Intense smoke dominates upon fi rst sniff, with a distinctive beechwood-lox character. The smokiness covers any trace of hops, but some toasty, grainy malt aroma does escape. The flavor is initially reminiscent of cured meat (ham or bacon). Some toasty melanoidins complement the pervasive smoke... 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:
5 / 6
Aroma:
20 / 24
Flavor:
36 / 40
Mouthfeel:
8 / 10
Overall Impression:
17 / 20
Appearance:
5 / 6
Aroma:
23 / 24
Flavor:
35 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
18 / 20
Brewing on the shores of Lake Champlain, Magic Hat offers a huge roster of tasty, often quirky brews. Demo is a Northeastern riff on the black Cascadian-style IPA, yet doesn’t stray too far from the classic profile. Rife with aromas of dark coffee, unctuous Belgian chocolate and plums, Demo... Read More
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
21 / 24
Flavor:
37 / 40
Mouthfeel:
8 / 10
Overall Impression:
17 / 20
Most assuredly an English-style India Pale Ale, Samuel Smith’s India Ale is a wonderful example of the venerable Tadcaster-based brewery’s work. English-style IPAs aren’t as assertively hopped as their American counterparts, nor are they as “big” all around, but they still retain a depth and... Read More
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
21 / 24
Flavor:
37 / 40
Mouthfeel:
7 / 10
Overall Impression:
17 / 20
The relative young American offshoot of a centuries-old Austrian brewing powerhouse has produced the award-winning Trumer Pils since 2004. The aroma has a hop presence more subdued than expected of a Pils. Rick picked up a distinctly sulfury note he felt detracted from the otherwise satisfying “... Read More
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
22 / 24
Flavor:
36 / 40
Mouthfeel:
7 / 10
Overall Impression:
17 / 20
Since 1976, Old Foghorn has been an eagerly awaited holiday in households across the land. Originally packaged in 7-ounce “nip” bottles and sold in four-packs, it now comes in six-packs of the standard 12-ounce “Anchor” bottle and is getting broader distribution than in previous years. Brimming... Read More
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
20 / 24
Flavor:
35 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
16 / 20
Situated in the land of mainstream lagers, Schlafly Beer takes a different path, producing a wide range of distinctive, characterful beers for a burgeoning army of devotees. Blasting out of the glass with mounds of bright, assertive spices, Schlafly’s Pumpkin Ale is a big, warming beer from St.... Read More