Set on the shores of Lake Erie and situated just across the street from the famed Westside Market, Cleveland’s own Great Lakes Brewing Company has been bringing the beer since 1988. These days they produce over 100,000 barrels annually and continue to deliver the goods with a star-studded lineup... Read More
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BC Review
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
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
21 / 24
Flavor:
35 / 40
Mouthfeel:
8 / 10
Overall Impression:
15 / 20
Appearance:
5 / 6
Aroma:
24 / 24
Flavor:
32 / 40
Mouthfeel:
6 / 10
Overall Impression:
15 / 20
An American take on the venerable Belgian Pale Ale, Ommegang BPA boasts big, citrusy hops over the more traditional spicy Belgian yeast notes, not unexpected from a brewery built on a former hop farm. Notes of Valencia oranges, pine needles, and black peppercorns dominate the aroma, while sugary... Read More
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
24 / 24
Flavor:
39 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
19 / 20
The venerated Hofbräuhaus invariably comes up in any discussion concerning “classic” or “epic” breweries, and their sublime Münchner Dunkel most certainly contributes to the reverence in which beer aficionados hold the brewery. This beer bursts with lush aromas of sweet caramel and light toffee... Read More
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
22 / 24
Flavor:
37 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
16 / 20
A beautifully crafted Belgian-style dark strong ale, Trois Pistoles is an opulent beer with multiple layers of continually evolving aromas and flavors. It pours as a profoundly dark amber, almost chocolate brown, somewhat hazy beer crowned by a luxuriant, silky off-white head. The aroma is... Read More
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
23 / 24
Flavor:
38 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
20 / 20
Deftly camouflaging its deceptive alcohol strength among layers of ripe fruit aromas and honeyed malt, La Chouffe from Brasserie Achouffe is truly a world class Belgian strong golden ale. Brewed in the Belgian Ardennes, La Chouffe’s nose is rife with notes of ripe banana, juicy peach, and just... Read More
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
22 / 24
Flavor:
34 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
17 / 20
Harking from a city familiar with top shelf breweries, BridgePort Brewing of Portland has produced some of the Oregon’s best-selling beers for almost three decades. In production for almost 25 years, Blue Heron Pale Ale is unquestionably BridgePort’s flagship ale. Flush with earthy, floral hop... Read More