Pulque was once considered a gift from the gods, reserved for the ruling class. It has been called magical because of its spontaneous fermentation and is even known as an aphrodisiac. Modern homebrewers can make a variation of this ancient drink.

The United States may be a relative newbie in world of brewing, with less than 400 years of brewing history under our belts. But American brewers have put their mark on the world’s brewing landscape. In honor of American Beer Month, we take a look at four American beers–Anchor Steam, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Pete’s Wicked Ale and Widmer Hefeweizen–that define new American styles.

Back in Jauary, we asked you for the second year to name your favorite commercial beers available in the U.S. market. We received 757 votes for 399 different beers from 102 different breweries, then tabulated the results. There were plenty of repeats, but a new order of favorites.

Who are the biggest craft brewers in the land? Our Association of Brewers stats list production totals for the top specialty brewing companies, regional breweries, microbreweries, and brewpubs.

There’s more to beer judging than drinking free beer. It takes a lot of hard work to properly evaluate beer, but the rewards are many. With proper preparation and plenty of practice, you can become an experienced beer evaluator.

Beer judges often calibrate their palates by tasting a commercial example of the beer style they are judging. We have assembled a panel of four of the top judges from the Beer Judge Certification Program and asked them to judge two American classic beers. We invite you to get your own samples of Anchor Steam and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and judge along with them.

Randy Mosher, author of the new Brewers Publication’s book “Radical Brewing,” gives a sampling of some of the topics covered in his latest book. From strange ingredients and quirky processes to downright scary recipes, Mosher invites readers to take their brewing to radical extremes in the pursuit of new adventures.

Coming to Las Vegas for the AHA National Homebrew Conference? Don’t gamble on being able to find the best beer spots on your own. We’ve enlisted a Las Vegas native and veteran beer writer to give the skinny on “Beer and Loafing in Las Vegas.”

Your priorities will change with a new arrival, but with some advance planning and helpful strategies, homebrewing can still be part of the picture.

Homebrewing is an excellent way for beer drinkers to help save the planet. Even without any special practices or products, homebrewing is usually gentler on the world’s ecosystems than consuming mass-produced industrial brews.