Rating and Reviewing - My take on the Numbers

Reviewing like a Boss. Pinky's out baby!

  I often get asked about the ratings I give beer at the end of my Instagram reviews. It comes, of course, from the old days when we used Untappd and scored beers to try and help us remember whether we liked them or not. It has morphed into something different as my palate and education in beer have grown and that is what drives me when I put it to the test in my glass day after day.
 Taste is subjective, people differ on what style and flavours they like and this can be a cause for some difficulty when assigning a numerical value to that latest review. What used to be a "like this beer or not" number has become a test on how closely it matches my understanding of the style as well as how I feel about the beer. An IPA that is super malty or lacks bitter citrus will obviously receive a lower score than one that is well balanced. But what separates a 3.75 from a 4? That is where it gets tricky for me and can have me waffling over the send button on some reviews for a lot longer than you'd think. Here is a brief description of how I feel when assigning the specific numbers to any beer from under 1 to over 4.5.

• Below 1.00 - Not sure what I did to the universe to deserve this punishment. Way off the mark and almost offensive to humanity. A never buy for me and one I actively discourage their production or consumption to all. 
• 1.25 to 2.00 - Any beer below this number is lacking several distinct characteristics stylistically and will not make another appearance in my fridge unless someone buys it for me, even that is pushing it. Not worth your time or money.
• 2.25 to 3.00 - Something about these beers is just a little off. They are not horrible, but they are missing or have too much of something or reached too far and didn't achieve it. Would give another chance, with caution
• 3.25 - Better than average and eminently closer to the mark of what they are. Generally falls because the balance of flavours did not come together quite as well as the style suggests. To be tried again.
• 3.50 - Solid beer, sharable, will buy again. Not outstanding but hitting all the proper marks with decent balance.
• 3.75 - Stepping up with a little better flavour profile. More memorable and the palate is pleased but not blown away. Good beer that will be tried again to explore it further.
• 4.00 - The top end begins here. Balanced and on point for the style. Checks all the boxes for texture, flavour and finish. A candidate for regular pours and recommendations to friends. Buy this beer.
• 4.25 - Now we are talking. This is when beer gets exciting. Standout balance between flavours, above the norm and sought after for repeat purchases. Something special in these beers that makes them stand out from the crowd.
• 4.50 - Simply the best. Everything screams amazing from the pour, sniff and sip. Hitting and exceeding the mark on proper style notes, outstanding flavour and texture with memorable moments all the way through
• 4.75/5.00 - I've never been this lucky or able to appreciate a beer to either of these levels. Perhaps with time I can learn enough to take some of the 4.50 to these heights. Call them Unicorn beers, one day I shall ride the lightning.

  Anyone who reviews beer and gives it a number is always open to criticism and some of that is deserved. Passing judgement on someone else's work is difficult and even more so when you get to know the good people that populate your local craft beer scene. But the honest and open exchange of information and feedback can be helpful to the brewers and I rarely post scathing reviews because it doesn't help anyone to attack or belittle a beer. Ask me privately and I will always tell you the truth, but for beers that don't hit the mark, I generally log them into Untappd and move on, not wanting to waste creativity or my words on a longer review. If I have serious concerns I will and have contacted the brewery directly to seek answers because I always want to know more. If we really are fans of what Craft beer has brought to us, making it a better and more open for discussing things is only going to create a positive place for all.
  I know some people take the reviews I do to heart and will seek out beers I trumpet and avoid ones I pan, so I am conscious of trying to be as honest as I can with everything I write. I know many folks disagree with giving a score at all and I can respect that too. I do what I do because it is part of who I am and how I translate my experience to the world. The rating I give a beer combined with the mood I try to create with the words I use should help to paint a picture that is easy to understand. I take what I create seriously, but never myself. I don't get all caught up in followers, likes or anything of the sort. Writing about beer should always take a backseat to enjoying it and the people who've come into my life are proof of that. My reviews have brought me so many opportunities to meet new people and create friendships with a really diverse group of pretty awesome people. That is what it should always be about, fun and friends with better beer.
  So review your beer any way you want, give it a score or don't, but always be honest about what you taste. Take other people's reviews with a grain of salt and look to those you trust or who you seem to have a similar palate with for suggestions. Remember that what you taste is what it is, so be patient if you're just learning to experience what can found in all the different styles of beer. It took me a long time to get here and I still feel like I have so much more to learn. Take a class, get your Prudhomme or Ciccerone certification to get into what really goes on in your glass. Or just enjoy the fact that we are living in a golden age of beer right now and explore everything your local scene has to offer. Tell a story, take a picture, sing a song or make a video if that's what you want, have fun and create something that shows who you are. I'm going to keep doing it my way because that's what makes me happy. Hope you can stick around because this ride is just getting fired up.


Raise your glass and your standards,
One beer at a time.


Cheers!


Polk

The Evolution of Mindful Drinking

When I started this blog in December, I had little idea where it would take me. I was doing daily reviews on Instagram, trying to write something here every day, beer related or not, and attempting to regain my life. My depression and anxiety had reached fever pitch and I was grabbing at anything I could to help pull me out of that morass. I wasn't fully conscious of what I was doing, I only knew my life could be better and I wanted good beer to be part of that.

What has happened in the last five months has astounded this cynical old man.

It has been with a concentrated effort that I banished macro lagers from my life. Acquiring and trying new craft beers has become such a joy in my life that it is the anticipation of getting new beer that I look forward to more so than the consumption. I love the first sip of my brew every day, regardless of style, and it often takes me a little longer to choose a beer because of what I have come to think of as the Polkaroo Doctrine of Mindful Drinking (PDMD). It's a bit of a joke for me to label what I do as such, but inside my little acronym happy life is a real truth for anyone who wants to slow down and enjoy beer without giving in to over-consumption and alcohol abuse.

It started with trying to chronicle what flavours and textures I was getting from each new beer and keep track of what I was drinking. It has evolved into a way for me to express myself on a larger platform, bring my life into focus and meet new friends. It usually takes from 10 minutes to an hour to choose what I will be drinking on any given night. Without the release of downing 10 or 12 beers a night, I needed a way to slow down and this is the first step. Once I pick my beer, I need to figure out my picture. Since my main review platform is Instagram, the visual is as important as the words that accompany it. Before I pour a beer, I usually read up on it, the brewery that makes it or something that jumps out at me about it. It has lead me down some interesting paths, from history to microbiology. It also helps me to understand what I'm tasting, as my palate wasn't the most impressive when I started. I will try any style of beer and do my level best to find something to appreciate about it.

I always write my review as I make my way through the beer. Sometimes it can change as it warms up, so take your time. Part of becoming more present is simply sitting and exploring what makes each beer a unique experience. Most nights I have time for only 2 beers and without a fridge full of empty flavour macro lagers, I don't seek the darkness anymore. The light of good craft beer has found me and I am a better person because of it. Finding something to write about along with the beer is the best way for me to keep myself present and not slide back to the ways of the past.

I know not everyone wants to put so much effort into describing and capturing their beer. What works for me isn't necessarily the best plan for all beer drinkers. But elements of what I do can be applied to any situation and help you gain control of your experience. I do believe that an app like Untappd or Beer Advocate is essential to the process and would encourage you to get one of them. I personally like Untappd because of its easy to use interface, but whatever you use, make it count. Rating your beer and making some short comments on what you're tasting will be beneficial to helping you slow down and enjoy every beer. Mindless cramming of macro beers brings nothing but emptiness and we deserve better. I always try to pair my beer with what I am doing and you should consider what you are after before you pop the top or crack the can. Look, smell and sip is a good way to begin. I think you can see that gulping a well crafted beer is pointless if you are truly trying to experience life in a more mindful way, so sipping and tasting is the way to go. Subtle changes in the beer often appear as it warms up and this can be how you make your way to being more present with your beer.

It seems so simple to me now, but it has taken almost three years for me to reach a point that I feel comfortable in my own skin again. The abuse of beer was part of the downfall that I experienced when I almost lost everything. I used it to escape from the walls crashing down around me and that only made things worse. I have been baptized in the fires of macro lager hell and come out the other side preaching the gospel of what great craft beer can do. Without it, I am not sure I would be here today to write this. I'm not being facetious. It exists in my mind the path I could have taken and it is lonely, cold and dark. So while PDMD (Copyright pending, haha) is funny, it also means so much to who I am becoming. There is no way I would be going out, meeting up with new beer friends or planning new adventures without it. So it is with happiness and gratitude to those who make such wonderful beer that I encourage you to support your local small breweries. Go visit them, try new beers and open yourself up to the possibilities of where  your imagination can take you. Be present, mindful and aware of everything in your life and use beer to enhance it, not hide from it.

Raise your glass and your standards, one beer at a time!

Cheers!