The Beer Connoisseur Announces Hard Seltzer Style Definitions and Judging Guidelines

Atlanta, GA – The Beer Connoisseur has announced the debut of its hard seltzer style definitions and judging guidelines, marking the first-of-its-kind criteria that allow the publication’s panel of judges to review commercial hard seltzers in its Official Review.

“The debut of our hard seltzer style definitions and judging guidelines marks an exciting new phase for our Official Review,” said Lynn Davis, founder and publisher of The Beer Connoisseur. “The ability to review such a swiftly growing segment of the beverage industry is a major step forward for our magazine and for our readers. We hope that these reviews will help consumers make informed decisions about what they’re buying when it comes to hard seltzer.”

The seltzers will be evaluated on a variety of factors including aroma, mouthfeel, flavor, appearance and overall impression. These categories will allow judges to provide all the details needed to accurately assess each seltzer that is submitted for review in the Official Review.

The Official Review is conducted in a single-blind tasting format that adheres to the Beer Judge Certification Program 2021 Style Guidelines. This method provides the best opportunity to rely on facts and to avoid favoritism, ensuring a level playing field for all brewers. It serves both the industry and the consumer to have unbiased and objective scores from qualified experts.

In an effort to provide the most credible evaluations, The Beer Connoisseur hand-selects judges with a minimum BJCP ranking of “National” or Master Cicerone®. Judges are required to work with an assistant that handles samples prior to evaluation, and breweries are not allowed to solicit judges directly.

In the single-blind tasting format, judges are presented with a chilled, properly poured beverage and given its style category. Scoring is then done on the following basis using a 100-point scale: Aroma (24 points), Appearance (6 points), Flavor (40 points), Mouthfeel (10 points) and Overall Impression (20 points).

The score breakdown is as follows:

100 to 96: World Class – You need this in your life.
95 to 91: Exceptional – Don’t hesitate.
90 to 86: Very Good – A brew to savor.
85 to 75: Average – Somewhat unimpressive.
74 and below: Not Recommended – Just walk away.

Expect hard seltzer reviews to be published on BeerConnoisseur.com beginning in late July.

Interested in having your hard seltzer reviewed in The Beer Connoisseur’s Official Review? Submit your seltzers here for potential inclusion: https://beerconnoisseur.com/official-review

For more information about The Beer Connoisseur and its editorial coverage or for interview opportunities with Founder, Editor and Publisher Lynn Davis, please email [email protected].