Appearance: What makes a 5 rating?

Or where we're drinking the beer. Or whom we're drinking it with. Or what color Froot Loop is our favorite.

 

Like ****, I can't describe it but, I know it when I see it!!!!!!

 

Presentation is a factor - this is a known fact throughout the world (take a peek at all the Chef programs on TV). However, if I am at home and I am trying a beer for the very first time, I do study its aesthetic qualities - but I haven't broken into the glassware scene. I currently only have the typical pint glasses that are at nearly every bar in the world. I serve my beer in these glasses at home.

How much head is there? That, too, is the way it is conditioned and poured. I use primarily DME at bottling so I typically have a thick standing head, but when I keg (which I haven't mastered as of yet) I may have a head that disappears quickly. Again, that doesn't much matter to me - taste is all I look for.

I was recently at a local brewpub and when my girlfriend ordered their Russian Imperial Stout and it came in a glass similar to what MisSigsFan (sexy as hell) pictured, it was pleasing to the eye and really impressed both of us. It was the first time either of us had experienced a "different" glass, so had I really judged it - it would have received a 5. Now, maybe not so much.

I recently made a still mead but bottled it way to early and it became well over-carbonated (yes, bottle bombs - lost all but 10 bottles). So if I know its a still mead but turns out carbonated - it's affects the rating. If I thought I was going to have a sparkling mead, then it would be better but when you lose half of it in the sink when you open the bottle, that's a negative impact on this standard. However, it tastes great - but we aren't rating that just yet, are we?

Again, this feature is weighted low, but is important.

 

Literally every bit of specialty glassware I have - tulips, snifters, bowls, oversized wine glasses, and so forth - has come from "pint night" events at local bars where one shows up, buys a first pour at full price, and then gets to both keep the glass it comes in and get discounted refills all night long. Does anywhere near you have that sort of promotional event regularly?

As far as rating appearance goes, that's entirely dependent on the style of beer being rated. If it looks like it's supposed to look, it gets closer to 5; if it's some sort sort of weird mutant beer in its appearance, it gets closer to 1. Not all that hard.

Given from what I've read in other threads that most folks don't like to give perfect 5s to any beer at all, or not more than one attribute, or so forth, I'd think this attribute represents a fantastic opportunity to make sure one doesn't give a score marginally too high while still allowing for profuse praise in the taste, smell, and other categories. Maybe that's just me, though.

 

They ALL look good to me!

 

To be honest, they all look beautiful to me. Then, I taste them....and the herd is thinned

 

this, this is a 5

 

I know that Westbrook Gose is the definition of a 1 for appearance. Looks like pond scum, especially with some age. Still an awesome beer though.

 

This has always been a hard pill for me to swallow. I used to think I needed to try every beer in the world to figure out which one deserves a 5. So I never gave 5's. I gave a few 4.75 marks. But in the last year I've reconsidered this question. One needs to have a beer in each style that one thinks other beers should emulate. If I am going to rate it as high as 4.75 than why not simply rate it a 5? I mean what's the point of shaving off a point here and there?

 

A ZD poured into a pint glass gets a 4.75. A ZD poured from a bottle with a peeling label into a pint glass gets a 5.00.

 

That's a different kind of "Beer Goggles"!

 

After a long hike on a hot day, that first beer looks not only like the finest beer ever, but the finest anything ever.

 

????....!!!! I just put appearance at "3" F**K if I know ?! I just pop the top on the bottle and try to enjoy it !!!
It ain't science, and I don't pour it out for an experiment! Drink it, rate it, move on to the next one in the fridge!

 

If seein' the convicts drankin' a cold Stroh's in the hot roofing scene from "Shawshank Redemption" don't make ya thirsty, I don't know what will.

 

Geez- if you guys drank more lagers then you'd understand how appearance can be tied in with the overall quality of the beer.

 

I'm slightly confused here. Its all part of the art of brewing. And to me it is an art. Just like painting, making music architecture etc. There are many facets to this. Its confusing because I see the same people that post " I'd never drink a SA pale ale" or " if all I had for beer to drink wasn't rated at least a 90, I wouldn't drink t all" seem to be the same ones saying " I don't care about the way it looks I just drink beer".
I wouldn't personally like many judge on looks alone but when a brewer is trying to a acheive in their eyes the perfect form of a particular style it needs to be appreciated top to bottom.
If you took your favorite tune and removed the bass or lowered it would it still sound the same overall?
I've seen stouts that look like stormy thunder clouds or mississippi black mud and loved them.
I've appreciated a golden DIPA that looks like a carribean sunset and enjoyed it more.
I can enjoy the whole package: The brewers attempt at their idea of perfection and as we all know its hard to achieve

 

I am surprised this hasn't been mentioned... info on the bottle/can. I give out a 5 if the beer looks great in the glass AND the brewer lists the ABV and bottled date. Date in a human readable format - no decoder ring needed. Six Point is great for this. And Great Lakes (just to name 2 of the top of my head)

 

Back in the day about 10 Michelobs produced a lot of 10 ratings.

 

To me when I see a turbid IIPA with fine yeast and hop residue floaties, the more turbid the better, and thick foamy head that leaves slathers of lace that cling for the whole ride, when it is that dull orangish gold that isn't pretty in a classic sense, but damned if it isn't an appearance that sets my tastebuds into a state of frantic anticipation. In the true sense, that is a 5 for me.

I always try to review to style, I do occasionally judge, and I like to try to know styles and understand how to make them look well and taste/smell well. But what is tempting in appearance to individuals is not always what style guidelines consider to be optimal.

As others already have said, isn't that look that makes you crave to drink it the look that should get the higher grade?

 

The first time I had PseudoSue I was amazed and it was a deserved 5 rating for appearance (and actually overall for me). Since then, I've had one that's murky gold, and seen pics of another that's super murky yellow sort of like King Sue. I prefer the clear, beautiful looking beers. Here's my pour of Pseudo for comparison's sake if you have one these days:



And honestly, I don't think this picture does the beer justice for what it looked like in person. Much more of a beautiful red-orange-gold hue when not looking through an iPhone camera.