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David Sapsis

David Sapsis's picture
Beer & Cider Judge

Dave has been brewing beer since 1983 and judging since 1985. He holds the BJCP rank of Grand Master II, and has served in the program as Exam Assistant Director, Exam Director, and Western Representative on the BJCP Board of Directors.  Early in his brewing, while at the University of California pursuing a degree in Forestry, he met a young woman who worked in a world-class yeast lab (the Professor of the lab recently won a Nobel Prize), who helped him build a diverse yeast bank. He married her.  

In addition to brewing beers regularly and evaluating beers wherever he goes, Dave likes to cook and dabbles in charcuterie and motorcycle racing. In his day job, he works as a wildland fire scientist for the State of California.

 

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My reviews

Mulled Cider

Mulled Cider

Mulled Cider, Kelterei Possman
Description 

Heisser Apple Cider (hot apple cider) is a must during the winter and Christmas season. It is an aromatic drink based from apple wine with the following spices added: Cinnamon, Clove, Lemon and Sugar. This traditional recipe is very popular during the colder seasons in and around Frankfurt.

Beverage Profile
ABV: 
5.5%
Served at: 
42 - 48º F

 

 


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Judges Rating:
90
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
20 / 24
Flavor:
37 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
18 / 20

Mulled Cider by Kelterei Possman is being judged as a specialty cider, style C2B, per the BJCP 2015 cider guidelines.

The cider pours a medium-gold color with notable haze. Only a very tiny bit of effervescence is evident. The aroma starts with red and green apple notes below a nice, yet... Read More

Beavers Milk Nitro

Beavers Milk Nitro by Belching Beaver Brewery
Judges Rating:
93
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
22 / 24
Flavor:
36 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
20 / 20

Beaver's Milk Nitro by Belching Beaver Brewery was evaluated as a Sweet Stout (2015 Beer Judge Certification Program Category 16A) according to the BJCP guidelines.

The beer comes to me in a soft shouldered Guinness-style glass poured to perfection:  a 3/4ths inch thick créma of mocha-... Read More

Fayuca Rizing

Fayuca Rizing, Helio Basin Brewing Co.
Judges Rating:
94
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
22 / 24
Flavor:
38 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
19 / 20

Fayuca Rizing by Helio Basin Brewing Co. is being judged as BJCP Category 18B American Pale Ale and served in a shouldered pint glass at 43oF.

The beer comes to me showing a deep gold/light amber color with a faint haze; a big, creamy, off-white head of fine bubbles lasts a long time.... Read More

The Call

The Call

Michigan
United States
The Call, New Holland Brewing Co.
Description 

The Call is a sour ale fermented with our in-house sour culture and aged for two years before being finished on over 3,500 pounds of raspberries, blackberries and blueberries, fueling a spontaneous secondary fermentation.

Beverage Profile
ABV: 
6.6%
Served at: 
50 - 55º F

 

 


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Judges Rating:
92
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
22 / 24
Flavor:
37 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
18 / 20

The Call from New Holland Brewing Co. is a sour ale with raspberries blackberries and blueberries and is being judged as BJCP category 28C Wild Specialty Ale (with fruit). While the beer was aged in a foeder, I was unaware of that fact during the blind-judging and have left the review intact. ... Read More

Samuel Adams Wicked Double IPA

Samuel Adams Wicked Double IPA

Massachusetts
United States
Samuel Adams Wicked Double IPA, Boston Beer Co.
Description 

Big aromatic complexity from our dry-hopping blend including intense red fruit, strawberry jam, melon, over-ripe banana, and dry white wine. The full-bodied mouthfeel adds to the jammy fruit impression. Big hop flavor with low bitterness, allows for all of the complex aromas and flavors in this beer to shine.

Beverage Profile
ABV: 
8.3%
IBUs: 
30
Malts: 
Samuel Adams Two-Row Pale Malt Blend, White Wheat, Golden Naked Oats
Hops: 
Cascade, Ella, Mandarina Bavaria, Mosaic, Hallertau Blanc

 

 


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Judges Rating:
85
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
20 / 24
Flavor:
34 / 40
Mouthfeel:
8 / 10
Overall Impression:
17 / 20

Samuel Adams Wicked Double IPA by The Boston Beer Co. is being judged as a double IPA (BJCP category 22 A), with expectations of some, or a lot, of characteristics common to the Hazy/New England variant that continues to operate outside a dedicated style. 

The Beer is served in a stange... Read More

Stone Buenavida Hard Seltzer - Mango

Stone Buenavida Hard Seltzer - Mango

California
United States
Stone Buenavida Hard Seltzer - Mango, Stone Brewing
Description 

Heady, tropical mango transports you directly to island time. In our quest to enable our brewers to push the boundaries of what’s possible, we took on the challenge of creating a line of hard seltzers that were so good - or rather, Buena - we simply had to show them off to the world. Buenavida Hard Seltzers, in their custom-molded glass bottles, are 100 calories, sugar-free and gluten-free.

Beverage Profile
ABV: 
5.0%

 

 


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Judges Rating:
88
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
20 / 24
Flavor:
36 / 40
Mouthfeel:
8 / 10
Overall Impression:
18 / 20

Stone Buenavida Hard Seltzer - Mango by Stone Brewing Co. is being judged as a fruited seltzer with mango flavoring against the 2022 Beer Connoisseur Seltzer Guidelines for fruit seltzers.

The seltzer is presented to me at 42 degrees Fahrenheit in a kölsch stange, a narrow tube-shaped... Read More

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