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Mike started homebrewing in 1983 in Baton Rouge, LA. He subsequently continued brewing when life took him to Grayslake, IL, Lancaster, PA, Vienna, VA, and Raleigh, NC. He was a founding member of the Lancaster County Brewers homebrew club, and later a member of the Brewers United for Real Potables (BURP), Wort Hogs, and Cary, Apex, & Raleigh Brewers of Yore (CARBOY) clubs.
He took the BJCP exam in 2000, became certified in 2002, and achieved National rank in 2005. In addition to judging in many regional and national AHA-sponsored competitions since 2000, he has judged in several state-specific competitions for professional breweries (e.g., the Virginia Craft Beer Cup and the Maryland Governor’s Cup).
Party Punch by Gnarly Barley Brewing Co. is a Berliner Weisse with cranberry and pomegranate. It was judged as a Fruit Beer (BJCP sub-style 29A).
This beer poured pinkish-red into the glass where it set up slightly hazy topped by an extremely dense head with solid retention. Its aroma led... Read More
This Watermelon Gose poured a pale yellow color with a huge (2-3”) white head of tiny bubbles that dissipated quickly; the beer itself was relatively clear for a Gose with only a slight haze. The aroma was notably tart with plenty of watermelon and a bit of breadiness in the nose. The flavor was... Read More
Blonde Saison Brett by Holy City Brewing is a Saison brewed with brettanomyces yeast (brett) and lactobacillus and was judged as a Wild Specialty Beer (BJCP sub-style 28C). This hybrid beer has lots going on, and virtually all of it is good. For starters, it poured light pale and mostly cloudy... Read More
Alani The Lighthearted by Reformation Brewery is a self-described Rose Ale with grape must, cranberry and hibiscus (judged as a Fruit Beer - BJCP sub-style 29A). In the glass it poured clear and deep reddish-orange with only a faint head that dissipated rather quickly. The aroma included... Read More
Bright Tangerine Sparkling Ale by Devils Backbone Brewing Co. is a blonde ale brewed with tangerines. It was judged as a Fruit Beer (BJCP sub-style 29A). It poured mostly clear and golden into the glass where it set up with a thin white quickly dissipating head. Its aroma was dominated by... Read More
Micro Giant by Gnarly Barley Brewing Co. is a Belgian-style dubbel and was judged as such according to the BJCP 2015 guidelines (sub-style 26B). It poured a translucent mahogany into the glass, forming a thin white head with modest retention. The aroma led off with an... Read More
