The Anderson Valley Brewing Company has spent the past 25 years in Mendocino County producing stellar brews for appreciative beer lovers. Hop Ottin’ IPA, a brewery mainstay, is all about hops. It overflows with aromas of citrus fruit, bakery fresh bread, and hints of lavender and thyme. Rick was... 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:
23 / 24
Flavor:
35 / 40
Mouthfeel:
8 / 10
Overall Impression:
17 / 20
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
22 / 24
Flavor:
35 / 40
Mouthfeel:
8 / 10
Overall Impression:
17 / 20
Fort Collins, Colo., is home to a number of excellent breweries, and Odell is no exception. Their 5 Barrel Pale Ale is a classic interpretation of the English-style Pale Ale, attesting to a restrained hand on the bittering hops and a skillful blending of malts, all producing a wonderfully... Read More
Appearance:
2 / 6
Aroma:
22 / 24
Flavor:
36 / 40
Mouthfeel:
8 / 10
Overall Impression:
17 / 20
Brewed in the classic Bavarian Weizenbier tradition and released each May, Dancing Man Wheat has amassed an army of loyal adherents. Throwing off dense, saturated notes of banana, cotton candy, warm bread, and ground cloves, this beer’s nose embodies a true Weizenbier. Mike honed in on the... Read More
Appearance:
5 / 6
Aroma:
22 / 24
Flavor:
36 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
15 / 20
Yet another mid-’90s entrant into craft brewing, Baltimore’s Clipper City brewery produces several lines of beers, all now under the Heavy Seas brand. Peg Leg Imperial Stout, revealing intensely pungent aromas of blackstrap molasses, dark roast coffee and rich milk chocolate, is archetypically... Read More
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
24 / 24
Flavor:
37 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
18 / 20
A classic American take on Russian Imperial Stout, this is an inky black, brooding monster of a beer. Dancing around the edges of this black hole in a glass are flashes of ruby red highlights, all topped off by a dense, creamy latté colored head. Tons of espresso, Hershey’s dark bittersweet... Read More
Appearance:
5 / 6
Aroma:
18 / 24
Flavor:
30 / 40
Mouthfeel:
7 / 10
Overall Impression:
15 / 20
Another intriguing entry into the world of pumpkin beer, La Parcela, from Dexter, Michigan’s Jolly Pumpkin Artisanal Ales, deftly straddles the line between tradition and quirkiness. It blends pumpkin and spices with old school oak barrel aging. Rife with lush, sweet notes of plums and peaches,... Read More