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Stewardship, Not Retreat
Over the past several months, I’ve written candidly in this space about my belief in print — and my determination to continue publishing The Maryland Beverage Journal in the format it has used for generations.
I meant every word of it.
Print has always represented something important to me: intention, permanence, and trust. In an industry built on relationships, not algorithms, the Journal’s physical presence mattered. It still does.
But being committed to an idea is not the same thing as being blind to reality.
As publisher, my responsibility is not to a format — it is to the value the Journal provides and to the people who rely on it. And after taking a hard look at how our readers actually use information today, one truth became impossible to ignore: the part of the Journal that delivers the greatest day-to-day value is not monthly pricing tables, but knowing where to go to find the brands you need.
In a one-brand / one-wholesaler state like Maryland, that matters.
That is why the Journal’s core resource — the Maryland Beverage Journal Brand Index — now lives as a searchable, subscriber-only tool on our website. It is faster to use, easier to update, and far better suited to the realities of today’s market than a printed page ever could be. Paid subscribers can now access the searchable Brand Index by logging in through the Journal’s website.
This was not an easy decision, and it was not made quickly. But it was the right one.
The Journal is not going away. It is doing what it has always done: adapting, so we can continue to serve Maryland’s licensed beverage alcohol community accurately, responsibly, and sustainably.
Change is never comfortable — especially when it involves something you’ve spent decades building. But stewardship sometimes means knowing when to protect the mission by changing how it’s delivered.
Thank you for reading.
Thank you for subscribing.
And thank you for continuing to rely on your Beverage Journal.
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