The newest year-round offering from Oskar Blues has a nice earthy hop aroma with soft vanilla notes and tropical hop flavors blended with a soft malt presence in the background. An overly powerful garlicy aroma and flavor profile (presumably from the hop selection) distracts from the overall... Read More
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Susan Ruud
Beer Judge
Susan Ruud is a Grand Master IV BJCP judge and holds a mead certification. She has been judging and making beer, mead and cider since 1996 and assisted in creating the Mead judge exam for the BJCP and was the assistant exam director from 2006 to 2013. Susan was on the American Homebrewers Association Governing Committee from 2000 to 2017 and has held the office of secretary for this organization for many years. She has been a judge for the Great American Beer Festival since 2000.
Susan is married with two children and three grandchildren and works at North Dakota State University doing agricultural research in potatoes and canola. She has been there since 1990 and hopes to retire in the next year or so to work full time at the Meadery her husband and her have opened, Prairie Rose Meadery.
My reviews
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
20 / 24
Flavor:
35 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
16 / 20
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
21 / 24
Flavor:
37 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
18 / 20
This American IPA pours a beautiful dark golden to light amber color. The beer greets you with citrusy and spicy hops up front blended with a lightly toasted malt both in aroma and flavor. There are hints of spiciness, a touch of apricot and hints of pine blended in throughout. A clean and... Read More
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
22 / 24
Flavor:
38 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
19 / 20
This beer was judged as a Saison via BJCP 2015 Category 25B. Initially pouring as a beautiful pale golden color with sparkling clarity and leaving a picturesque white lacing around the glass, the visuals alone for this beer made me want to take a sip. The aroma was very pleasant -- offering... Read More
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
21 / 24
Flavor:
37 / 40
Mouthfeel:
8 / 10
Overall Impression:
18 / 20
Night Swell by Heavy Seas Beer was judged as a Black IPA - BJCP category 21B - Specialty IPA. It pours a deep dark brown color, clear with a light tan head that is quite long lasting and leaves beautiful lacing on the glass.The aroma is a huge citrusy hop aroma blended with a light chocolaty... Read More
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
22 / 24
Flavor:
36 / 40
Mouthfeel:
10 / 10
Overall Impression:
18 / 20
This is a beautiful-looking, clean, easy-drinking ESB with plenty of toasty malt and just enough floral hops to balance it out and keep the beer from being too sweet. An almost perfect blend of toasty malt, floral hop presence, soft fermentation esters and clean alcohol -- an excellent example ... Read More
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
21 / 24
Flavor:
36 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
18 / 20
A beautiful deep golden color and huge foamy head give this beer a very inviting look. The aroma draws you in with huge tropical notes of mango and peaches blended with hints of citrus and spicy rye notes. The first sip was a delight -- with flavors following the aroma and finishing with a very... Read More