This beer starts out with a huge citrusy hop aroma that follows through into the flavor and has lingering bitterness. There are pleasant hints of Belgian phenolics throughout. This beer has a lovely copper color, a huge off-white head that was extremely long-lasting and left tons of lacing on... 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:
20 / 24
Flavor:
37 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
18 / 20
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
22 / 24
Flavor:
38 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
19 / 20
Hop Peak IPA by Breckenridge Brewery is a wonderful American IPA judged as such under BJCP Category 21A. Upfront it had a huge citrus and piney (almost earthy) hop aroma that blended nicely with a pleasant grainy malt following right behind. There were no noticeable esters behind all of those... Read More
Appearance:
5 / 6
Aroma:
22 / 24
Flavor:
38 / 40
Mouthfeel:
10 / 10
Overall Impression:
19 / 20
Double IPAs are hugely popular (and often have huge ABVs), but this wonderfully smooth and easy-drinking Double IPA manages to stand out from the pack. A huge bready malt aroma blended with apricot, earthy and floral hop aromas makes itself known early on. The beer's flavor follows suit with... Read More
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
23 / 24
Flavor:
38 / 40
Mouthfeel:
10 / 10
Overall Impression:
20 / 20
Wow – This Strong, Barrel Aged Sour beer is nearly perfect – It pours dark amber in color and is rich, strong, sour, sweet all rolled together. It is extremely well balanced and is sour but not overly acetic, full bodied with hints of vanilla, oak and cherry, and makes you want to just keep... Read More
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
20 / 24
Flavor:
36 / 40
Mouthfeel:
10 / 10
Overall Impression:
17 / 20
Eight Pounds Per BBL by Seven Stills Brewery & Distillery was pleasant, easy drinking beer judged as a BJCP category 21B - Specialty IPA: New England IPA. Initial aroma was of a light citrus hop followed by bready, crackery malt and green leafy notes and orange, citrus esters. This beer was... Read More
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
20 / 24
Flavor:
36 / 40
Mouthfeel:
8 / 10
Overall Impression:
18 / 20
This is a delightful amber lager with a huge fresh hop aroma – as though the hops came straight from the vine – with a soft toasty malt aroma behind, enticing you to take a sip. It has a crisp, clean, toasty malt backbone blended with an earthy hop flavor. The aggressive and lingering yet... Read More