How We Taste & Test
Reviewing beer may sound like a dream job, but our tasting and review panel takes the role seriously. Composed entirely of Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) judges who have all studied, trained, and been tested on their ability to discern characteristics in beer, our panel is independent and doesn’t include any CB&B editors or staff. The panel tastes all beer blindly— they do not know what brands and beers they are tasting until the tasting is complete.
Our goal is to inform you about the strengths and weaknesses of these beers as well as their relative differences (not everyone has the same taste in beer, so accurate descriptors are more valuable than straight numerical values). The quotes you see are compiled from the review panel’s score sheets to give you a well-rounded picture of the beer.
As our reviewers judge, they score based on the standard BJCP components: Aroma (max 12 points), Appearance (max 3 points), Flavor (max 20 points), Mouthfeel (max 5 points), and Overall Impression (max 10 points). We’ve listed these individual component scores, and the bottom-line number is derived from adding then doubling these component scores to produce a rating on a 100-point scale. Note that we’ve rounded the printed component scores to the nearest whole number, so the math won’t necessarily add up.
Our judges use the following scale in valuing scores:
95–100 » Extraordinary World-class beers of superlative character and flawless execution 90–94 » Exceptional Distinguished beers with special character, style, and flavor 85–89 » Very good Well-crafted beers with noteworthy flavor and style 80–84 » Good Solid, quality, enjoyable beers 75–79 » Above Average Drinkable and satisfactory beers with minor flaws or style deviations 70–74 » Average 50–69 » Not recommended We’d like for you to keep one thing in mind as you read these reviews—your perception of a beer is more important than that of our review panel or editorial staff, and reading reviews in a magazine (or on the Web or in a book) is no substitute for trying the beer yourself.
| ABV:
6.8%
| IBU:
31
| SRM: What the brewer says
“Our collaboration with Salt & Straw Ice Cream has yielded the perfect blend of sea salt and caramel in this full-bodied stout. Rich, balanced, smooth, and roasted.”
What our panel thought
N/A
|
Aroma: “Chocolate and toasty malt. Peaches. Slight roast and maybe a hint of smoke and slight vanilla. As it warms, aromatics start to come out a bit.” Flavor: “Sweetness up front with chocolate, toasty malt, grilled peaches, and a light smoky note leave an almost BBQ sauce impression. Sweetness fades into moderate bitterness, and a light but sharp acidity in the finish brings balance. Complex caramel and vanilla and possibly some cinnamon and nutmeg. Smooth and creamy with a nice saltiness.” Overall: “The acidity and the sweetness from the lactose and malt balance really well. The peach fruit character blends nicely with the toasty and chocolate malt. This would pair really well with BBQ food. There's a light smokiness that carries over and a roast and semi-dry chocolate in the lingering aftertaste. The caramel and salt add a fun aspect to this beer.”
| ABV:
5.5%
| IBU:
27
| SRM: What the brewer says
“Velvet Merlin offers robust cocoa and espresso aromas with subtle American hops nuances. Rich dark chocolate and roasted coffee flavors accentuate a creamy mouthfeel and dry finish to create balance in this full-bodied stout.”
What our panel thought
65
|
Aroma: “Some chocolate with a back of roastiness that is both sweet and earthy. Dried cherry esters are in the background. There is an oatmeal sweetness on the nose (sweet oats). Light touch of alcohol, but complementary.” Flavor: “Moderately sweet up front that fades into a moderate bitterness. Beautiful mouthfeel and medium-to-full body from the oats with a creaminess that coats the tongue and lingers into the finish. Medium sweetness with roasted and earthy complexities and some cherry notes. This beer has a nice smoothness that flows through the taste.” Overall: “The full satisfying body that isn’t sweet makes this very easy to drink. Toasted malt, chocolate, and dark fruit esters add a great complexity. The creaminess was nice, and the malt body showed the roast sweetness and roast bitterness. The aftertaste showed a sensitive balance of chocolate and coffee.
| ABV:
7%
| IBU:
50
| SRM: What the brewer says
N/A “Oatmeal stouts are characterized by a roasted front flavor, smooth rich oats, a touch of chocolate flavor and dry finish. Oatis is bigger than the traditional style with more alcohol, body, and a touch more bitterness to keep it balanced.”
What our panel thought |
Aroma: “Rich chocolate and toasty malt. Rich smooth roasted aroma profile. Sweet oats. Coffee. Medium Belgium fruity notes come out more as it starts to warm up. A light licorice note with a touch of alcohol.” Flavor: “Rich chocolate blends well with the dark roast profile. Moderate sweetness that fades into a moderately strong bitterness with a hint of acidity. Dark fruit cherry esters. Acidity lingers. Strong roasted acidity is just slightly overdone. Finishes slightly dry with a lingering bitterness. Thick chewy body with a light tart note. Aftertaste is licorice that sits on the tongue with roast.” Overall: “Nice, rich, chocolate roast malt profile, and nice balance of malt sweetness and bitterness. Oatmeal could have added a touch more sweetness or creaminess. An interesting Belgium note with chocolate and a high licorice note.”