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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.
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
The Russets by Snow Capped Cider is being evaluated as a C1A, New World Cider, per the 2015 BJCP Cider guidelines, though I'm not certain if that's totally correct. At any rate, it pours sparkling and clear in the glass with a slightly copper-tinged gold. Very attractive.
The nose has a... Read More
Naughty Girl Stout is a Mint Stout brewed by Right Brain Brewery and is being judge as a category 30A-Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer. Which is perhaps a shame, because it's a great stout that lacks for mint to really make it stand out! In the glass, it pours a deep and opaque brown-black with... Read More
The Cannibal by Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant was judged as a 25c Belgian Golden Strong Ale.
The beer pours a hazy gold that appears to have some suspended particulate, very fine with a frothy white head that persists. The nose is quite clean, though distinctly Belgian. Lightly... Read More
Rum-Barrel Aged Porter by pFriem Family Brewers is being judged as a 33B Specialty Wood-Aged beer, with an underlying style of Baltic porter. At any rate, in the glass, it's on the lighter side but still dark brown with a thin off-white head that persists. The nose is nice and complex, retaining... Read More
