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:
5%
| IBUS:
14
| SRM: What the brewer says
“Made by the brewers for employees to be able to enjoy a light beer during the day while still being productive, now canned for your enjoyment.”
What our panel thought
N/A
|
Aroma: “Spicy notes up front, with a slight soap note that covers up the Pilsner sweetness. Some sulfur, green apple, pear, and lemon aromas, as well as a floral and spicy phenol character. The bread-like sweetness is yeasty.” Flavor: “Moderate bitterness up front, with skins of green apples, and a sweetness that creates an almost lemon-drop flavor. Floral hops are present, with some slight spice and pear character, and finishes clean with a touch of light bread sweetness and hops spiciness. Light and crisp with high carbonation, but a creamy mouthfeel.” Overall: “This beer lacked the complexity of the best beers in this category, but it comes together well for a very drinkable Pilsner. The mixture of lemon, fruitiness, and malt gives way to a nice, clean, spicy finish. Enjoyable and very refreshing.”
| ABV:
5%
| IBUS:
28
| SRM: What the brewer says
“A simple Bohemian Pilsner that’s enough that anyone can drink it.”
What our panel thought
N/A light
|
Aroma: “Light fruitiness with a smattering of spice and pine in the hops. Warm, toasty, bready malt with a touch of caramel. Subtle lemon blends with the Continental malt sweetness. Aromas overall are subtle.” Flavor: “Pleasant, unique hops flavor, with a mix of fresh grape, honeysuckle, and light spices. Some bitterness allows the other flavors to shine, but the hops are muted. A hint of toasty biscuit malt on the back end, but lingers with a residual sweetness that seems out of character.” Overall: “This beer doesn’t break any Pilsner conventions, but it definitely tweaks them, with some fun and unique flavors that aren’t typically found in this style. A well-crafted delight, with clean maltiness and minimal hops bitterness. This session beer is easily drinkable on a summer day.”
| ABV:
5.2%
| IBUS:
35
| SRM: What the brewer says
“Its refined herbal notes are delicately poised, followed by a nutty and honeyed aftertaste. The overall impression of this sparkling beer is one of deep harmony, with the unmistakeable bitterness of the hops balanced and contained by an agreeable, mellow sweetness in the body.”
What our panel thought
N/A
|
Aroma: “Very delicate at first, skunky, with some muscular German hops aroma that’s mostly floral. Behind that lies some cracker and mild bread sweetness. Earthy, sulfur tones, and spicy and earthy notes.” Flavor: “Skunkiness up front, followed by malty biscuit, honey, and cracker. Floral hops bring on some spice and bitterness, along with some lime. Good body and high carbonation create a nice bite at the end.” Overall: “Refreshing and welcome if you like the simple nature of this beer. Bright, light, and a little rough around the edges, but well-balanced with the hops and malt flavors.”