Matthew Curtis

Creative Writing & Photography for Modern Beer Culture

Matthew is a writer and photographer based in Manchester, England. He is obsessed with beer, pubs and their culture.

Born in Lincoln, Matthew studied a BSc in Media Production with Music Technology at the University of Teesside, graduating in 2005 with first class honours. At 22 he moved to London, where he lived for 15 years. Here his love for beer burgeoned, eventually reaching a flashpoint when he visited the USA for the first time in 2010. Following this, he established a blog, Total Ales, which, unexpectedly, led to a career as a writer and photographer who covers beer and pubs.

Matthew went freelance in 2016, and his first major role came when he was made UK editor at James Beard award-winning publication Good Beer Hunting the following year. In 2019 he and friend Jonathan Hamilton founded their own publication, Pellicle, for which Matthew also serves as editor-in-chief. He is the author of three books, including Modern British Beer (2021) and Manchesters Best Beer Pubs and Bars (2023), both of which were published by CAMRA Books. He also produces and hosts The Pellicle Podcast, which is available to stream via all major podcast services.

To commission Matthew please visit the contact page.

Writing clients include: Pellicle, Vittles, Novara Media, Hoxton Mini Press, Future Publishing, Ferment, BEER, What’s Brewing, Get’erbrewed, Craft Beer & Brewing, Good Beer Hunting, CAMRA Books, Final Gravity, The Independent Brewer, The Brewers Journal, The On Trade Preview, Hop Burns and Black and Pipette.

Photography clients include: Mr Lyan Studio, The Guardian, The Economist, Condé Naste, RedWillow Brewery, The Five Points Brewery, St. Austell Brewery, Grace Land, Wild Horse Brewery, Burton Bridge Brewery, Fuller Smith & Turner, Cask Marque, Sureshot Brewery, Good Beer Hunting and CAMRA.

Headshot by Mark Newton Photography