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Josh Weikert
Beer Judge
Josh Weikert took up homebrewing in 2007 as a means of staying sane during graduate school, and even though school is over, the brewing continues! He is a founding member and past president of the Stoney Creek Homebrewers, has medaled in every BJCP beer style, is a BJCP Grand Master Judge and Certified Cicerone, and is a two-time Eastern Pennsylvania Homebrewer of the Year. He is also the author of the Beer: Simple blog (beer-simple.com).
Josh is a professor and lecturer in political science, specializing in political communication and political psychology. He lives in Collegeville, PA with his wife, Barbara (also an award-winning brewer), and their dog Biscuit (who has yet to win any medals, but is remarkably happy to watch on brew days).
My articles
I don’t know that there’s a beer more pathologically, frequently and substantively misunderstood than pumpkin beer. I’m not talking about the...
So much beer, so little time. It almost makes one nostalgic for the days when there were only a handful of craft breweries and even fewer that...
If you were looking to start a craft beer bar brawl and could only ask one question, you could do a lot worse than, “So, how about those pumpkin...
Did you know all beer is red? We don’t perceive all beer as red, of course, but deep down in its molecules, it is. Since all beer is red, what...
There is arguably no better way for both new and veteran beer geeks to learn about beer than to host a beer tasting party. Not only does it provide...
Sour and Wild Ales have become increasingly popular, both within The Beer Connoisseur community and without. While they have substantial differences...
Beer is alive.
Well, not all beer, and technically I suppose it isn’t the beer that’s alive but rather that there are living things in the beer, but...
My reviews
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
23 / 24
Flavor:
30 / 40
Mouthfeel:
8 / 10
Overall Impression:
12 / 20
This beer had one of the nicest aromas I've put my nose into in quite a while, which made the come-down in the flavor all the more disappointing.
First things first, though – this is a very pretty beer. It pours a quite clear, rich, red-brown mahogany color with a moderate, tan head... Read More
Appearance:
5 / 6
Aroma:
20 / 24
Flavor:
30 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
16 / 20
The Hook Grapefruit Session IPA by Starr Hill Brewery (BJCP Category 21B: Specialty IPA) shows promise, but seems to be showing some fragility in its flavor as oxidation takes a bit of a toll.
The beer pours brilliantly clear and surprisingly dark (light amber) for a session IPA, with... Read More
Appearance:
5 / 6
Aroma:
22 / 24
Flavor:
35 / 40
Mouthfeel:
8 / 10
Overall Impression:
17 / 20
As a common "gateway" sour, Berliner Weisse tends to be a little one-note, but it's usually a pretty good note! Athena follows that model, and is a good drinking sour even if it isn't a great example of a Berliner Weisse.
Pouring with a bit more haze than one would expect, even for a... Read More
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
18 / 24
Flavor:
32 / 40
Mouthfeel:
8 / 10
Overall Impression:
15 / 20
A so-so IPA doesn't cut it in the marketplace today, and this beer comes across as very one-note -- and not a great note at that.
The beer pours a hazy gold with scant white head, and the initial aromas are not promised: low levels of pine and orange, with a low background mustiness and a... Read More
Appearance:
5 / 6
Aroma:
19 / 24
Flavor:
31 / 40
Mouthfeel:
8 / 10
Overall Impression:
15 / 20
Squall IPA isn't a bad beer, but it definitely isn't a good IPA. The overall impression is that of a caramelly, bready, alcoholic beer rather than a bright, hoppy IPA that I was expecting.
The beer pours a dark gold with a slight haze, and a thin white head that dissipates fairly... Read More
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
23 / 24
Flavor:
38 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
19 / 20
Grateful Pale Ale by Starr Hill Brewery is an American Pale Ale (BJCP category 18B) that hits on all cylinders: this is an excellent beer that you can drink for days.
It pours a brilliant gold with a low but persistent white head, and the initial aroma is of rich grain and grassy, piney... Read More