From the Editor, Issue 69

Hello readers! It’s that time again… Welcome to the Holiday Issue (#69) of The Beer Connoisseur Magazine!

In the South (where I’m located), temperatures have finally plummeted, and it is truly starting to feel as if numerous notable holidays are right around the corner. As such, what better way to ring in these festive occasions than with a hearty issue of BC, chock-a-block full of myriad entertaining and informative stories for our readers.

Visiting Belgium is a rite of passage for beer aficionados, and yours truly got a chance to visit in September. My Belgium: A Beer Trip Full of Joie de Vivre travelogue story showcases all of the tremendous places I got to visit during a whirlwind tour of the country, including some of its most notable beer establishments.

Beer prices have been rising for a long time now, thanks to the craft beer movement and general inflation. However, do you know what the most expensive beers of all time are? A Fascinating Look at the World's 11 Most Expensive Beers will detail all of the priciest beers of all time from 1844-packs of famed lagers to a 19th-century bottle of IPA that sold for over a half million dollars, this list has it all.

We revisit our What We’re Drinking Now series with a collection of top-flight brews from different regions of the U.S. From the Atlantic to the Pacific, from the peaks of the Rockies to the coasts of the South, this list has something for everyone.

While everyone loves mac n’ cheese, stuffing and mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving, it must be admitted that those can get a little boring if you have them every year. Why not Elevate Your Thanksgiving Feast with These Non-Traditional Side Dishes? These unusual sides will have your family sitting up swiftly from their tryptophan torpor – just in time for the desserts!

Having a wee tipple around Christmastime is a seasonal tradition on par with hanging stockings, opening gifts and regifting fruitcake. Check out these 12 Irresistible Christmas Cocktails for the Holiday Season that are sure to have you up on the housetop with Rudolph, Blitzen, Saint Nick and the rest of the gang (please don’t actually go up on your roof after swilling these beverages)!

It’s always a good time to focus on health, even during the holidays, when heavier meals are the norm. if you’re enjoying a few drinks, it’s always good to remember that wonderful organ that helps you on that boozy quest: your liver! Our list of the 17 Best Foods for Liver Health features a bevy of tasty and healthy snacks that will keep your liver ticking along healthily.

Saint Bernards and barrels have a certain mythical quality to them. But is there truth to the legend? Jim Dykstra explores that topic in a recently updated article: The Truth About Saint Bernard Dogs and Barrels.

Martyn Cornell delivers a lengthy exploration of the history of one of the most famous beers of all time in Everything You Need to Know About Guinness. If you need an extremely detailed primer on the most widely drunk stout around the world, look no further than this definitive document.

No issue of The Beer Connoisseur would be complete without our Official Reviews, Industry News and Brewer Q&As, and Issue 68 is no exception. Delving into the world of beer has never been easier.

Thank you for joining us on this endless journey to Discover the World of Beer. We hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday season, and we’ll see you next year!

Cheers!

Chris Guest
- Managing Editor