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For a bright, fruity flavor that’s special to Mexico and the American Southwest, consider the humble prickly pear. (Just watch out for those spines.)

• Special Ingredient
• Prickly Pear
• Field Beer

The McIlhenney family put Alpine, California, and New Zealand hops on American beer lovers’ maps with their innovative forays into IPA and reverent takes on classic styles. Now, they’re back and brewing in the original brewhouse and taproom, and Shawn McIlhenney is focused on what he loves the most—designing and brewing groundbreaking beers.

• Podcast

“This refreshingly crisp cold IPA takes inspiration from our friend and former Firestone Walker brewer Kevin Davey,” Sam Tierney says. “It can be brewed two ways: one with rice adjunct to lighten the body, or another with a lower-FAN, extra-pale German pilsner malt for similar effect.”

• Beer Recipe
• IPA
• Cold IPA

It’s been five years since Wayfinder brewed its first cold IPA and more than two since it went mainstream. Despite predictions of a passing fad, breweries continue to embrace that lean, “wester than West Coast” frame. Here, Firestone Walker brewmaster Matt Brynildson muses on what defines it—and what really makes it work.

• Cold IPA
• IPA
• Lager Yeast

From our Love Handles files on beer bars we love: In Florence, Italy, Diorama offers a cozy spot to get acquainted with Italian and European craft.

• Love Handles

This big and complex yet dangerously easy-to-drink ale is relatively easy to brew well—just watch that attenuation and focus on healthy fermentation for a drying finish.

• Beer Recipe
• Belgian-Style Dark Strong Ale

This crowd-pleaser pizza get a lift from some spicy, garlicky shrimp deglazed with juicy IPA.

• Cooking With Beer
• Shrimp
• Pizza

From our Illustrated Guide to Homebrewing, here’s a rundown of what to expect as you plan your first brew, including all the gear you’ll want to have ready.

• Homebrewing
• Intro to Homebrewing
• Beginners Homebrewing

First brewed for Notch’s 10th anniversary in 2020, this is a 10°P pale lager in the Czech tradition—low in strength yet full of flavor. The beer is triple-decocted, open-fermented, naturally carbonated, and “lagered forever.”

• Beer Recipe
• All Access Recipe
• Czech Pale Lager

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.

• Podcast
• Hops
• Hop Selection

Want to dive deeper into Kölsch? Here are some observations on the culture of the köbes, plus tips on building your own traditional-style serving tray.

• Kölsch
• DIY
• Kranz

Kölsch-style ale is an American craft mainstay, and reverent Kölsch service is now a trend with broad appeal. Before we all get carried away, Ryan Pachmayer goes to Köln to consider the subject more closely, from how it’s served to how it’s brewed—and why its future is uncertain.

• Kölsch