This beer has a wonderful aroma of spicy Belgian phenolics with light toasty malt blended in along with some pleasant raisin-like esters. There is no discernible hop aroma. The flavor matches the aroma well, although the alcohol jumps out and is quite warming. There are no hop flavors and the... Read More
Start 14-Day Trial Subscription
*No credit card required
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:
36 / 40
Mouthfeel:
8 / 10
Overall Impression:
18 / 20
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
22 / 24
Flavor:
37 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
18 / 20
Judged as a 2015 BJCP 6C Dunkles Bock. This is a wonderful beer with a lively toasty malt aroma and flavor. There was no hop aroma or flavor and just enough hop bitterness to keep the malt from being too sweet. A clean beer with great body and a smooth, pleasant finish. This is the perfect beer... Read More
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
22 / 24
Flavor:
38 / 40
Mouthfeel:
10 / 10
Overall Impression:
19 / 20
Transcend IPA by Heathen Brewing was judged as an American IPA (BJCP Cat. 21A). The beer had a huge citrus hop aroma, hints of crackery malt and no noticeable esters. There was also a pleasant alcohol aroma and low hints of diacetyl. It presented itself as a light-golden copper color, had a huge... Read More
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
23 / 24
Flavor:
38 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
19 / 20
This is a big, rich Imperial Stout. Both the aroma and flavor give a very pleasant blend of chocolate, licorice caramel, dark fruits (fig and raisin) all tied together by a soft and pleasant alcohol character. There is a light, floral hop flavor and a finish of roasted malt, and the bitterness... Read More
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
21 / 24
Flavor:
37 / 40
Mouthfeel:
10 / 10
Overall Impression:
18 / 20
Judged as 2015 BJCP 2A International Pale Lager. This was a very refreshing beer. It poured with a lovely white foamy head and was quite thirst quenching with a nice clean grainy aroma and flavor with just a hint of low Apple esters. A clean dry finish made me want to keep sipping this beer all... Read More
Appearance:
5 / 6
Aroma:
15 / 24
Flavor:
25 / 40
Mouthfeel:
8 / 10
Overall Impression:
10 / 20
Son of Malice IIPA by Heathen Brewing was judged as a Double IPA (BJCP Cat. 22A) and had an upfront aroma of butterscotch followed by a low citrus and floral hop aroma. Malt was hard to detect behind butterscotch. It presented hazy with a light copper hue, huge off white head that had fine... Read More