The Beer Connoisseur® / FALL 2026, Issue 86
Issue 86 covers beer history, changing drinking habits, travel, and the styles and breweries helping shape what comes next. Inside, we explore Eastern Idaho breweries and fly fishing, ask whether classic beer styles can help revive craft beer, examine the continued growth of non-alcoholic beer, and trace the roots of Bock in Einbeck, Germany. The issue also revisits Samuel Adams’ Millennium more than 25 years after its release and features World Class Beer Highlights on Hanssens Oude Kriek and Fuller’s London Porter, which earned 99- and 97-point scores, respectively.
Chris Guest – Managing Editor
FEATURED NEWS
MAGAZINE STORIES
The State of Craft 2026
Looking back on 2025, the rather dreary numbers about a steady decline in the consumption of craft beer, as well as beer in general, were concerning enough.
Top Emerging Beer Style Trends for 2026
As 2025 comes to a close, brewers, bar managers, and beer drinkers alike are looking back at the past year.
The Best Breweries of 2025
Each year, we acknowledge the breweries that collectively produced the highest-rated beers as evaluated in our Official Review.
Top 100 Beers of 2025
Each year, we collect the highest-scoring beers evaluated in the Official Review and compile them into a definitive list of the finest examples.
2026 Beer and Beverage Trends
In the beer land, the only constant is change.
Triple C Brewing Co. Head Brewer Garry McShane Talks Planet Pulp
96 Rating – Exceptional
Goldfinger Brewing Co. Owner and Brewer Tom Beckmann Talks Goldfinger Original Lager
96 Rating -Exceptional
Wallenpaupack Brewing Co. Head Brewer Logan Ackerley Talks No Frills Pils
96 Rating – Exceptional
Wallenpaupack Brewing Co. Head Brewer Logan Ackerley Talks Kroon
96 Rating – Exceptional
Pure Project Brewing Co-Founder and Brewer Winslow Sawyer Talks Planifolia
96 Rating – Exceptional
Human Robot Head Brewer and Partner Andrew Foss Talks Hallertau Pils
96 Rating – Exceptional
Kishwaukee Brewing Co. President and Brewmaster Dan Payson Talks Bufflehead Brown Ale
Rating 97 – Exceptional
EDITOR’S PICKS
Beer Spotlight: Voodoo Brewing’s “Very Old” Barrel-Aged Box Set
We’re all in the thick of the holidays, and with it the chaos of family visits, wrapping gifts, and forgetting to move the Elf, among other things.
A Canny Response to Craft Beer’s Downturn Turned Upside Down
In a year’s time, the question of “Cannabis in a can?” may be defunct thanks to an overnight change in the Farm Bill law regulating consumable hemp products.
13 Irresistible Christmas Cocktails for the Holiday Season
From the Mistletoe Mojito to the Cranberry Moscow Mule, these festive recipes will make your taste buds tingle with joy.
Frost and Foam: A Winter Meditation on Beer and Backpacking
I was in my early twenties the first time I experienced a “summit beer” – a tradition that involves carrying a pint to the top of a chosen mountain before cracking it open in celebration of the day’s accomplishments.
Notes on American Beer From an Englishman
There was a time when I was almost entirely dismissive of what one might loosely call “the beer scene” in the United States.
BEER EDUCATION
Keeping it Cloistered: The Overlooked Tradition of German Monastic Breweries
Long before hype breweries with names riffing on popular intellectual property existed, one of the easiest ways to make a beer stand out on the shelves was to put a monk on the label.
How Hibernating Yeast is Advancing Cancer Research
Beer yeast microbes have a surprising survival strategy up their sleeve to deal with food shortages: they hibernate.
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SPIRITS INDUSTRY
From Las Vegas to a National Pour: Abuelitos Tequila Goes Nationwide
Abuelitos Tequila is taking its Vegas-born spirit beyond Nevada and into homes across the U.
The Old G Gin Earns Double Gold at the 2026 San Francisco World Spirits Competition
The Old G Gin continues to gain recognition in the premium spirits world with another major industry accolade.
BIATCH Tequila Expands to 20 States Through Reyes Beverage Group Partnership
BIATCH Tequila is expanding its reach through a new partnership with Reyes Beverage Group.
CANNABIS INDUSTRY
Uncle Arnie’s Expands Recreational THC Beverage Line to New York
Uncle Arnie’s is expanding its recreational cannabis beverage business into New York with four 10mg THC drinks.
High Profile Opens New Cannabis Dispensary in Manchester, Connecticut with Drive-Thru Service
C3 Industries has opened a new High Profile Cannabis Shop in Manchester, Connecticut, expanding its presence in the state.
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DRINKS INDUSTRY
Nine Pin Ciderworks Announces 10 Days of Halloween Events in Albany
Nine Pin Ciderworks is turning the final stretch of October into a full slate of.
2 Towns Ciderhouse Launches Oregon Hunger Relief Campaign
2 Towns Ciderhouse is bringing its community together this September to support hunger relief in.
Crow & Wolf Brewing Wins National Hard Seltzer Championship with 10 Medals
Crow & Wolf Brewing Co.
Winners of the Northwest Cider Cup 2026 Announced
The winners of the 2026 Northwest Cider Cup have been announced, recognizing some of the.
WINE
National Wine Day 2026 in Chișinău Showcases Moldova’s Wineries and Growing Wine Tourism
Chișinău will once again become the centerpiece of Moldova’s wine scene as National Wine Day.
Wine Market Council Debuts Private AI Assistant Powered by Brown Bacon AI
Wine Market Council has partnered with Brown Bacon AI to launch a secure, brand-trained AI.
Commonwealth Wine School Launches Champagne Specialist Certification Program in Cambridge and San Francisco
Wine professionals and enthusiasts are getting a rare opportunity to expand their knowledge through a.
Wine School of Philadelphia Expands Teaching Capacity as Enrollment Grows
The Wine School of Philadelphia is expanding in response to the growing demand for its semester-based.
Butter Wines Unveils ButterLight Chardonnay in Convenient New Cans
Butter Wines, the number one best-selling premium SKU of Chardonnay1, is riding the wave of.
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BEVERAGE INDUSTRY
Khalifa Kush Partners With Scofflaw Brewing to Launch THC Beverages
Khalifa Kush is expanding beyond cannabis and apparel with a new beverage offering aimed at adult consumers.
BLOGS
In Belgium, You Can Buy a Beer at 16 and Place a Bet at 21, and the Five-Year Gap Is Deliberate
There are some beers and wines that can be sold in Belgium as early as.
Instagram for Breweries: 8 Ways to Get More Likes in 2026
Your brewery does make really good beer, but nobody’s reading any of your Instagram posts.
The Importance of Professional Coaching in Modern Football
Football has a fast pace these days.
Bitter After the Pint: Haritaki and the Old Habit of Digestive Bitters
It’s a time that anyone who has spent time around brewers is familiar with.
Why Social Hobbies Can Make Meeting New People Easier
People meet at a beer festival to sample some new beers, but find something else:.
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