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Brian started diving into the world of craft beer in 2004, tracking all of the beers he tasted online, with notes. He picked up homebrewing in 2008 and began judging in 2010. Taking pride in the opportunity to give feedback to brewers of all sorts, he has progressed through the BJCP, attaining the rank of Master in 2013. He formerly acted as an Associate Exam Director for the BJCP, as well as an exam administrator and proctor, and presently holds the rank of Grand Master IV, as well as Mead judge. To him, the most important aspect of judging is to know your limits and learn how to recognize them and expand them. To achieve that end, Brian has judged in over 100 competitions in 12 states and counting, including the Great American Beer Festival, and visits innumerable breweries. He also helps organize a few competitions each year, including the role of judge coordinator for the Festival of Wood & Barrel-Aged Beer (which you may know as FoBAB), the largest of its kind in the world.
Hoptronix by New Holland is being evaluated as a Double IPA (Category 22A) from the 2015 BJCP guidelines. The expectation here is an amped up American IPA, and while it fits that, it falls off a bit from the expectation.
The beer presents deeply hazed orange/gold with hop polyphenols and... Read More
Qualified by Taxman Brewing Co. is a Belgian Quadrupel that is being judged as 26D-Belgian Dark Strong Ale. As with the other Taxman Belgian line, this has an American edge thrown in, in this case with the use of multiple specialty malts. Aromatically, the beer has a rich and complex aroma,... Read More
Peach Stand Rambler by Odell Brewing Co. was reviewed as a 29a Fruit Beer, per the 2015 BJCP Style Guidelines.
On the pour, there is a faint protein haze over a pale golden body with a persistent and sticky white head. On the nose, it's a huge hit of juicy peach, but under this is a... Read More
Trop Tail by Social Fox Brewing was evaluated as a 21B Specialty IPA of the NEIPA/Juicy/Hazy variety. This pours hazily into the glass, though not terribly turbid-looking. A persistent creamy white head adds an attractive topper to the golden-hazed body. On the nose, you're hit with a tropical... Read More
Turd Ferguson by Moniker Brewery is being evaluated as a 21B Specialty IPA (Hazy IPA) per the 2021 BJCP Guidelines. In the glass, it's a deep gold and quite hazy with a creamy white head that falls to a striking ring around the glass. On the nose, a good mix of fruit, including stone fruit, like... Read More
International Amber Lager (2b). This Amber Lager is poured into the glass with a deep, richly hued amber-gold color, almost honey like. It's faintly hazy with a creamy off-white head. The nose presents witha prominent spicy hopping with some pomme-type fruit notes from the hops, I believe.... Read More
