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Official Review (Issue 62)
The latest beer and cider reviews by The Beer Connoisseur's panel of judges.
Judging Process
Our reviews are conducted in a single-blind tasting format. This method provides the best opportunity to rely on facts and to avoid favoritism, insuring a level playing field for all brewers. It serves both the industry and the consumer to have unbiased and objective scores from qualified experts. To best implement this approach, the Judges Review is open to those with established experience as a Master Cicerone® from the Cicerone® Certification Program or as a judge that has accomplished the rank of National or higher from the Beer Judge Certification Program. In the single-blind tasting format, judges are presented with a chilled, properly poured beer and given its style category. Scoring is then done on the following basis using a 100-point scale:
Score Breakdown:
100 to 96: World Class – You need this beer in your life.
95 to 91: Exceptional – Don’t hesitate.
90 to 86: Very Good – A brew to savor.
85 to 75: Average – Somewhat unimpressive.
74 and below: Not Recommended – Just walk away.
Exceptional (95 to 91)
95
Alpha Abstraction Vol. 21
Wild Leap Brew Co.
94
Snowmelt Hard Sipper Lavender Lemon Flora
Upslope Brewing Co.
94
Japanese Style Lager
Upslope Brewing Co.
94
Sunshine Haze Dream
Urban South Brewery
94
DDH Deftones Phantom Bride Hazy IPA
Belching Beaver Brewery
92
Eternal Siesta
Gnarly Barley Brewing Co.
91
Hazy 8 Double IPA
Gnarly Barley Brewing Co.
91
Westphal Kölsch
Berlinetta Brewing
Very Good (90 to 86)
90
Scrag Mountain Pils - Salt & Lime
Lawson's Finest Liquids
88
Mango Lime Sour Ale
Upslope Brewing Co.
88
Good Seed
Gnarly Barley Brewing Co.
88
Building Lives: Son of a Saint - Sonny's Spicy Margarita
Urban South Brewery
87
Snowmelt Hard Sipper House Punch
Upslope Brewing Co.
87
Goldcoast Lager
Berlinetta Brewing
Average (85 to 75)
85
Coastal Harmony
Urban South Brewery
84
Weihenstephan Festbier
Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan
84
Bourbon Street Porter
Low Road Brewing
83
Dark Allyance
Wild Leap Brew Co.
82
Letiche's Bite
Low Road Brewing
82
Summer Vacation
Low Road Brewing