The Double Black IPA is one of the top-notch beers consistently made by Alaskan Brewing Company for an army of zealously faithful beer connoisseurs. Teetering precariously between a Cascadian black ale and a black imperial IPA, this brute packs a mighty 8.5% ABV. It offers brash notes of Cuban... 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:
22 / 24
Flavor:
33 / 40
Mouthfeel:
7 / 10
Overall Impression:
17 / 20
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
24 / 24
Flavor:
39 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
20 / 20
Hailing from the northern Franconian town of Bamberg, Aecht Schlenkerla truly is the quintessential rauchbier. The aroma, redolent of rich beech wood smoke, pervades the room as soon as the beer hits the glass. Though pungently smoky, the aroma still evinces a slightly toasty malt character... Read More
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
22 / 24
Flavor:
37 / 40
Mouthfeel:
10 / 10
Overall Impression:
19 / 20
A Bavarian fixture for 150 years, Privatbrauerei Ayinger is one of the world’s classic breweries. The extensive lineup of traditional Old World beers includes the lightly chocolaty, faintly herbaceous Altbairisch Dunkel, a beer of exceptional depth and complexity. Swirling notes of figs and... Read More
Appearance:
5 / 6
Aroma:
21 / 24
Flavor:
37 / 40
Mouthfeel:
10 / 10
Overall Impression:
18 / 20
Although not a wildly popular style, American dark lager is starting to build a following, and Full Sail Brewing’s Session Black Lager is a stellar example. Perched on the Columbia River, overlooking some of the best sailboarding water in the world, Full Sail turns out an extensive portfolio of... Read More
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
22 / 24
Flavor:
36 / 40
Mouthfeel:
8 / 10
Overall Impression:
16 / 20
A venerable entry in the Imperial Stout category, this broad-shouldered brew that drinks well in its youth yet achieves an incredible depth and complexity with a couple of years of bottle age. Pours a deep, obsidian black, flashing ruby red highlights at the edge of the glass, and capped off by... Read More
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
23 / 24
Flavor:
37 / 40
Mouthfeel:
8 / 10
Overall Impression:
19 / 20
Pungent and tartly sour, New Holland’s Blue Sunday Sour lives up to its moniker, showing a distinctly wild side, a quenching acidity and overtones of aged American oak. A complex blend of barrel-soured beers, this brew challenges conventional concepts of what beer should be. Faintly wine-like... Read More