From The Editor (Issue 33)

As things start to cool down, beers come to life. They grow bigger, bolder, more warming and charming. Their hues skew deeper, with the green of summer hops giving way to the rich browns and blacks of malty brews.

It's an exciting time of year for the beer drinker -- some would argue it's the most justifiable, and therefore most guilt free season to imbibe. We're certainly not complaining.

For The Beer Connoisseur, the Holidays signal a shift to gift giving (not always beer-related), delicious food and drink, and a reason to get together over a pint with those who matter most.

Sherry Dryja returns with the recipe for a perfect Christmas Morning Breakfast With Beer, Ryan Newhouse elucidates Everything You Need to Know About Growlers (they make great gifts!), and we track the Hop Harvest in the Willamette Valley -- the easiest way for a drinker to know that winter is coming. 

We'll track the seasonal shifts in the beer world -- from Jonathan Ingram's take on Beer Marketing vs. Beer Quality, a top German brewer's outspoken stance on the hotly contested Reinheitsgebot, and much more, including reviews of great -- and less great beers, a Top 20 list of Christmas and Holiday Beers, and Five Top European Breweries to Visit in 2018.

Mark your calendars and unleash your beer suitcases, grab a pint and enjoy Holiday 2017, Issue #33 of The Beer Connoisseur!