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Joseph Formanek
Beer Judge
Joe Formanek started homebrewing in 1987 as an undergraduate in Microbiology at the University of Minnesota. He was bitten by the brewing bug after taking a tour of Summit Brewing Company within a year after they had opened in St. Paul in 1987, and he has been going ever since. Joe later went to Graduate School at the University of Illinois and helped found the Boneyard Union of Zymurgical Zealots (BUZZ) Homebrew Club. He currently resides in Bolingbrook, IL, is a Director for a food ingredient company in Itasca, IL, and is a proud member of the Urban Knaves of Grain Homebrew Club. Joe holds a National Judge ranking with the BJCP, and is a previous Midwest Regional Rep and Vice President of the organization.
Over the years, Joe has received many honors related to homebrewing. He has won numerous BOS awards at local and regional competitions, is a 6 time winner of the Midwest Homebrewer of the Year award (1999, 2001-2004, 2007) and won the American Homebrewers Association Meadmaker of the Year award in 2004. Joe is a 2 time winner of the American Homebrewers Association Ninkasi Award (2000, 2006) for winningest brewer in the final round of judging, and was honored as being named one of the two homebrewer winners of the 2011 Sam Adams Longshot American Homebrewing Competition with his Russian Imperial Stout, which was distributed nationally in the 2012 Longshot multipack.
My articles
AB InBev unveiled a commercial during Super Bowl LIII that focused on the differences between its Bud Light and MillerCoors's Miller Lite and Coors...
In the more than 30 years I have been a homebrewer, I’ve seen remarkable progress in both the homebrewing knowledge base as well as available...
My reviews
Appearance:
5 / 6
Aroma:
22 / 24
Flavor:
35 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
18 / 20
Tropic Dream by New Realm Brewing is a fruit beer, pure and simple. The impact of the fruit juice being used in this offering is massive – perhaps overwhelming, all things considered. This is being evaluated as a BJCP Category 29A Fruit Beer as per the 2021 guidelines... Read More
Appearance:
5 / 6
Aroma:
23 / 24
Flavor:
37 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
18 / 20
This brew pours a hazy gold with a lingering, finely-bubbled white head that leaves an attractive lacing. The aroma in this brew is quite assertively complex and amazingly fresh, with a combination of dankness, lemon and lime zest, melony and fruity hop character along with a hint of sweet malt... Read More
Appearance:
5 / 6
Aroma:
21 / 24
Flavor:
34 / 40
Mouthfeel:
8 / 10
Overall Impression:
18 / 20
Upland Persimmon is an interesting attempt at using a rather obscure fruit in an American Sour application, though it is an offering that might improve with age. The sample was evaluated as a 28C Wild Specialty Beer (according to the 2015 BJCP guidelines), and was bottled on January 2017... Read More
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
22 / 24
Flavor:
36 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
18 / 20
Upslope Brown Ale by Upslope Brewing Co. is a delicious malt-forward rendition of the BJCP Category 19C American Brown Ale, though the hop character of this offering is perhaps a bit more representative of a 13B British Brown Ale.
Deep rich toffee, caramel, coffee and roast malt notes... Read More
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
24 / 24
Flavor:
34 / 40
Mouthfeel:
8 / 10
Overall Impression:
18 / 20
Pacer IPA by Avery Brewing Co. is a quite dank rendition of the BJCP 21B Specialty IPA style, with the offering being session strength. The hop character satisfies very well, though the malt components are a bit wanting, as is seen rather often in sessionable IPAs.
Big dank sulfur hop... Read More
Appearance:
5 / 6
Aroma:
20 / 24
Flavor:
33 / 40
Mouthfeel:
8 / 10
Overall Impression:
15 / 20
Nearly all of the IPAs in the market today are American-style, with huge expressions of a wide range of different hops in the aroma and flavor of the brew. In many cases, the hop character overwhelms the base malt backbone. Brooklyn East IPA is certainly not one of those. It is somewhat... Read More