How to sum up the state of canned beer in 2012? My loving editors, ever concerned about my health, gently declined my suggestion to sample the 400-plus canned brews now on the market. So we whittled the list down to six selections released in the past year that best represent how far we've come. Here is our rundown of newish canned beers that couldn't be further from the watery stuff of Super Bowl ads. They're all eminently flavorful and forehead-crushable. More

Brown ales are known for smooth, easy drinking; made for quaffing pint after pint at your local. We sample some in that traditional style from all around the States, but also tried a few brews where American ingenuity has been applied with plenty of impact and success. More

I've been a fan of Surly Brewing Co. ever since my friend Lee of Hoptopia gave me one of his precious cans of Furious, an intensely brisk IPA with some rich Scottish malt thrown into the mix. (Thanks, Lee.) Who's behind this awesome Minnesota beer? A rock star. Literally. More