Jamie Bogner

A year of focused tasting panels plus two full days of blind judging and lively discussion among our editorial panel—including Kate Bernot and Stan Hieronymus—culminates in this: the roll of honor. Here are the 20 beers that awed, delighted, and inspired us the most, representing the pinnacle of the craft today.

Hear the stories behind the stories, as Jamie and Joe share your Readers’ Choice picks for favorites of the year, and as they reveal and discuss Craft Beer & Brewing’s Best 20 Beers in 2024.

After two days of judging for our Best 20 Beers in 2024, the team sat down to discuss their own most enjoyable beers and experiences of the past year—along the way identifying some trends that may offer hope for the next chapter of craft beer’s story.

Firestone Walker Brewmaster Matt Brynildson, Omnipollo cofounder Henok Fentie, and FrauGruber cofounder Enzo Frauenschuh explore international approaches to brewing and collaborating on barrel-aged stout, from recipes to aging conditions, barrel choices, adding adjunct ingredients, and more.

Our cofounder, editorial director, and host of the Craft Beer & Brewing Podcast shares his standout beers and moments from the past year.

In this final panel discussion recorded at the Brewer’s Retreat at Dogfish Head in Milton, Delaware, this past October, Sam Calagione takes the moderator reins as Ethan Frisch of Burlap & Barrel shares insights into spices while Bryan Selders and Mark Safarik of Dogfish Head discuss how they use various spices and ingredients in their boundary-defying beer.

While the high era of beer-infused food products has passed, we still get a kick out of the creative intersection of compelling brewing and culinary adventure. Here are some highlights from our recent exploration.

What happens when an experienced brewmaster trades his 100-barrel production plant for a five-barrel kit built into an old farm? Smart but simple efficiency measures, lagers that lean into the farm’s terroir, and a focus on gentle processes that optimize flavor by reducing stress on ingredients, wort, and fermenting beer.

Totally unpretentious, yet challenging to execute with precision... We asked five brewers for their favorite lagers brewed with body-lightening corn or rice.

Brewing in Czechia is steeped in tradition, but there are corners exploring modern craft styles in a very Czech way. In this episode, the brewers of Zichovec in Louny, Czechia, talk through their approach to classic styles with modern flair as well as modern styles with a local touch.