Start 14-Day Trial Subscription

*No credit card required

BC Review

BC Review's picture
The Expert Panel

The Beer Connoisseur® review was conducted as a round table single blind review by our panel of expert judges. Four to six judges reviewed 8-14 beers per session and submitted their individual scores and notes. The scores were averaged into a single score and notes compiled and summarized for publishing in magazine issues 1-14. These reviews have been republished here in this online format.

The names and biographies of the contributing judges were publsihed with each magazine issue and are listed below.

Charlie Gow - Founding Beer Review Coordinator ​(1960 - 2014)
Tim Artz
Tom Cannon
Phil Farrell
Pete Garofalo
Rick Garvin
Lee Anthony Hitchins
Owen Ogletree

My reviews

Inversion IPA

Deschutes Beer Inversion IPA
Judges Rating:
90
Appearance:
5 / 6
Aroma:
21 / 24
Flavor:
37 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
18 / 20

A cornerstone of craft, Deschutes has been slaking thirsts of for over 25 years. Inversion IPA is one of a long line of stellar ales from this venerable producer, packing 80 IBUs from no less than six different hop varieties. Surprisingly, Inversion’s aroma favors malt over hops, and throws... Read More

Dancing Man Wheat

Dancing Man Wheat
Judges Rating:
85
Appearance:
2 / 6
Aroma:
22 / 24
Flavor:
36 / 40
Mouthfeel:
8 / 10
Overall Impression:
17 / 20

Brewed in the classic Bavarian Weizenbier tradition and released each May, Dancing Man Wheat has amassed an army of loyal adherents. Throwing off dense, saturated notes of banana, cotton candy, warm bread, and ground cloves, this beer’s nose embodies a true Weizenbier. Mike honed in on the... Read More

Peg Leg

Peg Leg Imperial Stout Heavy Seas beer
Judges Rating:
87
Appearance:
5 / 6
Aroma:
22 / 24
Flavor:
36 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
15 / 20

Yet another mid-’90s entrant into craft brewing, Baltimore’s Clipper City brewery produces several lines of beers, all now under the Heavy Seas brand. Peg Leg Imperial Stout, revealing intensely pungent aromas of blackstrap molasses, dark roast coffee and rich milk chocolate, is archetypically... Read More

Goudenband

Liefmans Goudenband by Brouwerij Liefmans
Judges Rating:
96
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
23 / 24
Flavor:
39 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
19 / 20

The nose picks up a cornucopia of caramel, sour cherries, passion fruit and fig jam with traces of dark malts, cocoa nibs and balsamic vinegar. This deep brown ale boasts ruddy red hues and soft, tan foam that leaves attractive lacing on the glass. A vibrant, moderately sour flavor profile comes... Read More

Judges Rating:
94
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
24 / 24
Flavor:
37 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
18 / 20

A classic American take on Russian Imperial Stout, this is an inky black, brooding monster of a beer. Dancing around the edges of this black hole in a glass are flashes of ruby red highlights, all topped off by a dense, creamy latté colored head. Tons of espresso, Hershey’s dark bittersweet... Read More

Ommegang Witte

Witte Brewery Ommegang
Judges Rating:
92
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
22 / 24
Flavor:
36 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
19 / 20

Located where a hop farm once produced the annual harvest, Brewery Ommegang brews a very limited range of Belgian-style beers, preferring to focus on quality over quantity, traditional ingredients and brewing methods. Redolent of fresh ground coriander, sweet alfalfa, and piquant orange peel,... Read More

Pages