Against the Grain started in 1989 as a way for Conference attendees to keep in touch more often than once a year. Steve Johnson from Clemson (now retired) had a beer newsletter and knew all about publishing a newsletter and helped with ATG It was conceived as a mimeographed short document, the very first ATG was 4 pages. It didn’t have advertising, but Ballen Booksellers and Ambassador Books offered to distribute it free of charge. Now ATG is 88 plus pages and subscribers and advertisers ensure its solvency.