Courtesy West Coast Beer Geek

Profiled by Ken Carman

82 out of 100 BA, 3.6 out 0f 5 Untappd

I suppose it’s just right for those not expecting more. Strong bitter, really no flavor. Hopportunity has that kind of grapefruit hop nose one expects, but not what one finds when a brewer also plans on fruiting your tongue (or spicing, or floral-ing, or…) as well as bittering. Too many late additions? A tad astringent, which would be fine if there was something else there.

The mouth screams for at least a little malt sense. I understand hops are the star, and I can take super IBU bombs, but I expect at least some complexity.

I have found Caldera a mixed bag brewer. Nothing I’ve had outstanding, nothing really bad.

Mouthfeel? BITTER. The malt comes across as an ever so slight slickness. carbonation is low side medium.

Visually yellow, clarity: tad hazy. Light yellow. Many small bubble head that holds OK.

Again: just a tad more complexity please? Some hop flavor and just a hint more malt might do the trick. As it is it’s a bitter bev that hints there may be some malt way in the background. MAYBE. (Of course there is, but point made.)

3.8

Readers: for now we are using only BA since InBev owns Rate Beer. We may get UnTappd but their site security is done with something that resembles a bad version of Candy Crush!

Welcome to the PGA beer rating system: one beer “Don’t bother.” Two: Eh, if someone gives it to you, drink. Three: very good, go ahead and seek it out, but be aware there is at least one problem. Four: seek it out. Five: pretty much “perfecto.”

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Profiled by Maria Devan

Herbal hop smells earthy and green. Reminds me of gruit beer. Invigorating and fragrant but soft spoken.

Drinks like crackers and spice. Crisp, mellow and resounds with a little twinge form herbal bitterness. It’s like suckin’ on a piece a grass under a tree as you walk .

4

Welcome to the PGA beer rating system: one beer “Don’t bother.” Two: Eh, if someone gives it to you, drink. Three: very good, go ahead and seek it out, but be aware there is at least one problem. Four: seek it out. Five: pretty much “perfecto.”

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Profiled by Maria Devan who lives high on a hill over looking Ithaca, NY. Look! If you live in Ithaca there she is with her field glasses spying on you! Are you drinking a beer worthy of attention. Beware, she’s Ithaca’s beer police. Can’t you hear the siren on he bike as she rolls down the hill? We kid. She’s been writing for us for many years now. We’re lucky to have her.

Profiled by Ken Carman

No score BA, 3.5 UnTappd

Exactly what qualifies this as an IPA? Now a grapefruit Pale a tad low on the hops? I’d buy that. There are hops in this with the slightest bitter and some spicy. But, unless they used grapefruit-like hops, the level is more Pale than IPA. And why would you use grapefruit-like hops in a grapefruit IPA? Seems pointless.

I suspect, if they did, lost in the recipe.

The nose is just like the taste: juicy and a lesser zest sense. The balance there is excellent. Seems to be a very simple pale malt recipe, and a good carbonation level in the mouthfeel. Moderately low body, urine yellow with good clarity, white head that fades fast: tiny bubble.

It’s simple, a little boring, but enjoyable. Only less than a 4 because it’s not what the label claims it to be.

3.9

Welcome to the PGA beer rating system: one beer “Don’t bother.” Two: Eh, if someone gives it to you, drink. Three: very good, go ahead and seek it out, but be aware there is at least one problem. Four: seek it out. Five: pretty much “perfecto.”

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Profiled by Ken Carman

90 BA, 3.9 UnTappd

I literally copied and pasted this one then altered some of it. Same problem with one added and a little better hop-wise: not much. Better, but marginally so. Higher alcohols and too much bitter screwed the pooch.(Poor pooch. So much molestation.) I must admit: I’m old school. To me this is too much like a very, very dark double IPA. But it was submitted as an Imperial Stout. Making hops this big of a focus distracts from the darker malt deliciousness/feast that is an RIS. Yes, you have to increase the hops for balance. But if I want “hoppy” I would go an Imperial DPA.

This is my second fav style and they screwed this one up too.

Appearance: no head. No glass coat. Clarity: why even discuss it in an RIS? The excess bitter is a distraction from what should be adark malt feast.

The mouthfeel higher abv harsh and harsh bitter.

Although I prefer the more sweet versions of old, and the astringency is annoying for me;

3.8

Readers: for now we are using only BA since InBev owns Rate Beer. We may get UnTappd but their site security is done with something that resembles a bad version of Candy Crush!

Welcome to the PGA beer rating system: one beer “Don’t bother.” Two: Eh, if someone gives it to you, drink. Three: very good, go ahead and seek it out, but be aware there is at least one problem. Four: seek it out. Five: pretty much “perfecto.”

______________________________Beer HERE

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Profiled by Ken Carman

83 BA, 3.5 out of 5 Untappd

Obviously “organic” is a selling point, not a flavor, aroma or mouthfeel concern.

This was sent to me by my brother Ted in Seattle. Nelson is a Canadian brewer in Nelson, British Columbia.

Right up front: this is pretty much a perfect Northern Brit Brown, though the BJCP doesn’t call it that anymore. Personally I think that a mistake. Brit Browns are more diverse than what the 2015 Guidelines have to say about them, and I thought Northern a very distinct style. But… whatever.

This has all the classic sense, well attenuated to the point of being fairly dry, a mostly malt nose that’s brown malt-ish and hint caramel-like sense. Yes, there’s a bitter to it, but subtle, supporting, well balanced. I would say they’re close to even. Reminds me a tad of Samuel Smith’s Nut Brown, only maybe better. I’d have to have them side by side to ascertain that.

The body low medium, the carbonation high side of low but firm.

I could drink this all day. Whereas even a great IPA is wonderful, but after a while it might fry the tongue. This slips down so easy it’s like a comfy tongue blanket, pajamas or extra long night shirt. No coating involved, just comfortable on the palate. But if you’re looking for more of a desert beer you might try to find the ever elusive, sweeter, London Brown, like Mann’s Brown. They’re hard to find: so hard I’m planning on brewing one.

This Nelson brew is an excellent choice any time of year.

4.3

Welcome to the PGA beer rating system: one beer “Don’t bother.” Two: Eh, if someone gives it to you, drink. Three: very good, go ahead and seek it out, but be aware there is at least one problem. Four: seek it out. Five: pretty much “perfecto.”

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 It seems to be the latest rage: paying judges for judging. OK, let’s be beer judging-correct, “stipends.” Oh, I’m not saying it’s absolutely new by any means, but I have seen a rather large increase.
 I understand, I have been tempted myself with my competition: The Old Forge BIG Beer and Odd Ale Competition. OFBB is in the middle of nowhere and there are no local homebrew clubs. Getting judges is tough. Hell, getting entries is an adventure.
 But I have seen the result of stipends and I’m not convinced they are that effective. And I have every reason to say otherwise. I love judging, but I have yet to let a stipend influence me if I really didn’t want to go somewhere. The Can Can Awards in Franklin, TN offers decent stipend but, to be honest, I’m no fan of the judging sheet they use that reminds me more of a multiple guess high school pop quiz than a judging sheet. It seems designed by someone who thinks every aroma, every flavor, is sensed exactly the same way by every judge. So, naturally if this was all about just me, I’d avoid Can Can, despite the stipend.
continue reading "A Beer Judge’s Diary- Of Stipends and Big Awards"

Profiled by Ken Carman

4.2 on BA, 3.8 UnTapp’d

I don’t CARE if the can says “Americanized.” When the almost fresh hop sense covers the Russian Imperial sense to the point of not being able to be sure it’s RIP that’s problematic. In fact it’s annoying.

The nose is hops, the mouthfeel is hops, the body is high side medium and the carbonation light: though plenty of brown-ish pillow foam. There is an obvious sense of complex malts but so far back to the nose, the palate, the taste it’s tough to be sure.

Odd note: the can was so cheesy the whole top pulled off with great ease.

The hops are bitter and green grassy. Little to no flavor. So little hard to tell what kind.

My guess is the base is good. Just please, please, please, back the hell off from the hops.

3.6

Welcome to the PGA beer rating system: one beer “Don’t bother.” Two: Eh, if someone gives it to you, drink. Three: very good, go ahead and seek it out, but be aware there is at least one problem. Four: seek it out. Five: pretty much “perfecto.”

___________________________Beer HERE

The Topic: A Brief Mention of 2 Worthy VA Breweries

 Ken Carman is a BJCP judge; homebrewer since 1979, club member at Escambia Bay, Salt City, Clarksville Carboys and Music City Homebrewers, who has been writing on beer-related topics and interviewing professional brewers all over the east coast, for over 15 years.

Written by Ken Carman

 This is going to basically be a quick commentary and contrast between two Waynesboro and Charlottesville

breweries. We had to go to a wedding and reviewing breweries wasn’t part of the agenda. But we can’t help ourselves.
 The first one we kind of stumbled into: 7 Arrows in Waynesboro area. When we got off for our exit Millie saw the sign and, after reporting in to the motel, I promised to go back.
 Out in the country, west of Waynesboro, we tried several brews, mostly via sample but also 3 pints between the two of us. The barleywine, to both of us, was way over hopped. We both understand guidelines have been adjusted to increase hopping on barleywines over the years, but we both agree if we wanted that many hops we’d do an IPA our a DIPA. The beer menu said it was Cascade hops, if I remember right, but most of what we got was bitter. In fact, considering the malt profile, maybe Imperial Black IPA might be more like what this was? OK, that doesn’t exist in the guidelines… yet. But it did seem more like a higher abv Black IPA than a barleywine.
continue reading "Brew Biz: Werts and All (Our VA Trip)"

Profiled by Ken Carman

83 BA, 3.7 UnTappd

I must admit: I’m old school. To me this is too much like a double IPA. But it was submitted as a Barleywine, the cans even said that. Oh, I understand: the newer BJCP guidelines over the years have upped the hop level in barleywines, making me miss the maltier, sweet barleywines; like I’ll Have What the Gentleman on the Floor is Having. Making hops a bigger focus in barleywines to me is a mistake. Yes, you have to increase the hops for balance. But if I want “hoppy” I would go DPA. If you want to make a distinction let’s talk East Coast/West. DON’T %$#@ with my beloved barleywines!

Appearance: longstanding big pillow head with a few small bubbles. Great glass coat. A slightly dark yellow with relatively good clarity. Bitter approaches a little too much astringency.

Nose: hint of caramel malt, more pale and hops. A sweet orange-ish and zest-like sense behind that.

The mouthfeel is caramel and slight fresh hop-like sense under the very dominant bitter side to the hops. A tad more bitter than caramel. More caramel malty than most barleywines these days. Hop bitter lingers, fruity orange-ish tangerine mix fades fast, obviously hop driven. More early additions would have helped hop perceptions, less late. The bitter becomes annoyingly astringent after a while. I’d enjoy one glass but not go back for a second. And if I like barleywine I always go back for a second! Higher abv be damned.

Although I prefer the more sweet versions of old, and the astringency is annoying for me; especially in this style, I feel this is well crafted and enjoyable. I would have given it a 4.2 if it had been an Imperial/Double IPA, but even for the newer Guidelines over the years I feel it just a tad overboard. As far as Imperial I understand my comments are a matter of taste. But I stand by my Barleywine concerns. Even if hops should be the focus, this is DIPA focus.

NOTE: Only after I wrote this did I discover the beer sites list it as a DIPA. Not sure what happened here.

3.8

Readers: for now we are using only BA since InBev owns Rate Beer. We may get UnTappd but their site security is done with something that resembles a bad version of Candy Crush!

Welcome to the PGA beer rating system: one beer “Don’t bother.” Two: Eh, if someone gives it to you, drink. Three: very good, go ahead and seek it out, but be aware there is at least one problem. Four: seek it out. Five: pretty much “perfecto.”

______________________________Beer HERE

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