Now on Stands: The Beer Issue

The first yellow buses roll through my neighborhood right after Labor Day, and in my house—just like in homes across the country—early September’s the time when school backpacks are dug out of the hall closet, as beach umbrellas and camping gear are stored away once again.

Summer’s at an end. But while the changing season may be a bummer to sun-worshippers and schoolchildren, it’s not all downsides when the vacations and road trips wrap up for another year. Because as much as we love our warm-weather excursions, there’s something about settling in at home that brings its own set of rewards.

Look at your own neighborhood, and you’ll get an idea of what I mean. As Joshua Bernstein explores in this issue, small breweries are an integral part of many neighborhoods, and the role they’re playing in communities stretches beyond the simple pouring of a pint of beer. Finding the right local bar can also be an essential part of making a place home—John Kessler discovered this firsthand when he moved from Atlanta to Chicago, and he writes about settling into a new bar, and a new home. And in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a venerable cocktail bar has long shaken things up right in the middle of beer country.

To read the rest of our early fall features—like Wayne Curtis’ story on distinguishing the craft from the crafty in spirits, suggestions for making cocktails with Pineau des Charentes, and Jessica Dupuy’s exploration the drink offerings of Healdsburg in California’s Sonoma County—you’ll need to pick up an issue, out on stands now. In the meantime, here are a few of our web extras to dive into:

• Meet The Barrel-Maker: Ramiro Herrera
• Behind-the-Scenes: The Craft of the Master Cooper
• Inside Look: The Standby, Detroit
• Brewery Co-ops Fuel A Sense of Community