From the Editor (Issue 48)

We are living through unprecedented times.

With the entire world being ravaged by the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, the beer world has been severely hamstrung by this highly contagious disease. The situation seems dire, but there is always hope.

Many breweries, distilleries and other related industries have come together to help make hand sanitizer or donate funds to various charitable causes as this horrid virus continues to spread throughout the world – leaving behind pain and suffering in its wake.

Though the news is seemingly all bad – in the beer industry and beyond – we hope that the shining beacon of beer is keeping you and your loved ones engaged (and sane) during these trying times.

With that in mind, our May/June Issue 2020, Issue 48 is out now with all the brew that’s fit to drink.

Seeing as the entire world is being impacted by it, our top story is a deep dive into how COVID-19 is affecting the beer industry by Jessica Zimmer. We hope this well-researched and highly sourced story answers any questions you might have about the virus situation in our industry.

We also have a wide variety of education pieces broaching multiple topics. First, Owen Ogletree takes us down to the Big Easy to outline The Rebirth of Dixie Beer, then Stephen Staples outlines the interesting theory of Lupulin Threshold Shift, which entails hoppy beers “rewriting” your taste buds in interesting and unusual ways.

Following that, Jim Dykstra explore the fun topic of The Bubbling Science of Beer Foam, then Michael Maloney provides us details on What Double Dry Hopped Beer really is.

We close out the issue by outlining the Top 44 Hazy New England IPAs and Double IPAs that our judges have ever reviewed followed by David Kriso, in his BC debut, showcasing the Top 15 Places to Drink Beer in the Steel City: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 

Lastly, we feature a new guest blog from Tavour detailing 10 Crushable Craft Pilsner Options to Replace Premium Lagers.

As always, no issue is complete without our Industry News, Official Review and Brewer Q&A segments, and Issue 48 is no exception.

We hope you enjoy this, the 48^th installment of The Beer Connoisseur!

Final note: if you have to leave quarantine, please make sure to wear a mask and gloves at all times. While in quarantine, wash your hands constantly and try not to touch your face. Stay safe out there, friends.

Cheers!
-Chris Guest, Managing Editor