Letter from the Editor: Spring 2026

Months ago, as I paged through beverage issues from Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, and numerous other Edible magazines to gather inspiration, I actually started to feel more nervous than motivated. Their pages were covered in nuanced descriptions and wonderfully moody photos of wine, martinis and ornate cocktails—things that had become nearly foreign to me as I celebrate five years of sobriety from alcohol this year.

My nerves didn’t dissipate until I casually began flipping through past issues of Edible Madison and was reminded that we have always celebrated the full breadth of what makes Wisconsin unique and our beverage industry is certainly that. Wisconsin is the Dairy State but its citizens are the leading consumers of brandy in the country. We are home to the iconic Spotted Cow beer as well as Untitled Art, one of the leaders in the nonalcoholic (NA) beer industry. Wisconsin hosts around 55 coffee roasters with a growing tea scene and you’ll find no shortage of options when it comes to Wisconsin-made cider, soda, wine and seltzers.

As I pondered the sheer variety of beverages being served across our state, I realized that sobriety had actually been the driving force in helping me discover a greater number of exceptional Wisconsin libations. When I was merely sober-curious almost a decade ago, sitting in a packed booth of Madison’s Tornado Room, I remember asking our server if I could have chocolate milk in a wine glass—something to make me feel equally as fancy as my friends with martinis while drinking something equally as delicious. I savored that milk like a fine wine and felt like I was tasting that chocolatey goodness for the first time.

Since then my NA palate has matured a bit more and I’ve been introduced to the funky delight of kombucha. I have traded out craft beer snobbery for burgeoning coffee pretension, and I’ve started to explore the world of shrubs and syrups to create my own version of a soda. I’m not saying sobriety has always been an easy journey for me, but I have been fortunate to be surrounded by endless local beverage options and a bar and restaurant scene that lately has been featuring thoughtful NA options alongside all of the beautifully crafted beer, wine and spirits.

It’s a great time to celebrate all things luscious and liquid in Wisconsin, and I hope this spring’s issue will help spark your interest in the wealth of beverages surrounding us. Perhaps it will inspire you to try crafting some of your own. Whether you partake or pass on alcohol, this issue is packed with stories and recipes to drink up and drink in—a perfect way to toast the start of spring.

Cheers,

Marissa DeGroot, Managing Editor