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Nelson Crowle
BJCP National Beer/Mead/Cider Judge
Nelson has been judging and rating beers (over 20,000) for 30 years and is always interested in trying beers he hasn’t had before. A homebrewer for 40 years, Nelson has brewed all 154 sub-styles from the BJCP 2021 guidelines, along with historical and extinct beers, to learn more about the beer styles and the thought process of the brewers behind them. He is active in judging, entering, and running beer competitions and is a BJCP National Judge as well as a BJCP Mead Judge and BJCP Cider Judge.
My articles
We experience sourness in many ways. The puckering sourness of a lemon, that tart Greek yogurt, sour cream, sweet and sour chicken, hot and sour soup...
My reviews
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
21 / 24
Flavor:
37 / 40
Mouthfeel:
8 / 10
Overall Impression:
18 / 20
Imperial Oatmeal Brown Ale by Garage Brewing Co. was evaluated as a BJCP 2015 style 33B Specialty Wood-Aged Beer, which covers beers aged in wood where the previous content affects the flavor/aroma. Pours a slightly hazy deep brown with a medium head of large bubbles that quickly dissipates to a... Read More
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
22 / 24
Flavor:
38 / 40
Mouthfeel:
8 / 10
Overall Impression:
18 / 20
In evaluating this beer, I was only told that it was a “flavored Cream Ale.” This helps by identifying the perceived flavors and aromas and being able to compare them to what the brewer intended.
The malt is a background canvas of slightly grainy but indistinct breadiness. The initial... Read More
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
23 / 24
Flavor:
39 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
19 / 20
Kiwi Double IPA by Lawson's Finest Liquids was evaluated under the BJCP 2015 guidelines as a Double IPA (style 22A). This beer pours a hazy deep gold with a big head of small- and medium-sized white bubbles, which slowly fades to a thin disk, leaving some nice Belgian lacing on the glass. There... Read More
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
22 / 24
Flavor:
38 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
18 / 20
This beer pours a beautiful, burnished gold color with pristine clarity and a large, ivory-colored head of small bubbles that quickly fades to a faint disk. The pineapple aroma is very apparent from a distance as the beer is being poured, an inviting mélange of fruity and tropical elements. A... Read More
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
22 / 24
Flavor:
39 / 40
Mouthfeel:
8 / 10
Overall Impression:
19 / 20
Prickly Pear Hef by Garage Brewing Co. was evaluated as a BJCP 2021 Fruit Beer (29A) with the base style of American Wheat (1D).
The serving steward reported that the bottle had a low fill (2.5 inches of air space) before being opened. The beer pours with a large poofy white head of... Read More
Appearance:
5 / 6
Aroma:
20 / 24
Flavor:
36 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
16 / 20
Pours a pretty, brilliantly clear yellow color with a white head of small bubbles that dissipates fairly quickly. The initial aroma is of bread dough, corn grits and a fairly high sulfur content with hints of earthy hops beneath. The flavor also echoes the corn grit character of the aroma,... Read More