updates. Enter soon, and good luck!

ABOUT THE NORTH AMERICAN GUILD OF BEER WRITERS –  Guild membership is open to all writers and content producers who cover beer and brewing, although industry and associate memberships are both non-voting categories. For more information, visit http://www.nagbw.org.

North American Guild of Beer Writers