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Susan Ruud

Susan Ruud's picture
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.

 

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My reviews

The Orange Curtain

Barley Forge Beer The Orange Curtain
Judges Rating:
90
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
21 / 24
Flavor:
36 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
18 / 20

This beer has a huge earthy and citrusy hop aroma with a hint of crackery malt behind, which leads into a very pleasant blend of earthy hops and crackery malt lingering into a crisp bitterness in the finish. The fermentation esters give hints of orange and pear throughout. This is a great, easy-... Read More

Hefe Berry Lime

Hefe Berry Lime by Widmer Brothers Brewing
Judges Rating:
92
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
22 / 24
Flavor:
37 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
18 / 20

An easy drinking hazy wheat fruit beer – (BJCP 2015 style guidelines category 20A - Fruit Beer). It was quite hazy, light orange in color and had a huge off white head.  The aroma and flavor of this beer is quite high in a mixed berry profile blended with lime notes with a pleasant background of... Read More

Avarice & Greed

Avarice & Greed by Roadhouse Brewing Co.
Judges Rating:
92
Appearance:
5 / 6
Aroma:
21 / 24
Flavor:
38 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
19 / 20

Avarice & Greed by Roadhouse Brewing Co. is a wonderful Belgian Golden Ale and is being judged as such according to BJCP Catergory 25C. This beer was malty and sweet with a big fruity, pear-like ester, low Belgian spicy phenolics and lots of soft, easy alcohol, which all follow thru to the... Read More

The Patsy

barley forge beer the patsy coconut rye stout
Judges Rating:
93
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
21 / 24
Flavor:
38 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
19 / 20

This beer starts off with a huge chocolate aroma with a pleasant level of coconut blended in with the aroma and flavor. This is smoothly balanced with a hint of rye malt in the background giving a graham cracker perception that is quite wonderful. With all of the coconut and cracker flavors... Read More

Drifter Pale

Drifter Pale by Widmer Brothers Brewing
Judges Rating:
94
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
22 / 24
Flavor:
38 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
19 / 20

This beer was judged as an American Pale Ale – BJCP category 18B from the 2015 guidelines and is a beautiful light copper color with a huge, thick white head and fine bubbles. It initially showed a huge citrus, lemon and pine hop and grainy pale malt aroma. With the first sip you get a pleasant... Read More

Vantucky Pale Ale

Vantucky Pale Ale by Heathen Brewing
Judges Rating:
85
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
20 / 24
Flavor:
35 / 40
Mouthfeel:
7 / 10
Overall Impression:
17 / 20

Vantucky Pale Ale by Heathen Brewing was judged as an American IPA (BJCP Cat. 21A) and had a wonderful earthy upfront hop aroma blended with a low crackery malt with a hint of toast and caramel behind. Light esters of pear and cherry are blended throughout. It was a beautiful golden color with a... Read More

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