Final Gravity is a quarterly print zine telling personal, human-centered stories from the beer world. It is published by Bean to Barstool and edited by David Nilsen and Melinda Guerra.

And that’s the last sentence in which we’re going to refer to ourselves in the abstract third-person and pretend someone else is writing this. Hi, we’re David Nilsen and Melinda Guerra.

We still think beer is cool, and we still think there are amazing stories to be told in this space.

Final Gravity logo reading Final Gravity, A Beer Zine (tm)

Personal & immersive stories.

Final Gravity exists to tell personal, human-centered stories from the beer world. The zine mostly stays away from reporting and more newsy, industry-level coverage—there are already several great publications providing that—and features writing that is more focused on people, places, cultural intersections, and the holistic ways we interact with and around beer. These stories may be written by freelance beer writers, writers from other fields, or professionals from the beer industry itself who want to tell their stories.

When we say “zine,” we don’t mean a typical glossy magazine; we mean an old school, staple-bound, 8.5” x 5.5” paper zine produced in the proud DIY zine-making tradition. This format keeps production costs down, allowing us to pay our writers and artists. Despite this grassroots approach, however, Final Gravity features professional editing and clean and attractive formatting. 

Final Gravity is published quarterly and is available for subscription, wholesale stock, and individual purchase. Find out more here.

A new avenue for beer publishing

Landscape image of multiple snifter beer glasses on a table, some containing an amber-colored beer, with a hand pouring beer into one of the glasses.

A Commitment to Diversity

We are working hard to make sure Final Gravity represent the true diversity of the beer world and the world at large through stories by and about members of traditionally marginalized groups. Through ten issues, 60% of our contributors have been women or non-binary, and 39% have been persons of color. It's quite a contrast from the industry norm.

Photo of a golden, hazy beer in a tall glass on a wood railing, with flowers in the background.

Final Gravity’s articles have won multiple awards from the North American Guild of Beer Writers since the zine launched in 2023:

“The Glory of the Portuguese Half-Pint” by Maria Kruglyak—First Place, Best Travel Writing, 2025
”Soak It Until It Is Bitter: Umqombothi in South Africa” by Bono Sigudu—Emerging Voice, Best Personal Essay, 2025
”On Deaf Ears—Beer Spaces and the Hard of Hearing” by Matthew Curtis—First Place, Best Personal Essay, 2025
”Vignette: Quenelle in Lyon” by James Tai—Second Place, Best Beer & Food Writing, 2025
”Anarchists, Surrealists, & Spanish Brewers” by John McMahon—Third Place, Best Travel Writing, 2024
”My Father, Lion Lager, & Home” by Ruvani De Silva—First Place, Best Travel Writing, 2024
”Stardust and Loss: Friendship, Grief, and a Shared Saison” by Melinda Guerra—Second Place, Best Beer Review, 2024
”In the Understory: Primitive Beer's Frosted in Moss” by David Nilsen—First Place, Best Beer Review, 2023

Photo of a dark beer in a small stemless snifter, with a blurry brick building in the background
Photo of Order Here sign written in chalk on slate hanging from the end of a bar counter.
Wood railing of a malt sainnhus, with maltster in background stirring. Grains of malt sit along the edge.

We still think beer is cool, and we still think there are amazing stories to be told in this space.  We’re excited to share them with you.