It’s that time again! Welcome to the brand-new issue of The Beer Connoisseur Magazine! Issue 71 is chock-full of timely, engaging stories about the beverage you love the most: beer!

The issue begins with a story on Mike Tyson, one of the greatest boxers of all time. Did you know he now has his own brand of Delta 8 and Delta 9 THC gummies? That’s right! Mike Bites are available online and at various retailers around the country (where legally possible), and these fun gummies are sure to provide the relaxation and chill vibes that come with Delta 8 consumption. Also, did we mention they’re shaped like ears?

We follow that up with an engaging piece about Pickle Beer, which is an intriguing beer style that shouldn’t really work, but it does. If you’ve never tried a gherkin-flavored beer, this story might convince you to do just that.

Then, it's our Beer Recommendations for Spring 2024 (aka What We’re Drinking Now). This rotating story features some of the best brews for the spring season, including a few that won GABF gold medals near the end of last year, as well as a few that scored highly in our Official Review.

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

International Brewing & Cider Awards 2024 Unveils Esteemed Judging Panels for Beer and Cider Competitions

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.

Spring 2024, Issue 71

Shovel Town Brewery Head Brewer Andy Starsiak Talks Broad Blade

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.