What's your most recent 5/5?

I've had several in just the past couple months. Bcbcs, bc bramble, bcbw, 2011 st Bon chien, FIS, Cuvée Freddy Zymatore, Olde Hickory Event Horizon, and hopslam. (Had most before), but still all top of the class in my book.

 

From Alltech?

 

Pliny the Elder was the last 5 I've given. However, if I actually reviewed it, it would probably get like a 4.88 or something.

Also GI Backyard Rye was close at 4.75, but it I reviewed that one it would probably also be around 4.88.

The last legitimate 5 that I gave was Heady Topper/Double Sunshine. I had them back to back at Pro Pig in July.

 

DFH World Wide Stout

 

Sitting on six bottles that my girlfriend and her friends went and got me (also, thanks Evan). Is it really that good?

 

I really enjoyed Nogne Ø Dark Horizon 4th edition & the collaboration to make Dark Tokio Horizon. Also, BrewDog's Tokio was amazing! and on top of those, I would say an honorable mention would be Bell's Batch 10,000.

Oh, and 2014 Hopslam. I would say it has a much better body & isn't as bitter with a less fruity taste.

 

I always keep going back to Sucks,with Sculpin and Little Sumpin close behind.

 

Hopslam.

 

Coney Island Seas the Day
Maine Another One

 

Last one was Raspberry Tart from New Glarus, but I first had it years ago, and already knew it was good. If we're talking last straight 5 that was new, that'd be Proprietor's BCBS; possibly my current favorite beer. And if we're talking 5 just for taste (which is the only part I really care about anyway), then it'd be Surly Darkness.

 

I've never given a perfect 5. Initially it was because I knew there were so many of the acknowledged great beers out there that I hadn't tried, and I wanted to leave room for them if I were to ever get to them and agree that they were tops. Also, when judging against an imagined perfection I've never tasted, I also want to leave a little room at the top for some future star.

Now that I've tried so many of the lineup of craft royalty and a few surprises too, realistically I ought to go back and recalibrate everything I've ever rated, using the tip top best I've had as at least close to 5, but I know I'm not going to due to laziness and not caring enough.

Also, if all we did was give a single 1-5 rating, maybe a few would get 5 from me, but when you're rating four categories plus an overall category, and we're rating to epicurean pleasure and preference as opposed to style, I think it's exceedingly rare that anything will get five fives for an average of five.

Appearance is a good example. I know that some styles just aren't going to produce much head due to the chemistry involved. They shouldn't be expected to. But I rate a head against all the others I've ever seen and liked or disliked, and if something has little or no head, that's some points off in my appearance rating for that beer, because my ratings are for me and I want to remember what I thought of something. Likewise a beer that tastes amazing can still look like muddy spoiled apple cider, and there's no reason to give it a five in appearance when other beers can be so gorgeous. Or a beer that tastes amazing can still have a curiously faint aroma. Or a beer such as Creme Brulee, which to me smells better than any beer I've ever smelled, can then go all pear shaped once you taste it (it's not for me).

So a perfect 5 is just about impossible under my particular scoring criteria.

 

Those are my only two 5's.

 

Beer geek brunch weasel and st lamvinus.

 

"Old Rasputin" by Russian River Brewing Co. was pretty close. Also, "Breakfast Stout" by Founders

 

I find that the more beers I have, the less likely I am to give a 5/5. It's unfortunate, but the more I try, the more I can say, well it didn't have the appearance of beer X that I gave a 4.75 to, so I guess I need to give it a 4.5.

I have now had Heady multiple times, over a couple years - still a 5/5 for me.
Pliny and Dreadnaught I've only ever had once, and I'd love to revisit them.

 

i definitely think so. Right up there with Alpine Nelson... have to try them side by side to determine which ones better. i'd go with alpine for now but just to mention them in the same sentence together automatically gives nelson showers a 5/5 if you ask me.

 

Uinta Hop Nosh IPA and Bell's Hopslam

 

As of last night, GI BCBS is another 5/5.

What a beer...

 

2013 Parabola and 2013 KBS, had them on the same day...

 

Had Black Note for the first time and it was a 5 hands down. Maybe my favorite stout.... Also gave Hopslam a 5 the same night! Good night for Bells.