Puff Puff Pastry Stout by Gnarly Barley Brewing Co. is an amazingly complex rendition of the current pastry stout fad. There is a lot of goodness going on in this brew, with much complexity and a surprising level of balance that really makes this one quite the treat. This brew is being evaluated... Read More
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Joseph Formanek
Beer Judge
Joe Formanek started homebrewing in 1987 as an undergraduate in Microbiology at the University of Minnesota. He was bitten by the brewing bug after taking a tour of Summit Brewing Company within a year after they had opened in St. Paul in 1987, and he has been going ever since. Joe later went to Graduate School at the University of Illinois and helped found the Boneyard Union of Zymurgical Zealots (BUZZ) Homebrew Club. He currently resides in Bolingbrook, IL, is a Director for a food ingredient company in Itasca, IL, and is a proud member of the Urban Knaves of Grain Homebrew Club. Joe holds a National Judge ranking with the BJCP, and is a previous Midwest Regional Rep and Vice President of the organization.
Over the years, Joe has received many honors related to homebrewing. He has won numerous BOS awards at local and regional competitions, is a 6 time winner of the Midwest Homebrewer of the Year award (1999, 2001-2004, 2007) and won the American Homebrewers Association Meadmaker of the Year award in 2004. Joe is a 2 time winner of the American Homebrewers Association Ninkasi Award (2000, 2006) for winningest brewer in the final round of judging, and was honored as being named one of the two homebrewer winners of the 2011 Sam Adams Longshot American Homebrewing Competition with his Russian Imperial Stout, which was distributed nationally in the 2012 Longshot multipack.
My reviews
Appearance:
5 / 6
Aroma:
24 / 24
Flavor:
39 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
19 / 20
Appearance:
5 / 6
Aroma:
23 / 24
Flavor:
35 / 40
Mouthfeel:
8 / 10
Overall Impression:
18 / 20
Southbound Brewing's Black Circle Double Cascadian Dark Ale is a well-balanced, approachable brew that should find fans even amongst those beer connoisseurs who do not prefer this particular style. This deep brown to opaque brew with ruby highlights has a solid tan creamy head along with an... Read More
Appearance:
4 / 6
Aroma:
24 / 24
Flavor:
38 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
17 / 20
Fruit Cup Vol. 2 by Pontoon Brewing is quite the flavor experience! While the base beer is nominally a BJCP 23A Berliner Weisse style, the addition of berries, lime and vanilla really dominate the package delivering a complex alcoholic fruit juice experience. This brew... Read More
Appearance:
5 / 6
Aroma:
22 / 24
Flavor:
34 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
16 / 20
Upland’s Stoaked is promoted as an Oak-aged Belgian Quadrupel. While the Quad character is quite evident, the wood notes that would be expected from beers of this style are quite subtle. The aroma of this moderately carbonated, clear, deep amber-colored brew with a fleeting white head is quite... Read More
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
24 / 24
Flavor:
37 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
19 / 20
Tequila Barrel-Aged Mole Stout by pFriem Family Brewers is another example of pFriem’s ability to produce fantastic stout variants. The complexity in this one not only comes from the ingredients but also from the method of aging. This one is being evaluated as a... Read More
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
20 / 24
Flavor:
36 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
17 / 20
Lonely Blonde by Fulton is a relatively simple beer, as would be expected from an American Blonde Ale. This is typically an entry level style for those first approaching the craft beer world, and as such, Lonely Blonde is a good example of the style – unassuming, yet clean and refreshing with... Read More