Nestled along the picturesque French Riviera, Monaco is renowned for its opulence, glamour and breathtaking coastal views. However, beyond the glitz and glamour, the Monaco beer scene offers unexpected yet delightful attractions for enthusiasts. Whether you're a seasoned beer connoisseur or a curious traveler, you will love the hidden treasures and vibrant beer flavors that make Monaco a compelling destination for every adventurer.

Here, we will cover the Monaco beer scene, must-visit travel destinations, the history of beer and brewing within the country, its top breweries to visit, notable beer-tasting events, food pairing suggestions, beer recipes as well as editor’s tips for travelers.

Traveling to Monaco: Beyond the Beer

Monaco, a glamorous city-state on the French Riviera, offers a blend of luxury, history and charming landscapes. Despite its small size, Monaco is rich in experiences, especially for those interested in beer and travel. The principality boasts several chic bars and breweries where visitors can enjoy a diverse range of beers, from local crafts to international selections. Popular spots include the Brasserie de Monaco, known for its locally brewed beers and the vibrant La Rascasse, offering an authentic Monegasque nightlife experience.

Summertime is upon us, and that means it’s time for a new issue of The Beer Connoisseur magazine!

We’ve got a bevy of beery stories that are sure to simultaneously tickle your fancy and slake your thirst as heat waves batter a new region of the U.S. seemingly every week.

We kick off the issue with an intriguing opinion piece about AB InBev’s odd treatment of beloved beer ratings website RateBeer after it purchased it. This “zombie asset” is using decrepit code for its site and not showing any considerable profit for the megalithic ABI, but they continue to let the site go on with no renovations or changes. An unusual – and unsettling – situation.

Another issue means our next entry into the “What We’re Drinking Now” series, this time for the dog days of summer. This story is chock-full of flavorful, lightly fruited sours, thirst-quenching lagers and even a Pre-Prohibition lager – all of which are perfect for sultry summer days (and nights).

Our next story delivers a definitive list of the top beer quotes of all time, whether they be from notable historical figures, fictional characters, beer merchandise or simply heard at your local watering hole. This story is sure to help aid you when crafting your next toast upon meeting old friends.

There is always something newsworthy taking place in the beer industry. That's why we dedicate Monday of each week to publishing the top stories from the previous week in our Industry News e-newsletter. Here you'll find a compilation of all the news we've covered since the last issue, with links to the full stories.

Industry & People

Nine Pin Ciderworks Expansion: Elevating the Tasting Room Experience

We saddled up with the masterminds behind the highest-rated brews and asked them about the inspiration behind the recipes. Follow the links below to the individual Q & A's, or you may access Q & A's from all editions here.

Summer 2024, Issue 73

pFriem Family Brewers Brewmaster and Co-Founder Josh Pfriem Talks pFriem Canadian Lager

Judging Process
Our reviews are conducted in a single-blind tasting format. This method provides the best opportunity to rely on facts and to avoid favoritism, insuring a level playing field for all brewers. It serves both the industry and the consumer to have unbiased and objective scores from qualified experts. To best implement this approach, the Judges Review is open to those with established experience as a Master Cicerone® from the Cicerone® Certification Program or as a judge that has accomplished the rank of National or higher from the Beer Judge Certification Program. In the single-blind tasting format, judges are presented with a chilled, properly poured beer and given its style category. Scoring is then done on the following basis using a 100-point scale:

Score Breakdown:
100 to 96: World Class – You need this beer in your life.
95 to 91: Exceptional – Don’t hesitate.
90 to 86: Very Good – A brew to savor.
85 to 75: Average – Somewhat unimpressive.
74 and below: Not Recommended – Just walk away.

Kit NA Brewing, an award-winning non-alcoholic beer beverage brand based in Portland, Maine, is proud to announce the launch of its summer program, “Have A Kit, Share A Kit.” The “Have A Kit, Share A Kit” program encourages individuals to have a beer that is true to them and to share that experience with friends and loved ones all summer long.

For the months of July and August, consumers are provided the unique opportunity to purchase a 6-pack or 12-pack of Kit NA Brewing’s non-alcoholic Blonde, Wheat, or Hazy IPA beer, and receive an additional 6-pack or 12-pack to share with friends and family, completely free of charge. Staying true to the brand’s commitment to authenticity and community, this initiative encourages consumers who want to enjoy the complex flavors and memorable social aspects of beer without the alcohol, to embrace life’s moments with a beer that requires no excuses. “Have A Kit, Share A Kit” invites consumers to not only fully enjoy the beer, but also to create shared memories and connections with friends and family over these experiences.

In its golden era, RateBeer saw more than 1 million new users per month and had over 100 users with more than 5,000 reviews apiece. A 2013 article cites user Jan Bolvig of Denmark, who had logged more than 30,000 reviews on the site. In 2024, he’s still going strong, approaching 75,000 beers reviewed. That’s about 12 a day for nearly two decades, and a perfect example of the depth of data and loyalty RateBeer has achieved.

Bolvig never faltered, but many others did when in 2017 it was announced that ZX Ventures, Anheuser-Busch’s venture capital arm, had taken a minority stake in the company, later revealed to be 20 percent. Users, admins and industry professionals alike were shocked. Many voiced discontent, including outspoken Dogfish Head founder Sam Calagione, who stated:

“We were troubled by the announcement last week that ZX Ventures, which is fully owned by the global conglomerate Anheuser-Busch InBev, has purchased a portion of RateBeer. We believe this is a direct violation of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) Code of Ethics and a blatant conflict of interest.” Calagione goes on to list the SPJ’s Code of Ethics in full, emphasizing the section titled “Act Independently.”