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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.
Stowford Press by Westons Cider is being evaluated as a English Cider, style C1B per the 2015 BJCP Cider guidelines, with the caveat that it doesn't cleanly fit in the prescribed category. This is sparkling and medium-dry, and lower in alcohol than typical.
On pouring, it pours a... Read More
German Pils (5D). This Pilsner pours very hazy and pale gold with a sticky white head that lasts. The clarity is definitely an issue and it appears to have fine particulate in suspension. The nose is very fresh and quite herbal, somewhat spicy and even fruity. More of a sharper herbal note and... Read More
Holy Roller by Urban South Brewery is a New England IPA that is being judged as a 21B Specialty IPA-NEIPA. I'm basing my standards on the BA guidelines Juicy/Hazy IPA category. Aromatically, this is a big fruity and hop forward beer! Great tropical fruit, guava, grapefruit, light malt, along... Read More
Pulp Theory Hazy IPA by Odell Brewing Co. is being judged as a 21b Specialty IPA, specifically a Juicy/Hazy IPA, per the BJCP 2015 Style Guidelines.
The pour is hazy, obviously, bordering on turbid with a pale gold and touch of orange and a creamy white head that persists. The nose is... Read More
La Fontaine by Social Fox Brewing is being evaluated as a BJCP 2021 style 29A (Fruit Beer), as a traditional bock with Pinot Noir grapes. Note that the "Grape Ale" category is specifically for more neutral beers, hence this classification. This one pours a deep ruby-brown with a clingy beige... Read More
Kingston Black by Snow Capped Cider is being evaluated as a C1B, English Cider, per the 2015 BJCP Cider guidelines.
The nose on this is fantastic. Great apple skin and perfumy notes, green fruit and pleasant white wine aromatics. There's a freshness, but also an austerity that I really... Read More
