Taking a break from reviewing beers.

I've logged in only 346 beers since joining and have reviewed 306 of them. Most of the ones I have not reviewed are from tastings at breweries where I just want to record my impressions of the beer without enjoying a full pour. I enjoy doing the reviews, but would agree that sometimes it can be a distraction. I find it does make me focus on what I am actually tasting when I take the notes to put in a review, and I enjoy comparing my impressions of a beer to others. If I am in a social setting and having a new brew, though, I'm not dragging out the notepad and detracting from the occassion. I did for a while, but it seems a bit silly. Dilly, dilly...

I do like sitting down quietly at home and dissecting a beer. If I like it, I am likely to buy more and then I just drink. Sometimes I'll buy two of a new beer, just drink one and then review on the second go.

Obviously I'm not doing this in bulk given the numbers, so I'm not sure I could "burn out". Most of my new beers are consumed on Sunday for the NBS thread with occasional excursions into weekdays, especially when I travel and pick up local treats in a different place. While the reviews do get redundant, I think it is important to write them and make the effort. I do find most times when I review the scores come down a little as I am actively thinking about what I am experiencing,

 

As someone who reviews 250-300 beers on an annual basis, I certainly understand the feeling of burnout. When I started, I was only ticking beers, but quickly wanted to start writing reviews, mainly for myself, but if it helped someone else with a purchasing decision that was great too. Especially for some of the beers with very few reviews.

What normally would burn me out is a) trying only new beers b) reviewing a string of beers that don't have a certain wow factor.

I generally find my reviews get worse if I've reviewed too many beers in a short period of time and this problem is exacerbated when a lot of those are decent, drinkable, but not really memorable. Lots of beers in the 3-3.6 rating area or so.

What usually works for me is: a) Drinking other beers that I've have had before - the local high quality IPA, a solid Pilsner etc., something you can enjoy and don't necessarily have to analyze; you can drink it because you feel like a beer. Alternatively there is b) take a break and make you next beer review be something you are very much looking forward to, a big imperial stout that been in the cellar / fridge for months or you happen to run across a top notch sour for a good price. Beers that you have high expectations for can be motivational because you want to join the chorus of praise for said beer. I try to do this with every 50th review lately, make it something a little more special than your standard review.

Just my two cents. YMMV of course.

 

Do you get Funkwerks? Their regular Saison in $10 a four pack. I think its a great alternative.

 

Haaa haa heee heee, I have lots of reviews but I'd never NOT drink a beer because I didn't feel like reviewing it! DRINK IT !!! Loosen up, it's only beer, and only a beer review. Give yourself a little flexibility, beer is about life, life isn't about beer.

On the other hand it can be irritating to me when I see a beer I've had before but that I've never reviewed, but there are thousands of them so I just forget it. If I'd reviewed every beer I've ever tasted I'd have about 8,000 by now.

 

Well, I've actually found 2 that work well for me.

The Boulevard Tank 7
The Goose Island Sofie

While they are each different than Dupont their flavor profiles suit my tastes.

 

I find for my tastes the Tank 7 works best within the first 3 mos as I enjoy that touch of grapefruit.

Also, you can always count on Hennepin for a good Saison.

 

FTFY.

 

I never got started reviewing beers, so I've never needed break.
I've never even rated a single beer.
I just tick using the Got feature here, as well my own system (list and haul photos on home computer and cloud). If I really enjoyed a particular beer it's committed to memory and I'll revisit whenever the urge hits.

 

I got burned out, hence I have 140 rates, but I won't just tick a beer again. Granted, most of my ticks were from bottle shares and fests..

 

I took time off reviewing beers. I realized that it was consuming my life. Now i have balance of sorts. However, Beer for me is like an addiction. Since i feel this way, I am pushing a career towards beer. I feel if I can make something outta beer, I will. I read Elon Musk book and realize having a passion can equate to income, he did it.

 

When I get tired reviewing, I just buy a couple of six packs of something I really like and that usually cures the need for a break.

 

The nice thing about Tank 7 right now is that Boulevard just switched the format from a 4 to a 6 pack. I can't comment as to if it's cheaper per ounce or not, but at the very last, you know all the Tank 7 in 6 packs is fresh for the next 2 months.

Personally, I'm glad they switched the format. Tank 7 is a staple around here, so putting it in a 6 pack just feels proper. Now if I could just get a canned version for tailgating and camping....

 

This is where I fail as a BA member, I almost never review and quite frankly have pretty much given up on rating as well.

 

No fail. Your personal preference.

 

I mainly take a break from reviewing in the summer. During the fall and winter there are often a lot of new beers in styles I like so I tend to reviews those. Summer is for drinking cheap beer in the heat for me.

 

@FBarber -

"Hold on, if you feel like letting go
Hold on, it gets better than you know"
-Good Charlotte