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Brian started diving into the world of craft beer in 2004, tracking all of the beers he tasted online, with notes. He picked up homebrewing in 2008 and began judging in 2010. Taking pride in the opportunity to give feedback to brewers of all sorts, he has progressed through the BJCP, attaining the rank of Master in 2013. He formerly acted as an Associate Exam Director for the BJCP, as well as an exam administrator and proctor, and presently holds the rank of Grand Master IV, as well as Mead judge. To him, the most important aspect of judging is to know your limits and learn how to recognize them and expand them. To achieve that end, Brian has judged in over 100 competitions in 12 states and counting, including the Great American Beer Festival, and visits innumerable breweries. He also helps organize a few competitions each year, including the role of judge coordinator for the Festival of Wood & Barrel-Aged Beer (which you may know as FoBAB), the largest of its kind in the world.
Mango Tree Shaker by Odell Brewing Co. was reviewed as a 29A Fruit Beer, per the BJCP 2015 Style Guidelines.
The pour starts a deep gold with a faint hop and protein haze with a sticky white head that persists. On the nose, the aroma is fairly complex, though hop-forward. The mango is a... Read More
Tumblefield by Social Fox Brewing is being evaluated here as 21C Hazy IPA under the new 2021 BJCP guidelines. The beer itself pours a very hazy, nearly turbid bronze color, much darker than expected. It also has a frothy off-white head that sticks around throughout. The nose has a lot of stone... Read More
International Amber Lager (2b). This Amber Lager is poured into the glass with a deep, richly hued amber-gold color, almost honey like. It's faintly hazy with a creamy off-white head. The nose presents witha prominent spicy hopping with some pomme-type fruit notes from the hops, I believe.... Read More
Holy Roller by Urban South Brewery is a New England IPA that is being judged as a 21B Specialty IPA-NEIPA. I'm basing my standards on the BA guidelines Juicy/Hazy IPA category. Aromatically, this is a big fruity and hop forward beer! Great tropical fruit, guava, grapefruit, light malt, along... Read More
Oktoberfest by Wallenpaupack Brewing Co. was judged as a BJCP Style 6A - Märzen.
This pours very clear with only the faintest haze and with an off-white head of largish bubbles that collapses fairly quickly. The nose is brilliant. Loads of toasted bread and grain and the faintest whisper... Read More
Year of the Fox by Social Fox Brewing is being evaluated here as a Grape Ale with Chardonnay grapes, category 29D (Grape Ale) in the 2021 BJCP guidelines. The beer pours a deep gold with a bronze tinge to it with minimal head that collapses relatively quickly. The nose on this one is pretty... Read More
