From the Editor (Issue 54)

Hello and welcome, fellow beer connoisseurs, to Issue #54 of The Beer Connoisseur magazine!

As vaccinations for the still-ongoing COVID-19 pandemic are finally available for all in the U.S., people are beginning to ponder traveling again and getting back into their normal habits of meeting up, dining and, most importantly, drinking beer.

In this issue, we delve into a plethora of fascinating subjects, ranging from beer gifts to “super sniffers,” so we invite you to read on and discover the wondrous world of beer within our pages.

We begin with Dionne Roberts taking a look at what the day in the life of a female brewer looks like as she shadows Alyssa Thorpe, the head woman at Jagged Mountain Craft Brewery in Denver, Colorado.

After that, Clayton Schuster details The Resurgence of the American Malt House as craft breweries continue to seek out the finest ingredients they can find – now available a bit closer to home than they used to be when it comes to malt.

Then, we offer an in-house look at 21 of the best beer gifts available for that beer aficionado in your life that seems to always hook you up with tasty brews. Return the favor with these charming and useful trinkets.

Carl Kins offers up a history of Italian Grape Ale – as well as a look ahead to how this style will continue to gain traction, and then Jim Dykstra returns with an education piece on the fascinating gruit beverage.

After that, we head back to Colorado with writer Jessica Zimmer to visit Greeley’s famed WeldWerks Brewing Co. and speak with the brewery’s “super sniffer,” Patrick Combs, who offers up his story as well as the way that aroma impacts beer more than any other element.

Pat Evans profiles the thriving craft beer scene in Virginia, which only continues to grow and is headlined by The Veil Brewing Co., Virginia Beer Co., Aslin Beer Co. and many more.

Lastly, Owen Ogletree provides a fascinating portrait of 13 beer styles that deserve a comeback in the marketplace, headlined by American Ambers, American Stouts, Wheatwines, Barleywines and more!

Of course, this issue features our standard industry news, brewer Q&As and beer reviews, as no issue would be truly complete without them.

We thank you for reading, and we wish you all safety and happiness through the year.

Cheers!

-Chris Guest
Managing Editor