In some ways, being a craft beer enthusiast is a lot like being a scientist. Based on research and data, you formulate conclusions about your topic of study. You compare notes with peers and then apply that knowledge until better knowledge presents itself. And much like with science,...  more »

Despite its amazing successes, the American craft beer movement still has plenty of naysayers. It's often looked at as awkward or nontraditional. But to anyone who still doubts the impact of American craft beer, I need only say something like this: I just ordered a tasty Belgian-style...  more »

If I've said it once, I've said it a hundred times. If you truly want to understand what hops bring to the beer table, then explore a single hop series of beers. The concept is simple: a brewery will craft a beer (usually an Imperial IPA) using only one type of hops. The best single h...  more »

An important part of being a craft beer fan is opening yourself up to the entire quality spectrum. It's all too easy to get caught up in the quest for the mountain top. Beer fans will often turn a blind eye to otherwise tasty beers because they feel they have progressed on to greener...  more »

Sometimes you just have to try a new beer for silly reasons. To be perfectly honest, this very philosophy is what got me into craft beer in the first place. I came across Rogue's Dead Guy Ale on a beer menu and had to try it based solely on its amusing name. I had no idea what it was,...  more »

Yes, my beer loving compatriots, spring is upon us. For many beer fans, that means an exodus of those beastly winter brews and a resurgence of light, crisp, and refreshing brews. For this beer fan, spring time means one thing: maibocks. As a big fan of the bock style of beer, I get al...  more »

Oh Magic Hat, you fantastically strange brewery. Whenever I need to mix things up a bit, I can always rely on Magic Hat for a healthy dose of WTF. Don't get me wrong though, I don't mean this in a bad way because they do brew good beer at a baseline. But on the flip side, their beers...  more »

Every now and then a beer will leave you speechless, but not because it's a world-class wonder or because it's on par with rancid toilet water, but rather because it possesses a unique trait that smacks you in the face. In the case of SweetWater's 420 Extra Pale Ale, it's drinkability...  more »

It's the Rye of the Tiger. It's the thrill of the malt. Rising up to the challenge of a rye ale. Yes, that just happened. I hope you enjoyed that glorious jaunt back through 80's pop culture. I also hope you enjoy that virulent tune now stuck in your head for the rest of the week....  more »

Few beer drinkers are familiar with the Gose style of beer. Gose is a German-style wheat beer made with at least 50% malted wheat, coriander seeds, and salt. Yeah, let that strange combination sink in for a moment. I would assume this is the primary reason why we rarely see the style...  more »