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:
7.8%
| IBUS:
N/A
| SRM: What the brewer says
“This smooth ale tastes citrusy with yeasty notes and a hint of peppery spice. Its dry finish and mild carbonation make it perfect for pairing…”
What our panel thought
N/A
|
Aroma: “A nice, prominent yeast phenolic character of spice and peppercorn coupled with a malt sweetness and a pleasant amount of yeast fruitiness– citrus, orange, apple, pear, and a slight earthiness.” Flavor: “A healthy amount of yeast phenolics up front, combined with a dose of fruity esters. Moderately sweet with a bit of tart in the middle but a borderline cloying sweetness carries into the finish. Nice clean dry finish due to the high carbonation. Slight tartness. Touch of orange, lemon, and some spicy notes. A bit bitter in the finish.” Overall: “A wonderfully crafted saison that definitely leans more toward examples of stronger, heavier versions, but does so without losing its footing or balance. Very good—the only thing holding this beer back is bit too much malt sweetness throughout. This beer was full of flavor yet still really refreshing due to the high carbonation. Enjoyed it.”
| ABV:
6%
| IBUS:
31
| SRM: What the brewer says
“The aroma is dominated by fruity esters reminiscent of citrus fruits and a moderate earthy and floral hops aroma. It is medium-bodied and refreshing.”
What our panel thought
5
|
Aroma: “Moderate white pepper note with a light fruit and lemon ester. Light spicy notes of lemongrass and white pepper. Low herbal earth hops. A very clean-smelling beer.” Flavor: “Big lemon and light grape notes up front with plenty of carbonation. Moderate grapefruit with a pithiness creates a dryness at the end of the sip. Tangerine carries through with light peppery phenols and white bread. Low malt sweetness up front gives way to a mix of moderate acidity and bitterness. Earthy hops presence with a slight floral and basil flavor. Clean and wellbalanced. Hops bitterness lingers with a slight tartness in the back.” Overall: “Moderate carbonation covers up a lot of the fruitiness up front, but once it dissipates there is more sweetness and a moderate spicy note. The light mix of esters, phenols, and bready malt give a nice complexity, while the dry tart finish and high carbonation make it very refreshing.”
| ABV:
6.1%
| IBUS:
45
| SRM: What the brewer says
“A hops-forward farmhouse ale with complex aromas of fruit and a balanced bitterness.”
What our panel thought
N/A
|
Aroma: “Juicy citrusy and bright American hops aroma. Honey and floral. A light malt aroma develops as it warms. Big tropical fruit notes of pineapple and mango.” Flavor: “A sweet citrus fruit juiciness carries throughout. Tastes fresh and sweet but finishes mostly dry with a clean finish that defies the sweet aroma. Big orange and floral hops, peppery phenol, and honey and slight caramel malt. Similar to the aroma, the flavor is a clever blend of traditional saison yeast flavors (pear, ripe apple, herbal/floral notes) and juicy hops character, with light mango, strawberry, and grapefruit. A perfectly dry beer that encourages more drinking.” Overall: “Refreshing and juicy, this beer came together nicely. Intriguing use of citrus and floral hops in what would otherwise be a classic French saison. The sum is greater than the parts—a delicious combination of a base saison style with New World hops. Great dry light finish and refreshing fruity notes.