Located where a hop farm once produced the annual harvest, Brewery Ommegang brews a very limited range of Belgian-style beers, preferring to focus on quality over quantity, traditional ingredients and brewing methods. Redolent of fresh ground coriander, sweet alfalfa, and piquant orange peel,... 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:
36 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
19 / 20
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
23 / 24
Flavor:
40 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
20 / 20
Just about as close to perfection as you’ll find on Earth, Rare Vos is a singular drinking experience. A sultry amber, slightly hazy brew topped by a velvety, creamy and tawny head, this is as much a feast for the eyes as it is for the palate. Bold aromas of cinnamon, cardamom, licorice, plums,... Read More
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
21 / 24
Flavor:
36 / 40
Mouthfeel:
10 / 10
Overall Impression:
17 / 20
This brilliantly clear ruby-red beer, is assertively fruit-forward with strawberry, cherry, and apple dominating both the aroma and the flavor. Behind the fruit complexity are light notes of both toffee and root beer. It has a light-medium body, low carbonation, and a clean, lactic sourness that... Read More
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
23 / 24
Flavor:
35 / 40
Mouthfeel:
8 / 10
Overall Impression:
19 / 20
Since 1417, a hundred years before the Reinheitsgebot was enacted, Hacker-Pschorr Brau has brewed beers of exceptional character and unsurpassed quality. The Weisse Dark is a beautifully crafted dunkelweizen, a style that continues to gain adherents. Redolent of pungent clove and sweet banana... Read More
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
22 / 24
Flavor:
33 / 40
Mouthfeel:
7 / 10
Overall Impression:
15 / 20
A Rocky Mountain standard, Buffalo Gold is a pale, straw-colored ale boasting a substantial, creamy-white head that lasts and lasts. Aromas are generally subdued, as expected for the style, and are dominated by bready malt, peppery spice and a prominent buttery note. Rick observed a distinct... Read More
Appearance:
5 / 6
Aroma:
20 / 24
Flavor:
33 / 40
Mouthfeel:
7 / 10
Overall Impression:
15 / 20
Made in a brewery launched by four Belgian schoolmates in 2000, Troubador Blond introduces itself with a complex nose. It teems with aromas of vanilla bean, clove, apricots, and cherries. Underneath the dominant fruit and spice notes, Mike picked out an engaging cotton candy sweetness... Read More