Matthew Curtis

Matthew Curtis

@totalcurtis.bsky.social

Freelance food & drink writer and photographer • founder @pelliclemag.com • columnist at The Mill, Ferment, What’s Brewing & lots more.📍Stockport More about me and my work: www.totalales.co.uk // www.pelliclemag.com

2.9K followers815 following4.4K posts

Matthew Curtis
@totalcurtis.bsky.social

Hey! Yesterday @pelliclemag.com once again had the privilege of sharing some award-winning work. This is only possible thanks to the readers who choose to support us, meaning we can support our writers and editors financially. Please help us thrive with a subscription: Www.patreon.com/pelliclemag

patreon.comPellicle — Creating an award-winning drinks magazine and podcastGet more from Pellicle on Patreon. Creating an award-winning drinks magazine and podcast. Support Pellicle and get exclusive access to their work.

Matthew Curtis reposted

Jeff Alworth
@beervana.bsky.social

Two things are true about the state of beer journalism in 2026: it has never been harder and less remunerative to cover the beer industry, and we’ve never seen a corps of journalists do as good a job. Yesterday, the North American Guild of Beer Writers honored the best. (Beervana won best blog!)

beervanablog.comThe Best Beer-Related Journalism of 2026 — BeervanaTwo things are true about the state of beer journalism in 2026: it has never been harder and less remunerative to cover the beer industry and we’ve never seen a corps of journalists do as good a job. ...
Matthew Curtis
@totalcurtis.bsky.social

Right, now I've had the time to (marginally) come down from the ceiling, I'm very pleased to announce that I picked up five awards at the @nagbw.bsky.social awards last night. Huge thanks to the judges and organisers, and congratulations to my fellow winners. Here's what won what:

View full thread
Matthew Curtis
@totalcurtis.bsky.social

Here's the full list of winners — Thanks again to @nagbw.bsky.social for organising! reportersnotebook.org/uncategorize...

reportersnotebook.orgNorth American Guild of Beer Writers Announces the 2026 Award Winners, Celebrating the Best of Beer and Beverage MediaThe North American Guild of Beer Writers (NAGBW) held its 12th annual awards ceremony October 25, celebrating the best of beer and beverage media. This year, the competition consisted of 250 works …
Matthew Curtis
@totalcurtis.bsky.social

Right, now I've had the time to (marginally) come down from the ceiling, I'm very pleased to announce that I picked up five awards at the @nagbw.bsky.social awards last night. Huge thanks to the judges and organisers, and congratulations to my fellow winners. Here's what won what:

View full thread
Matthew Curtis
@totalcurtis.bsky.social

And my second silver was in the best alternative beverage category, for this piece about White Peak distillery in Derbyshire: www.pelliclemag.com/home/2025/7/...

pelliclemag.comThe Circle is Now Complete — White Peak Distillery in Ambergate, Derbyshire — PellicleThe River Derwent meets the village of Ambergate at a glide. Coursing down from its source in the peat-covered Howden Moors at the northern end of the Peak District, by the time it reaches this sleepy...
Matthew Curtis
@totalcurtis.bsky.social

Right, now I've had the time to (marginally) come down from the ceiling, I'm very pleased to announce that I picked up five awards at the @nagbw.bsky.social awards last night. Huge thanks to the judges and organisers, and congratulations to my fellow winners. Here's what won what:

View full thread
Matthew Curtis
@totalcurtis.bsky.social

My second gold came in the Best Review category, for this piece I wrote for Ferment Magazine on the relaunched Boddington's. It hasn't previously been available online but my editors Robyn and Rich kindly did so this morning, so you can now read it here! www.beer52.com/ferment/arti...

beer52.comBoddingtons Bitter Is Back: Inside JW Lees’ 2025 RevivalWinner of the Best Review category at the 2026 North American Guild of Beer Writers awards. Matthew Curtis charts how JW Lees brought Boddingtons Bitter back to cask in 2025.
Matthew Curtis
@totalcurtis.bsky.social

My third gold was for Short Form Writing, and was written hastily on my phone on a train between Sheffield and Lincoln almost a year ago to this day. It's about visiting my mum after the loss of her partner, George, last year: www.totalales.co.uk/blog/2025/10...

totalales.co.ukJaipur in the Sheffield Tap — TOTAL ALESMy mum’s partner, George Marsh, died in August after a short battle with pancreatic cancer. Born on Bassingham Fen, 11 miles southwest of Lincoln, he owned a small farm in Bassingham village on which ...
Matthew Curtis
@totalcurtis.bsky.social

Right, now I've had the time to (marginally) come down from the ceiling, I'm very pleased to announce that I picked up five awards at the @nagbw.bsky.social awards last night. Huge thanks to the judges and organisers, and congratulations to my fellow winners. Here's what won what:

Matthew Curtis
@totalcurtis.bsky.social

The second edition of Manchester's Best Beer, Pubs and Bars, published by @camraofficial.bsky.social won gold in Best Book, following on from the original which won the same award two years ago. If you've not got a copy yet, you can grab one here: shop1.camra.org.uk/product/manc...

shop1.camra.org.ukManchester’s Best Beers, Pubs and Bars 2nd edition (2026) - CAMRA shopGuidebook to more than 220 pubs, bars, tap rooms and bottleshops in Manchester and its boroughs such as Bolton, Trafford and Rochdale. Available April 2, 2026

Matthew Curtis reposted

Burning Sky Brewery
@burningskybeer.bsky.social

For 13 years, Provision our beloved farmhouse beer has only been available in bottles. Now iin cans as well, making it beer to have to yourself rather than sharing. This beer is the DNA of our mixed fermentation project and has been shaped by our unique yeast culture. Available on webshop now

Matthew Curtis reposted

Pellicle
@pelliclemag.com

We are still on the hunt for shops who would like to sell Pellicle - Issue 1: Joy in the following locations: - London - Liverpool - Glasgow - Birmingham - Nottingham - Sheffield - Wherever you live Please tell shops you want to buy us, or tell us who to contact! Thank you! xox

Matthew Curtis
@totalcurtis.bsky.social

I've actually got an 80 shilling in my top ten beers of the year list that's in the next issue of Craft Beer & Brewing... but you'll have to wait for it to be published to find out which one it is...

Matthew Curtis
@totalcurtis.bsky.social

I was working the event as the photographer and I don’t think I’ve ever taken so many photos of people smiling! The vibes were just superb. Great to catch up with so many of you too.

Matthew Curtis
@totalcurtis.bsky.social

What a fantastic event, congrats to all the winners! See you at the seminars later this afternoon if you’re heading down.

Women In Beer@womeninbeer.bsky.social

What. A. Night! A huge thank you to everyone who joined us in Manchester for the Women in Beer® Awards. If you’d like to see who won, click here: https://f.mtr.cool/i3altbo9mn 📷 Photo credit: Matt Curtis

Matthew Curtis reposted

David Desi Pubs Dason
@davidjesudason.bsky.social

Share indie publications. Share new writing. Share those saying something. Share those who care. Share those giving a voice to the previously voiceless. Share your friends’ work. Share good work. Share work you wish you’d written. Share. Share. Share.

Matthew Curtis
@totalcurtis.bsky.social

I finally got round to reading that Allsopps press release about their new IPA, and… it’s like a Gen AI hallucination? Facts are invented, dates are incorrect, the beer is just… a new beer and not a genuine historical interpretation… I’m struggling to see the point.

Matthew Curtis reposted

Nick S
@holgate.permanent.red

Replying to @holgate.permanent.red

The northern English jambon beurre growing up was always Yorkshire ham and maybe a smear of mustard in a well-buttered [whatever you call your roll]. Anyway, this is a lovely piece on the taxonomy of it all: www.pelliclemag.com/home/2021/2/...

pelliclemag.comBun! A Taxonomy of the British Bread Roll — PellicleA review for William Rubel’s Bread says: "In discussing bread one can find oneself talking about some of the largest issues of history and society." I hope so. When I messaged William to talk about...

Matthew Curtis reposted

Pellicle
@pelliclemag.com

"Great Yarmouth, like many British seaside towns, is all too often associated with poverty...however, this is a place that’s home to friendly, welcoming people, with a gentle—if sardonic—sense of humour. A session in the Red Herring re-enforces this impression." www.pelliclemag.com/home/2026/10...

pelliclemag.comFaded Seaside Glamour — Drinking in Beer and History in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk — Pellicle“Have you seen a man dressed as a chicken?” I’m sitting at the bar of the Red Herring, enjoying a pint of Oakham’s Jeffrey Hudson Bitter, when four men on a stag do burst through the front door.&nbsp...
Matthew Curtis
@totalcurtis.bsky.social

The spreads are currently being proofed line by line by @clairembullen.bsky.social and it’s heading to the printers in 10 days 😬

Katie Mather@katiematherkm.bsky.social

Thank you to everyone who has pre-ordered a Pellicle mag so far! Less than one month until launch day... www.pelliclemag.com/shop/pellicl...

pelliclemag.comPellicle — Issue 1: Joy — PelliclePellicle is proud to present our very first print magazine. The inaugural, full-length issue features interviews, essays, long reads, short humour pieces, and much more, all centred on the topic of jo...
Matthew Curtis
@totalcurtis.bsky.social

We’ve also had a handful of wholesale orders so you’ll be able to pick up a copy in-person in Stockport, Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield, Clitheroe and, of all places, Glynde! If you want to stock some drop me an email or DM and I’ll get you set up!

Matthew Curtis
@totalcurtis.bsky.social

(So far all the trendy London magazine shops have said they’re not interested in taking any so if you wanna get some in your pub/bottleshop/taproom let us know)

Matthew Curtis reposted

Sean M
@seanislegend.com

Two weeks in a row for features in @pelliclemag.com. I had a lovely day trip to photograph this story by Anthony Bennett.

Pellicle@pelliclemag.com

"Great Yarmouth, like many British seaside towns, is all too often associated with poverty...however, this is a place that’s home to friendly, welcoming people, with a gentle—if sardonic—sense of humour. A session in the Red Herring re-enforces this impression." www.pelliclemag.com/home/2026/10...

pelliclemag.comFaded Seaside Glamour — Drinking in Beer and History in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk — Pellicle“Have you seen a man dressed as a chicken?” I’m sitting at the bar of the Red Herring, enjoying a pint of Oakham’s Jeffrey Hudson Bitter, when four men on a stag do burst through the front door.&nbsp...

Matthew Curtis reposted

Fred Garratt-Stanley
@fred-gs.bsky.social

Great Yarmouth is such a fascinating, historic place and a couple of its pubs are absolute gems, so great to see it get the Pellicle treatment

Pellicle@pelliclemag.com

"Great Yarmouth, like many British seaside towns, is all too often associated with poverty...however, this is a place that’s home to friendly, welcoming people, with a gentle—if sardonic—sense of humour. A session in the Red Herring re-enforces this impression." www.pelliclemag.com/home/2026/10...

pelliclemag.comFaded Seaside Glamour — Drinking in Beer and History in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk — Pellicle“Have you seen a man dressed as a chicken?” I’m sitting at the bar of the Red Herring, enjoying a pint of Oakham’s Jeffrey Hudson Bitter, when four men on a stag do burst through the front door.&nbsp...
Matthew Curtis
@totalcurtis.bsky.social

I really enjoyed editing this piece, which I did while I was in the process of replaying Bloodborne, so if you spot a Yharnam instead of Yarmouth, that’s my bad.

Pellicle@pelliclemag.com

"Great Yarmouth, like many British seaside towns, is all too often associated with poverty...however, this is a place that’s home to friendly, welcoming people, with a gentle—if sardonic—sense of humour. A session in the Red Herring re-enforces this impression." www.pelliclemag.com/home/2026/10...

pelliclemag.comFaded Seaside Glamour — Drinking in Beer and History in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk — Pellicle“Have you seen a man dressed as a chicken?” I’m sitting at the bar of the Red Herring, enjoying a pint of Oakham’s Jeffrey Hudson Bitter, when four men on a stag do burst through the front door.&nbsp...
Matthew Curtis
@totalcurtis.bsky.social

A little boost for my weekend column. TL;DR, the real reason people (of all ages) are drinking less is because they’re broke!

Matthew Curtis@totalcurtis.bsky.social

Young people are drinking less, so why are marketers obsessed with trying to get them to drink more? It’s my latest column for @camraofficial.bsky.social’s What’s Brewing: wb.camra.org.uk/2026/09/30/b...

wb.camra.org.ukBright young thingsPeople are drinking less. But don’t just take my word for it, there’s plenty of data to back it up. According to a report published by the BBC in Janu...
Matthew Curtis
@totalcurtis.bsky.social

Turns out, if you suddenly get really into videography and upload hours upon hours worth of rushes onto your computer, you will, in fact, turn your computer into a brick.