Justin Burdt and the team at Ghost Town in Oakland, California, share this homebrew-scale recipe for the double IPA that won back-to-back GABF gold medals in 2021 and 2022—and helped them earn Brewery of the Year honors in 2022.

Oakland, California’s Ghost Town made a splash in 2021 and 2022, winning back-to-back GABF gold medals for their Nose Goblin Imperial IPA, along with notable 2022 medals in the strong pale ale and India pale lager categories. One of their secrets, of course, is hop quality—but the qualities that head brewer Justin Burdt seeks out aren’t exactly the ones you might think.

“Nose of floral, lemon, and a healthy dose of dank, resinous character. Hop flavor blends citrus, verbena, herbal notes with fresh-cut grass. Hint of astringency emerges mid-palate and lingers.”

“Citrus-forward nose. Sweet orange, light vanilla atop a firm malt backbone. Ripe pineapple lingers throughout. Sturdy bitterness cuts through the sweet malt, providing a nice framework for the hop flavors. Somewhat dry on the back end with a pleasant bitterness. Finish is soft, slightly sweet, and fruity.”

From cofounder and head brewer Kevin Stafford and the team at Finback in Queens, New York, comes their take on the contemporary hoppy pilsner—“a nice balance of new and old school.” (It was also a hit with our blind-review panel, tops in its class at 98/100.)

The signature farmhouse style of Estonia is a quirky product of preserved tradition, local ingredients, and practicality. It’s also a perfect reminder that farmhouse brewing is, after all, homebrewing.

When following this recipe based on a kveik-fermented IPA from Chicago’s Burnt City Brewing, don’t leave out the most crucial step: the gjærkauk, i.e., screaming loudly while pitching the yeast, to scare the ghosts away.

Try culturing up dregs from a favorite mixed-fermentation beer to brew this farmhouse ale, a balanced frame for funky depth.

One of the world’s most respected brewers of dry, rustic farmhouse ales, Daniel Thiriez of Brasserie Thiriez, shares the story of his brewery, his yeast, and their place in the small northern French town of Esquelbecq. As told to Ryan Pachmayer.

Brewed once per year at Urban Chestnut’s brewery in Wolnzach, in the heart of Bavaria’s hop-growing Hallertau region, here is a homebrew-scale recipe for the strong, malty, mahogany-colored beer named for the town’s 8th-century founder.

Flagstaff, Arizona, offers eight breweries, great walkability, plenty of history, culture, fresh air, and four seasons of fun in a cool mountain town.

With thanks to the brewing team at Ghostfish in Seattle, this recipe is for a gluten-free Belgian-style strong ale with a bold, golden hue, solid body, warming booziness, and a classic ester profile.

The production team at one of the world’s most accomplished gluten-free breweries lays out the alternative routes they take to making great-tasting beer—without barley, wheat, or oats.

It’s clear that much about the origins of saison is confusing. That doesn’t mean there aren’t style marks to strive for. Randy Mosher breaks down this beer (often called farmhouse) point by point to give us a better understanding.

With so much flavorful, interesting beer on tap, is it worth investing the time and money into homebrewing? 

With deep roots in the town’s history, a diverse lineup of inspired beers, and major expansion in its future, Burial Beer Co. has established itself as a fundamental planet in Asheville, North Carolina’s craft-beer-soaked universe.

In the world of beer, and certainly German beer, weizenbocks are strange unexpected beers.

Welcoming flavor is the name of the game for Barn Town Brewing in West Des Moines, Iowa. Whether it’s their top-scoring hazy IPAs or their non-gluten fruited sour beers, they’re earning a reputation for building savvy balance into bold flavors.

On the edges of Portland, Oregon, and the country’s most demanding beer scene, Grains of Wrath is turning heads and earning respect with bright West Coast IPAs and award-winning lagers.

In the little town of Littleton, traditional Schilling Beer and its brash Resilience offshoot are deepening their roots.