Winter 2023, Issue 64

It’s a new year, and that means it’s time for us at The Beer Connoisseur to reflect on the year that was in 2022 with our year-end print edition.

2022 finally resembled something of a “normal” year after the doldrums of two years of COVID-related strife. Taprooms, bars, and breweries were all back to normal operating hours – though there definitely were fewer of them as the long COVID layoff caused a number of them to shut their doors permanently.

Still, though, innovation in beer and brewing was high, and popular new styles continued to crop up – including the continued rise in popularity of lagers, specifically imported lagers and Mexican lagers. Those trends and more – including non-alcoholic beers, THC/CBD beverages, and cold IPAs – can be found within this issue in our year-end Trends story by Jim Dykstra.

Last year was a terrific one in terms of our Official Review as our judges evaluated a record-tying 13 beers that achieved World Class ratings of 96 or above. Furthermore, one beer achieved a near-perfect rating of 99 – making it one of only five other beers in our history to reach those lofty heights in our Official Review.

For our Breweries of the Year story, our top Brewery of the Year is from New England and is known for its high-quality IPAs, stouts, and maple ales – hopefully, those hints aren’t too precise, so read on to find out who won!

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

From the Editor

Industry News

INDUSTRY OUTLOOK

2023 Beer Trends
An exploration of IRI Worldwide sales data, which tracks some of the most popular beers by brewery and by sales category, including the rising popularity of Mexican lagers.

2023 Hard Beverage Trends
2022 brought a bevy of new and interesting non-beer beverages. Jim Dykstra once again outlines all those fascinating drinks and more.

THE BEER IN REVIEW

Top 100 Beers of 2022
The best of the Official Review in 2022 as evaluated by our judges, including a whopping 13 World Class beers with one even scoring a 99.

The Best Beers of 2022 by Style Category
The year’s best beer categorized by the most populated beer styles in the 2022 Official Review. A one-stop shopping list of the best brews on shelves today.

The Best Breweries of 2022
The breweries that submitted the highest-scoring beers collectively in 2022. These brewers demonstrated mastery of their craft.

ADVERTISERS INDEX

FEATURES

Top Emerging Beer Styles for 2023
Every year sees new styles rise and older ones fall by the wayside, and 2023 will be no different.

The Hop Report: Trending Hops for 2023
Without hops, beer would be far less interesting. Jonathan Ingram trawls the bines to check on some of the trendiest hops for 2023.

REVIEWS

Official Review
Single-blind reviews from our panel of experts. Featuring Timmermans Framboise Lambicus, 21st Amendment Brew Free! Or Die Cold IPA, Arches Black Gold and more!

Brewer Q & A
Brewers share secrets of their highest-scoring beers.