Welcome to Issue #61 of The Beer Connoisseur Magazine!

What We’re Drinking Now is a new segment in the magazine that will serve as an ongoing series highlighting some of the beers we’ve been enjoying recently. These beers will usually be stylistically or thematically tied to the time of the year or season in which the issue is being released. For this edition, sultry summer sippers are all the rage!

We check in with Arches Brewing’s Co-Founder Jeff Dake on his brewery’s exceptional Yurei Japanese-style lager, which was highly rated in our Official Review.

Iron Hill Brewery opened its second location in Georgia recently, and Jim Dykstra traveled to the venue and sampled the brewery’s wares. Read on to follow in his footsteps.

With good beers being reviewed by our judges on a daily basis, sometimes terrific ones slip through the cracks. These five summertime beers that achieved World Class and Exceptional ratings are sure to keep you satiated throughout the season.

NFTs are all the rage these days, so, of course, the beverage industry had to get involved at some point. These examples of beverage industry NFTs are sure to make a splash in the marketplace.

As always, we’ve got all the brew that’s fit to drink in Issue #60, as well as a variety of interesting stories to catch your fancy.

Clayton Schuster returns with a story about the ongoing war in Ukraine, and how Russia’s invasion has led to a global barley and wheat shortage. As key ingredients in beer, the Ukrainian barley and wheat shortage has surely affected the industry we love, and Clayton shines a light on just how impactful the ongoing war has been to two of ingredient's most important ingredients.

Ready-to-Drink cocktails are quickly becoming one of the most popular beverage categories at liquor stores, and many craft breweries are hopping onto this trend with alacrity. Becky Garrison details why these drinks are taking off while highlighting a few notable producers.

Chile is normally known for its wine production, but Matthew Dursum delivers a story exposing the impressively rich craft beer scene in Valparaiso and Santiago. A globe-trotting story of the highest caliber.

Ron Watt joins us to elucidate the 11 Tips for Planning an Amazing Beercation – an insightful guide for those looking to get out in the summer months to explore amazing beers in far-flung locales.

Thomas Guzowski makes his BC debut with an intriguing story about The Naming of Beer Styles. This look at the marketing techniques and “hazy” naming practices is sure to make you question why beer styles are what they are.

This issue, as always, is jam-packed with plenty of terrific stories about beer and brewing. First off is a story about the important mission of TRU Colors, a brewery in Wilmington, North Carolina that is devoted to ending gang violence by empowering and uplifting underserved communities via job opportunities in brewing.

We also have a rather intriguing Independent Brewer Survey: The Impact of Corporate Acquisitions on Craft Brewing. This story provides some context from high-level brewers about acquisitions and how they affect the industry on a macro and micro level.

Clayton Schuster is back and provides a detailed piece on the return of Hot Beer (or mulled beer), or beer that is heated up and served at warm/hot temperatures and dosed with spices.

If you like adding a fun, competitive edge to your beery get-togethers, Jim Dykstra's 8 Fun Drinking Games for Beer Lovers is sure to whet your appetite for wetting your whistle by providing some enjoyable games to play at your next gathering.

Owen Ogletree and Ron Watt co-author a story on the 15 Breweries with Amazing Outdoor Spaces, spanning the globe as they provide you with the top locales to soak up the sun while supping on a lovely pint.

It’s that time again: In your hands you’re holding the annual print edition of The Beer Connoisseur magazine and, in this case, our 58th issue. 2021 was a year that saw the continued prevalence of COVID19, but with people getting sick of being cooped up indoors with naught to do, many businesses (and governments) opted to open back up in meaningful ways.

That means that brewery taprooms were reopened, and breweries got back to doing what they do best: producing high-quality brews for their devoted patrons. With that in mind, we delved into a variety of interesting topics in this issue – both looking backward on the year that was, as well as into 2022 for what the future may bring to the industry.

As always, our section devoted to the top-rated beers and breweries of the year is the reason for the season, and this year’s Top 150 Beers of the Year is of particular note. We received a record 13 beer submissions that achieved World Class scores of 96 or above, including a staggering eight beers that notched ratings of at least a 97 – that’s truly incredible work from this year’s brewers, and these beers should be sought out above all others in the new year (if they’re still available, that is).

We start with a profile of Star Beer USA, which is responsible for introducing one of Africa's most popular and legendary beers, Star Lager Beer, in the United States.

Next up is a piece about Heisler Beer in Hollywood, which is the most famous beer you've never heard of or tasted... because of an interesting reason. Read the story to find out what it is!

Pat Evans joins us for two stories. The first is the Best Ways to Get Rid of a Beer Belly, an issue that all beer fans have had to deal with at some point in their fandom. Then, he offers up some of the best beer fridges on the market in his Beer Fridge Buyer's Guide.

With Christmas a very short time from now, we offer up a list of great ugly Christmas sweaters, all of which are sure to be a hit at your office or family holiday party.

Following that is Jessica Zimmer with a piece about Butterbeer from the Harry Potter series, and its real-life versions: the official one in Universal Orlando's Wizarding World of Harry Potter and other homemade renditions that are more like 16th-century "buttered beer" beverages.

Lastly, Marty Nachel ventured out to Superior Bathhouse Brewery in Hot Springs, Arkansas to sample brews from the only craft brewery on National Parkland. They use pure, heated water from the hot springs to boot!

Leading off Issue #56 is Jim Dykstra by providing a list of 13 Great Atlanta Beer Bars that are sure to draw beer drinkers in like moths to a flame. 

Then, Kristen Kuchar provides a list of 17 Intriguing Wine Barrel-Aged Beers, showcasing the fact that beers aren’t just made for whiskey, bourbon or rum barrels these days.

Following that, Jessica Zimmer tees off on the fascinating topic of Fruit Smoothie Beers – a delectable style that has exploded in popularity in recent years due to the immense fruiting quotient that breweries can explore within the style.

For the next piece, Matt Simpson canvased numerous social media platforms in order to answer 10 questions that are sure to keep beer drinkers entertained and amused while also allaying their confusion.

Dionne Roberts is up next with a story about Cooking with Beer, providing three delectable dishes with our favorite beverage as a main ingredient. Yum!

David Kriso is back in Issue 56 with his Ultimate Fall New England Beer Road Trip, which traverses numerous destination breweries in one of the most picturesque regions in America – especially when the foliage begins to change color during autumn.

Lastly, Pat Evans closes the issue out by exploring Craft Beer in Louisiana, detailing a number of the most intriguing breweries in the state including Gnarly Barley, Urban South, Parish, Low Road and more!

Issue 55 has got plenty of zesty stories to keep you intrigued, starting with Jessica Zimmer delving deeply into The Emergence of Legal Marijuana in the United States. The past couple years have seen multiple states legalize or decriminalize marijuana – meaning the stigma attached to one of the hop plant’s closest relatives is dwindling.

Next up is Jo Caird making her debut within our pages with an important piece about offensive cultural representations on beer labels – something that is, regrettably, still happening at an alarming rate.

Then, Owen Ogletree chimes in with a helpful article that details a few of the most frequently occurring Off-Flavors in Beer as well as some less harmful fermentation by-products. That’s followed up by Clayton Schuster aiding burgeoning social media mavens with tips, tricks and guidance on how to photograph beer for IG and other platforms.

After that is an editorial recap of the Craft Beer Marketing Awards, which awards the finest in design and marketing in the craft beer world with Crushie Awards (of which this editor was a judge). 

Then, we showcase the craft beer world at large’s favorite style by detailing 17 breweries that deserve special credit for their IPAs.

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 head 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.

Welcome to the Spring 2021, Issue #53 of The Beer Connoisseur magazine!

Issue 53 kicks off with a deep dive into the state of beer media and journalism, much like our The Beer in Review annual print edition delves into the industry at large through a look at trends and sales in a variety of categories. Much has changed in our industry over the past few years, so we thought it was high time to delve into it in depth.

Following that, Jim Dykstra explores the role that beer has played in American history – from Native Americans brewing an interesting gruit-style beverage to the Founding Fathers being big-time beer fans.

Then, Marytn Cornell returns with another historical beer story, with this one being about the inspiring story behind the creation of America’s first craft brewery: New Albion Brewing Co.

Ultra-hazy IPAs continue to be among the most popular styles around the world, and High Density Hop Charges are one of the most interesting ways to exponentially increase the hoppiness in any given IPA. Dionne Roberts explores this burgeoning brewing technique with some of its progenitors and pioneers.

Yours truly chimes in with a definitive guide to all of the IPA styles that currently exist, something that should serve as an excellent reference for fans of this hopped-up, uber-popular craft brew style.

Welcome to the Winter 2021, Issue #52 of The Beer Connoisseur magazine!

Issue #52 is split into three sections. First off is our Industry Outlook, which explores the past year in the beer industry while also keeping a steady eye on what 2021 will bring. Stories featured within this section are 2021 Consumer Trends, 2021 Trends in Craft and 2021 Restaurant Trends.

The main course of the issue, as always, is our collection of the top-rated beers of the year compiled in our The Beer in Review section. which features the Top 100 Beers of 2020 as found in our Official Review. Then, we offer up the Best Beers of 2020 by Style Category, featuring notable popular beer styles in the year that was. Lastly, we provide our list of the Best Breweries of 2020, which features a returning favorite as well as some new names.

The issue closes with our Trends section, detailing Emerging Beer Styles for 2021, upcoming popular hops in The Hop Report and a look ahead with the National Beer Wholesalers Association with Industry Insights from the NBWA.

Of course, the issue wouldn't be complete without our Official Review, Brewer Q&As and Industry News, which allow us to present the viewpoint of judges, brewers and the industry at large.

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