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Brian started diving into the world of craft beer in 2004, tracking all of the beers he tasted online, with notes. He picked up homebrewing in 2008 and began judging in 2010. Taking pride in the opportunity to give feedback to brewers of all sorts, he has progressed through the BJCP, attaining the rank of Master in 2013. He formerly acted as an Associate Exam Director for the BJCP, as well as an exam administrator and proctor, and presently holds the rank of Grand Master IV, as well as Mead judge. To him, the most important aspect of judging is to know your limits and learn how to recognize them and expand them. To achieve that end, Brian has judged in over 100 competitions in 12 states and counting, including the Great American Beer Festival, and visits innumerable breweries. He also helps organize a few competitions each year, including the role of judge coordinator for the Festival of Wood & Barrel-Aged Beer (which you may know as FoBAB), the largest of its kind in the world.
Broyhan by Seedstock Brewery is being judged based on independent research of the style as a category 27 Historical Beer.
Broyhan is a beer that falls within the Northern European wheat beer tradition, which includes witbier & gose and, historically, appears it may have been wheat... Read More
2021 New Year Cuvée by pFriem Family Brewers is being judged as a 33B Specialty Wood-Aged Beer, as a strong stout with toasted coconut and vanilla. In the glass, the beer is definitely a bit less black than anticipated, but that's just the appearance. Pours clear with a thin off-white head. The... Read More
Summer Vacation by Low Road Brewing is being judged as a 28C Wild Specialty Beer. This pours with a collapsing fizzy white head, a pale straw color with a subtle haze to it. The nose of this beer is pretty interesting, with the mix of aromas coming together as a kettle corn amalgam. The tart... Read More
Inline IPA was judged as a 21A American IPA. In the glass, it's a very attractive pale golden color and quite clear, with a frothy white head -- a Classic West Coast IPA appearance. There is a faint haze to it, likely from the hopping. The nose is distinctly grapefruit and other bright citrus... Read More
Premium Czech Lager by Seedstock Brewery was Judged as a 3b-Czech Premium Pale Lager.
The beer pours a faintly hazed deep gold with a persistent white head. The nose seems Saazer like, but I also get a slight lemony edges that makes me think of something like Premiant. At any rate, the... Read More
Raspberry Nimbus by Lakefront Brewery is being judged here as a 29A Fruit Beer.
In the glass, it's a fairly cloudy deep magenta with a rapidly collapsing head. A bit of head would be nice, but the fruit is likely killing that aspect of the beer. The nose is full of raspberry sherbet,... Read More
