Start 14-Day Trial Subscription
*No credit card required
A homebrewer in Connecticut for 31 years and a member of the BJCP for 29, Jim worked with Pat Baker, the driving force behind the creation and inception of the BJCP, while advancing to Grand Master ranking in 2001. With several decades of judging experience under his belt (along with many fine brews), Jim has served as Associate Exam Director for the BJCP, appeared on Connecticut Public Television and worked with international beer experts Michael Jackson and Jim Koch in judging Best of Show for the Samuel Adams Longshot competition in 1995. James was also a judge at the 2015,2016,2018 and 2019 Great American Beer Festival in Denver, Colorado.
A host of aromas issue forth upon initial pour. Chocolate fudge notes marry with vanilla and roasted grains and are mixed with a defined alcoholic warmth. Whiskey barrel aromatics were also noted, though they were more subtly stated.
This beer poured pitch black in color (too dark to... Read More
This beer was appraised as an 8A Schwarzbier following the guidelines established by the Beer Judge Certification Program in 2015.
Schwarzbiers are not the run of the mill German lagers in that they are the only lagers that manifest a roasted malt character. The aforementioned roast is... Read More
Lightning Will Pilsner by On Tour Brewing Co. was rated as per style guidelines established by the Beer Judge Certification Program under subheading 5D German Pils.
Pale yellow in color and brilliantly clear with a fine bead and big white head that poured up nicely and quickly fell off... Read More
Lost Carnival by Gnarly Barley Brewing Co. was reviewed in conjunction with the style guidelines provided by the Beer Judge Certification Program under subheading 33B Specialty Wood- Aged Beers after a pour from a 25.4-ounce bottle into an eight-ounce snifter.
... Read More
Dirty Beaches by Scofflaw Brewing Co. was reviewed according to the 2021 BJCP Style Guidelines, Style 21A, American IPA.
The initial pour delivers a profusion of tropical fruity notes to the nostrils. Papayas, mangos and pineapple dominate and are accompanied by... Read More
This is a very different approach to a Berliner Weisse; it features a distinct peach aroma followed by a light smokiness and a firm tart character. It is pale straw in color and hazy with low head retention, which is not unusual for beers of this style due to high acid content.
The flavor... Read More
