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Mike Rybinski, brewmaster at ZwanzigZ Pizza in Columbus, Indiana, shares this recipe for the American imperial stout that won gold at the 2022 and 2025 World Beer Cups—plus, notes for the ghost pepper variation that also won gold at the Great American Beer Festival in 2017.

From ZwanzigZ Pizza & Brewing in Columbus, Indiana, the Fulcrum imperial stout twice won gold medals at the World Beer Cup, in 2022 and 2025. Here, brewmaster Mike Rybinski shares the beer’s inspirations and what makes it stand out from the modern crowd. As told to Ryan Pachmayer.

Cold showers are trendy, and cold plunges are so hot right now—but craft breweries were taking advantage of cold water before it was, well, cool. Here’s a closer look at one of the most undersung pieces of brewhouse equipment—the CLT—as well as other ways to knock out and chill.

How low can brewers go when selecting a base malt—and what impact does that have on flavor, performance, and overall beer quality?

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You may not be able to ferment in a proper Burton Union—though we wouldn’t put it past some of you to build your own—but you can brew your own version of this beer that Thornbridge developed specifically for the country’s last working Union set.

Meant to represent the kind of pale lagers that were brewed by the likes of John Wagner, who brewed the first lager in the United States, this is kind of like German or Czech Pilsner but includes some local variability and flair.

The cofounders of this small central California brewery have intentionally limited their scope to lager—but that doesn’t mean they sacrifice breadth or experimentation, as they tinker with everything from traditional styles to hazy pale lager.

In England’s East Midlands, the brewing trailblazer Thornbridge has rescued and is continuing to use a vital piece of British brewing heritage—an original Burton Union system. More than just a museum piece, the technology lends a suppleness to the ales that course through it.

Harnessing data from disparate brewery systems is easier now than ever before, and predictive tools and AI-powered systems are within reach even for small breweries. In this episode, we explore how breweries can use this data effectively to avoid costly downtime.

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A collaboration with Triptych of Savoy, Illinois, this amber lager from Chicago’s Goldfinger brings Midwestern flavor via Minnesota wild rice, Wisconsin hops, and a yeast strain resurrected from a 19th-century Wisconsin brewery.

This truly indigenous, widely available American grain offers nutty, earthy flavors that would seem to be compatible with malt-forward beer. Yet relatively few breweries have tried it.

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Besides sanitation, success here depends on two things: slightly chloride-forward water to round out the malt, and great attenuation for a light, dry finish.

While many brewers in North America have leaned into saisons with dialed-up flavors—with more acidity, plentiful phenolics, and big Brett—this small and focused brewery in Chicago’s Ravenswood neighborhood tones it down and shapes it up to make lighter, drier beers that drink full, glass after glass.

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What’s driving the push behind ultra-pale malts anyway?

Whether you’re the type who appreciates a real technical challenge—or just the type who appreciates something easygoing and ice-cold on a hot day—light lager has plenty to offer the ambitious (and thirsty) brewer.

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Open New Belgium’s 35th Anniversary Variety Pack and take a ride through the brewery’s early history. Sunshine Wheat, Classic Fat Tire Amber Ale, and Blue Paddle: three time capsules in cans to celebrate three and a half decades of brewing.

Cleaning and drying are not just sanitation concerns for breweries. They directly impact production speed, labor, water and chemical use, packaging quality, and overall uptime.

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Patrick Bourque, head brewer at Kiitos in Salt Lake City, says they brewed this IPA to showcase fonio’s unique flavors—such as passion fruit, lychee, and white peach—and how those flavors meld nicely with the flavors and aromas of modern hop varieties.

From our Love Handles files on our favorite places in the world to drink great beer: In lager-loving Bamberg, this atmospheric pub stays up late to pour some of the best from the city and the region.

Chicago’s Half Acre has built a well-deserved reputation for expertly crafted beers, and its pale ale Daisy Cutter has found its way into the pantheon of craft classics. Now, co-owner Matt Gallagher has set his sights on something smaller: Suncatcher, a neighborhood-focused brewery where the beers support rather than drive the conversation.