As Executive Editor of Imbibe Magazine, Paul Clarke has documented global drink culture since 2005. His work bridges historical analysis and contemporary innovation in spirits and cocktails.
"Authenticity comes from understanding a drink's journey from soil to glass."
Paul Clarke has shaped global understanding of cocktail culture through two decades of dedicated journalism. His career began at Imbibe Magazine in 2005 during the craft cocktail movement's infancy, where he progressed from staff writer to Executive Editor by 2010. Clarke's 2015 book The Cocktail Chronicles became a foundational text for bartenders worldwide, documenting revivalist techniques like fat-washing and clarifying cocktails.
This 2014 opus traced the rebirth of classic cocktail techniques through modern interpretations. Clarke analyzed how bars like NYC's Death & Co. reinterpreted Prohibition-era recipes using contemporary ingredients, sparking industry-wide discussions about authenticity versus innovation.
Clarke demystified molecular mixology in this 2018 deep dive, explaining centrifugal clarification and vacuum distillation through accessible analogies. The article's impact led to increased consumer interest in technically complex cocktails.
This 2020 analysis connected mixology trends with urban development patterns, showing how craft cocktail bars serve as anchors for neighborhood revitalization efforts in cities from Portland to Barcelona.
Clarke prioritizes stories connecting contemporary trends to historical precedents. Successful pitches might explore how today's low-ABV cocktails echo 19th-century "temperance drinks" or how modern tiki culture addresses its problematic colonial roots.
With increasing industry focus on eco-conscious practices, Clarke seeks examples of closed-loop distilleries or bars repurposing spent citrus peels into aromatic bitters. Back pitches with verifiable waste reduction metrics.
While acknowledging their market impact, Clarke typically avoids profiling celebrity liquor ventures unless they demonstrate genuine innovation or educational initiatives benefiting the broader cocktail community.
"The best cocktails aren't just drinks—they're liquid stories connecting agriculture, chemistry, and human culture."
Presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation, this honor recognizes Clarke's ability to make technical mixology concepts accessible to general audiences. His winning portfolio included groundbreaking explanations of barrel-aging techniques and their impact on flavor development.
Clarke's 2019 certification through the Wine & Spirit Education Trust demonstrates his commitment to technical accuracy. This qualification informs his rigorous approach to evaluating production methods and regional designations.
At PressContact, we aim to help you discover the most relevant journalists for your PR efforts. If you're looking to pitch to more journalists who write on Food, here are some other real estate journalist profiles you may find relevant:
