This is a beautiful-looking, clean, easy-drinking ESB with plenty of toasty malt and just enough floral hops to balance it out and keep the beer from being too sweet. An almost perfect blend of toasty malt, floral hop presence, soft fermentation esters and clean alcohol -- an excellent example ... Read More
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Susan Ruud
Beer Judge
Susan Ruud is a Grand Master IV BJCP judge and holds a mead certification. She has been judging and making beer, mead and cider since 1996 and assisted in creating the Mead judge exam for the BJCP and was the assistant exam director from 2006 to 2013. Susan was on the American Homebrewers Association Governing Committee from 2000 to 2017 and has held the office of secretary for this organization for many years. She has been a judge for the Great American Beer Festival since 2000.
Susan is married with two children and three grandchildren and works at North Dakota State University doing agricultural research in potatoes and canola. She has been there since 1990 and hopes to retire in the next year or so to work full time at the Meadery her husband and her have opened, Prairie Rose Meadery.
My reviews
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
22 / 24
Flavor:
36 / 40
Mouthfeel:
10 / 10
Overall Impression:
18 / 20
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
21 / 24
Flavor:
36 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
18 / 20
A beautiful deep golden color and huge foamy head give this beer a very inviting look. The aroma draws you in with huge tropical notes of mango and peaches blended with hints of citrus and spicy rye notes. The first sip was a delight -- with flavors following the aroma and finishing with a very... Read More
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
22 / 24
Flavor:
38 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
19 / 20
This beer was judged as a Saison via BJCP 2015 Category 25B. Initially pouring as a beautiful pale golden color with sparkling clarity and leaving a picturesque white lacing around the glass, the visuals alone for this beer made me want to take a sip. The aroma was very pleasant -- offering... Read More
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
21 / 24
Flavor:
37 / 40
Mouthfeel:
8 / 10
Overall Impression:
18 / 20
Night Swell by Heavy Seas Beer was judged as a Black IPA - BJCP category 21B - Specialty IPA. It pours a deep dark brown color, clear with a light tan head that is quite long lasting and leaves beautiful lacing on the glass.The aroma is a huge citrusy hop aroma blended with a light chocolaty... Read More
Appearance:
4 / 6
Aroma:
21 / 24
Flavor:
38 / 40
Mouthfeel:
10 / 10
Overall Impression:
18 / 20
An extremely nice American IPA. Pours with a fair amount of chill haze, but has a beautiful, tall white stand of foam. Wonderfully pungent citrusy hops upfront in the aroma are followed by a crisp, crackery, bready malt. In terms of this beer's flavor, the hop character is pleasant but not... Read More
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
21 / 24
Flavor:
38 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
18 / 20
This is a very nicely made, light copper-colored IPA. This beer is beautiful to look at, and upon pouring, the head lasts almost forever. Wonderful flavors emerge upon first sip, with a huge explosion of pleasant floral hops blended nicely with malt, fermentation esters and soft alcohol. This is... Read More