You might get the impression that we, the beer gurus of ACB, understand all there is to know about beer, yet we're still learning just like you. It's this thirst for knowledge that drives us to dig deeper into the stories behind the beer we drink, thus protecting you from the embarrassment of not knowing exactly what it is you've decided to put in your mouth.

So welcome to the latest in our ongoing series (drum roll please...) "What the Hell is a Wassail?"

When I moved to New England a few years ago, I was sad to leave my favorite craft breweries of the Southeast behind, worried that my palate would be forever homesick. Today, I find myself equally anguished trying to narrow down a very long list of my favorite New England brews to a list of just three. After great deliberation and a couple Heady Toppers, here are three beers that helped make me and my taste buds feel right at home this year.

We blame the industry for this... It used to be that when we wrapped up our Weekend Picks on Friday, we could coast through the weekend. There was little need to check in for updates - things were pretty much done. But clearly all that's changed. So here's some of what's happened in the world of craft beer while you were off enjoying yourselves.

I had a lot of good craft beer in 2013. A lot. Maybe more than you. But probably not, to be honest. But I did move from Los Angeles to Seattle halfway through the year, which certainly upped my average beer consumption compared to years past. So how do you possibly choose just three to highlight out of so many incredible brews? If you're me, you choose three that came out of nowhere and smacked you upside the head with that first glorious taste. I just love it when a beer surprises me, and each of these three had something truly unexpected to offer that captured my imagination.

Move over sweet tea - in recent years, Atlanta has been a growing market in the craft beer industry. If it's Southern hospitality and boiled peanuts don't win you over, its sensational suds surly will. If you're traveling through the area, these are some of our top picks:

Hey it's Friday and this is the final weekend of 2013. And with New Year's Eve just days away, it's time for some serious fun. Well good, because we are on it! From the nation's coolest beer festivals to movies, music, and cutting-edge TV, we've got your back big-time. Plus we've got a special Serious Beer Pick that you'll want to share.

So welcome to our special "SAY GOOD-BYE TO 2013" Edition ofWeekend Picks.

As we look back on the year that was in craft beer, 2013 can only be seen as a breakthrough for the suds industry. This year, we've had industry lawsuits, a craft beer billionaire, and a craft beer financing website as well as a stark rise in other fermented drinks, such as craft hard cider and craft kombucha (both are kind of like beer, right??). Overall, 2013 has been a great year for craft beer and things look to only be getting better. Here's a look at some of my favorite beers from Denver and Colorado in 2013.

So many beers, So little time... Newbies is your essential map to the "best of the best" and the hottest new craft beers rolling out each week, and this week, we're all about the seasonals. From the delicacy of Breckenridge Brewery's new spring seasonal Ophelia to the massiveness of He'Brew Jewbelation Reborn, we've got all kinds of new releases you're going to want to chase down. So welcome to another edition of Newbies - your ultimate guide to great new craft beers! 

Season's Greetings from all of us at American Craft Beer! 

We so appreciate all of you who've have joined us this year and we're thankful you're here. Have a wonderful time doing whatever you're doing today and know that we'll be back in action and "all about it" tomorrow...

Tom Bobak - Founder & Editor-In-Chief 

White IPA

I'm dreaming of a white IPA 
Just like the ones I used to know 
Where the pint glass glistens 
And children listen 
To my stories as I start to glow

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