Spring 2010, Issue 2

Ah, spring – a new beginning. It’s the time of year when winter loosens its frosty grip as fat blooms burst from the soil, when cold nights give way to longer days and the world seems fresh and full of possibility. A mere three months have passed since The Beer Connoisseur made its debut in print, but in that time we’ve received more welcoming pats on the back than we could have possibly expected. It’s become all too clear just how much the beer world has been wanting for a sophisticated voice to unite its many elements and welcome newcomers into the fold.

A new decade in the American craft brewing movement has begun, one that surely promises great things for beer lovers far and wide. It is plain to see that a palpable sense of excitement has taken hold all around, with enterprising new brewers and standout beer bars and shops flinging open their doors to welcome the crowd of passionate followers. One has to wonder just where all this is leading, but one thing is certain – the landscape of good beer is expanding at an astonishing rate, and that won’t be changing anytime soon.

Likewise, we’re staying the course as we delve deeper in our exploration of all things beer. In this issue you’ll find pieces that will transport you to the Czech Republic in search of the heart of the country’s old beer culture, and others that lead you on some visits to trend-setting breweries here in America, like Dogfish Head, Full Sail and Left Hand. We trace the rise of gourmet beer’s place in fine restaurants around the world, mapping out some especially notable spots here in the States, and we sit down with one of the beer world’s leading voices, Garrett Oliver.

But that’s just a start. We’ve filled these pages with a diverse collection of stories, like an exhaustive take on the rocketing beer scene in San Diego, beer’s sometimes-surprising place in works of classic literature and, to honor a true rite of spring – the return of baseball, that most beery of sports – the recent gains good beer has made at ballparks around the country. We continue to explore  environmental trends in the beer world. We take a close look at four spring-friendly beer styles. And once again, we sniff and sip our way through reviews of 20 brews, including six from around our home in the Southeast.

So grab a nice springtime brew, be it a helles bock, an Irish red ale, or whatever else you crave, and come along as we continue to chart beer’s infinite charms. We couldn’t do it without you.

Cheers!

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AVAILABLE WEB STORIES

FEATURES

What is Irish Stout?
Thankfully, not everyone who joins in the annual revelry on March 17th drinks the obligatory and ubiquitous green lager beers. 

The Rising Tide of San Diego Craft Beer
Sunny San Diego’s beer scene has blossomed in recent years, as its standout brewers have piled up awards that prove the area is one of the best on Earth when it comes to craft beer.

The Czech Republic: Searching for the Heart of Bohemian Beer
Normally, I’d say don’t come to Prague. At least don’t come to the capital of the Czech Republic to find Bohemian beer paradise. Come to Prague because it’s one of the most beautiful cities in Europe.