From the Editor: Winter 2026 The Beer in Review (Issue 82)

With another year down to the trub, welcome to our annual, year-end edi-tion of The Beer Connoisseur magazine! Within these pages, you will find a reflection on everything related to craft beer in 2025, along with in-depth forecasts for what we can expect from 2026.

These pages hold both hard data and informed opinions on what worked, such as the continued strong sales of Mexican lager and the rise of “Functional beer”, plus what tanked – beloved craft breweries of old like Rogue, and the joie de vivre around bombastic American styles.

White Claw enclosed the seltzer world in its meaty talons, and Modelo once again topped the sales charts among all beer. Long lines for bombers went the way of the telegraph, and Athletic Brewing Co. became a billion dollar brand. Meanwhile, the general sensibility continued towards light and low ABV. All this you will find in our extensive Consumer Trends segment.

Jonathan Ingram returns to lend his vision to 2025’s “State of Craft”, which serves as a tribute to the heyday of Rogue and its irreverent take on craft brewing. Its tale, in many ways, is a microcosm of the industry over the last few decades.

Within these pages you will also find a forecast on what Emerging Styles we can look forward to in the coming year. What is old may become new again.

And what is delicious will have found its way into this year’s Beer in Review, with eight World Class Brews.

One brewery ran away with our Brewery of the Year honor by achieving two beers with a World Class rating, a rare feat which speaks volumes to the brewer’s exacting standards.

Beyond our top brewer, you’ll find some old favorites, and many new, exciting brews to seek across a multitude of styles, from light lager to truly exotic mixes and barrel-aged creations. Read on to discover which beers our judges say you simply cannot miss.

While 2025 may not have been craft’s most banner year, there was still much to celebrate, and much golden liquid to marvel at. We’ve got it all here, ready to prime you for the ideal beer drinking experience in 2026.

We are honored to share the joy of craft beer with you, and wish you and those you love a warm and happy holiday season. When the house has quieted for the evening, we hope you can sit back in your favorite recliner with a brimming snifter of something delicious, and imbibe our Winter Edition. Thank you, dear reader, and here’s to another great year. Prost!