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Sean Coughlin

Sean Coughlin's picture
Beer Judge

An avid brewer & judge, Sean is a multi-award winning brewer, BJCP National Judge, & Advanced Cicerone® He dove into the hobby while living in a dry county in Kentucky and grew tired of driving to West Virginia & Ohio to buy beer.  He has had the opportunity to brew two Best of Show winning homebrews with professional breweries including a Pro-Am entry to the GABF with F.X. Matt/Saranac Brewing in Utica, NY.  As a national beer judge, Sean actively judges throughout the east coast of the United States & Eastern Canada while helping to grade BJCP and Advanced Cicerone® exams.  He is a regular judge at the Great American Beer Festival and is passionate about beer education .  While he loves all styles, he has a particular love for Belgian and German beer. 

My reviews

Declaration

Declaration by Reformation Brewery
Judges Rating:
95
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
23 / 24
Flavor:
37 / 40
Mouthfeel:
10 / 10
Overall Impression:
19 / 20

Declaration is an Imperial Stout (2015 BJCP Category 20C) and is being evaluated as such according to the BJCP guidelines. 

Chocolate heavy aroma with cacao, baker’s chocolate, and semi-sweet chocolate morsels.  There is a faint trace of floral hop notes, but this imperial stout is... Read More

Astronaut Sauce IPA

Astronaut Sauce IPA, River Rat Brewery
Judges Rating:
86
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
20 / 24
Flavor:
35 / 40
Mouthfeel:
8 / 10
Overall Impression:
17 / 20

Astronaut Sauce by River Rat Brewery is being evaluated as a Juicy/Hazy IPA utilizing the 2018 Brewers Association guidelines. This style is better known to the masses as New England-style IPA and puts a large emphasis on tropical/fruit-forward hop aroma, allowing the... Read More

Vicious Hook

Vicious Hook

Maryland
United States
Vicious Hook, Flying Dog Brewery
Description 

Big juicy tropical flavors pop in this innovative sour that offers high pucker and low bitterness.

Beverage Profile
ABV: 
5.3%
IBUs: 
5
Malts: 
Wheat
Hops: 
Simcoe

 

 


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Judges Rating:
91
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
23 / 24
Flavor:
35 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
18 / 20

Vicious Hook by Flying Dog Brewery is a sour wheat ale with blood orange, pineapple, lactose and cherry and is being evaluated as a Wild Specialty Beer (BJCP 2015 Guidelines Category 28C).

The aroma of this beer will take you back to childhood and the glory days of sipping fruit punch-... Read More

Winter's Warm Welcome

Winter's Warm Welcome

New Jersey
United States
Winter's Warm Welcome, Ghost Hawk Brewing Co.
Description 

The brewmaster’s cat was adopted on the solstice, hence the name. Unlike most cats, he would warmly welcome any visitors including contractors and technicians, plus he loved to be vacuumed! Not a typical cat. My tribute to him is an ale that will warm your heart with notes of strawberry, blueberry and pineapple resulting from Idaho 7 and El Dorado hops adorning 4 types of malt and Belgian Candy Syrup. It will make you feel chill, warm and fuzzy, just like he was!

Beverage Profile
ABV: 
8.7%
IBUs: 
16
Served at: 
50 - 55º F
Hops: 
Idaho 7, El Dorado

 

 


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Judges Rating:
86
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
20 / 24
Flavor:
34 / 40
Mouthfeel:
10 / 10
Overall Impression:
16 / 20

Winter's Warm Welcome by Ghost Hawk Brewing Co. is being evaluated as an American Strong Ale (2021 BJCP Guidelines Style 22B).

Hops are dominant in the aroma with new-school tropical/stone fruit characteristics -- ripe cantaloupe is most prominent. Any malt presence is buried beneath the... Read More

Neon Gypsy

Neon Gypsy IPA Duclaw Beer
Judges Rating:
87
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
20 / 24
Flavor:
35 / 40
Mouthfeel:
10 / 10
Overall Impression:
16 / 20

As expected, the nose is hop-forward -- fresh pine dominates the aroma with a background note of honeydew melon and a kiss of biscuity malt. The light melon and biscuit character create a layer of sweetness to the aroma. A substantial off-white head sits atop a slightly hazy beer of an... Read More

Place to Imagine Vol. 4 - Blueberry Pie

Place to Imagine Vol. 4 - Blueberry Pie

Place to Imagine Vol. 4 - Blueberry Pie, Social Fox Brewing
Description 

Place to Imagine vol 4 is a Blue Berry Pie Imperial Sour 6%abv. This beer has a sharp bite that leads into a juicy, sweet, blueberry pie fruit flavor.

Beverage Profile
ABV: 
6.0%
Served at: 
40º F

 

 


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Judges Rating:
95
Appearance:
6 / 6
Aroma:
23 / 24
Flavor:
38 / 40
Mouthfeel:
9 / 10
Overall Impression:
19 / 20

Place to Imagine Vol. 4 - Blueberry Pie is being evaluated as a Wild Specialty Ale (2021 BJCP Guidelines Category 28C) with the consideration of this featuring an unknown base style of "sour ale with blueberry." 

Normally, I write about aroma first in a review because it’s the first thing... Read More

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