No 5's for me yet but the number is subjective. For me the top three were: Bells T2Hearted (4.79) , Off Color Apex Predator (4.68), and Toppling Goliath Fire, Skulls, & Money (4.58). Time plays a huge role because I don't think I would give these the same rating today. Palates change. I think it's worth keeping the reviews updated when you revisit a beer.
I'm seeing a lot people whose highest rated beers were in the first half of their time on BA. Definitely helpful for my Confirmation Bias. Also, it confirms KBS Mackinaw is amazing.
From what I can see and remember, my first 5 was Duvel. My most recent 5 was this year and actually a mead— heavier cohesion vanilla. Other early noteworthy 5s were BCBS (still a 5 for me), Pliny (still a 5), and early but a bit later, Very Green (best IPA to this day that I’ve had on draft, including a recent visit to TH).
It’s a valid question. I definitely gave the majority of my 5s within my first 5 years of rating. That said, I did give a perfect 5 in 2022 the first time I had La Vie est Belge, and I’ve stood by that when I tried it again.
I can't seem to bring myself to give any beer a 5, but I know I have unrealistic expectations. But then I don't care for the hazies and flavored imperial stouts which seem to make up most of the highest-ranking beers.
Only one 5. Old Rasputin. The perfect beer. All other 5s are incorrect, anyway. Now I've really got to get you to explain to me how a barrel aged beer brewed with coffee is the perfect brown ale is you're rating to style alone.
I've never done one, although I came close in my early reviewing days. For me a 5 across the board is an unreachable ideal.
Interesting topic. I was surprised that mine was almost 5 years ago: Very HHHazyyy Tree House Brewing Company
I’m an avid UT user, but I never understood why breweries (or anyone) put any faith in their average ratings. The raters here are likely way more consistent in their ratings vs. UT, but it still doesn’t mean there’s some meaningful difference in a .01 or even .1 difference in the average ratings of 2 beers. Translating sensations into numbers isn't remotely precise. That said, Joined BA: Oct 11, 2010 Total Beers Rated: 7797 (on UT) Number of perfect 5s: 86 (including those for sentimental reasons) All "strictly for the beer" Perfect 5s: 10/16/11 Fremont Brewing Cowiche Canyon IPA 01/20/14 Fremont Brewing Dark Star Oak Aged with Hazelnut and Smoked Black Pepper 07/03/15 Breakside Brewing Bourbon Barrel Aztec 02/02/16 Coastal Empire Beer Co. Coco Piña Gose 05/21/16 Deschutes Brewery Breakfast In Bruges 07/20/16 Fremont Brewing The Rusty Nail 10/13/16 Breakside Brewing Bellwether 05/11/17 Cascade Brewing Kentucky Peach 01/21/19 Baerlic Brewing Woodworker Collusion Dulce De Leche 02/23/22 Fremont Brewing Cinnamon Coconut B-bomb 09/30/22 Deschutes Brewery Experimental 1320 Fresh Hop IPA 03/07/26 Fort George Brewery Tropical Tomb
So much to unpack here.... I joined 'Dumcrapped' in February 2017 and have been active/lurking on BA for about 4-5 years. When I first started, I had the usual suspects as 5 stars (SN Pale Ale, Torpedo, various BCBS vintages/variants, etc.) but quickly realized that besides rating for style, if I could only go from zero to five, then a 2.5 was a 'C' average. Like many have previously said, a LOT of my old 5 star standbys from years/decades ago have now been downgraded from 5s, especially in the last 6-7 years as newer, less tasty releases have just not been as flavorful as of yore. I've probably not given out as many 5 stars in the last 4-5 years as I gave out in my first 2 years (2017-18) and a handful more I'd go back and downgrade from 5 to a 4.5-4.75 but I'm not going to take the time and change 40-50 'Dumcrapped' reviews anymore (though that's what I have been doing for the last few years when an old standby/favorite really seems to have dropped off a cliff & I start asking myself, "what was I thinking back then? Should've curbed my enthusiasm"). In short, nowadays it takes not only accounting for style but REALLY making my tastebuds do cartwheels from first to last sip before I'll give a 5 ball. And yes, the, "beer-wall-of-fame" does have quite a few 4.75s and a few 4.5s up there but mostly, it consists of 5 stars. Like the old 2018 version of 120 Minute. The 2026 version of 120 Minute? Only a 4.5 to my tastebuds now. The most recent 5 star? The last Old Rasputin or Pliny from 2026 and 2024 respectively.
If you score a 50 out of 100 on a test, that isn't a C. That is well into an F. If I rate a beer as 3.5, that's basically me saying that it sucks and needs to try harder. If I rate it as a 2.5, it needs to be put in a helmet and special class.
A fifty on an exam may well be a B -- possibly an A. Well before grade inflation became a thing (the 60s), I was taking Physics and Math classes where a 30% was often a solid passing score. I remember the occasion when our bead-wearing Electricity and Magnetism Prof. gave us a really challenging final. After the final he took the class out to Lydia's, a short walk from Science I, where he could have a mixed drink and the rest of us a beer.
I never understand the people who match the rating system to letter grades. The scale is not a secret, it's explicit By definition, once you're below 3.5 you are below "good". Theres no real reason that a modern discerning beer buyer shouldn't be drinking pretty much exclusively 3.75+ rated beers by this scale.
Read above that the scoring is explicit: 4.50 - 5.00 = World-Class 4.00 - 4.49 = Outstanding 3.75 - 3.99 = Very Good 3.50 - 3.74 = Good 3.00 - 3.49 = Okay 2.00 - 2.99 = Poor 1.00 - 1.99 = Awful I've settled on; ~4.50 - 5.00 = World-Class ~4.40 - ~4.49 = Outstanding ~4.00 - ~4.39 = Excellent 3.75 - ~3.99 = Very Good 3.50 - 3.74 = Good (sucks) 3.00 - 3.49 = Okay (really sucks) 2.00 - 2.99 = Poor (instant drain pour) 1.00 - 1.99 = Awful (deny deny deny) If a beer score is right on the edge I'll append "ish" or say it's "adjacent". I rarely rate anything below 3.90 because I try to avoid buying beers that have a good chance of sucking. Most of my cellared beers are ones I rated world-class.
The way I like to think of it is 0-5 is basically a 0-100 score, 5 = 100, 2.5 = 50, and I guess the lowest we can rate is a 1 which is bad enough. If we take a test and get a 50/100, or 2.5/5 it is usually a failed grade. A 3/5 would at least be a 60/100 which is a D- score, 3.5/5 = 70/100, etc. So for me, a total 4 score would be like an 80/100 or B-, a 4.5 would be a 90/100 or A-. So I don't see anything wrong with a beer scoring in the high 90s or close to 100, I just think certain parameters should be met and we all define our own individual ratings for what constitutes a 4 or 5 mouthfeel, etc. A 2.5 out of 5 score isn't average even if it's in the middle of the scale, it is a failing score. Anything below a 3 would be technically an F grade under a 60 out of 100 score.
Ratings are very personal I think. I may think a beer sucks and you may think it is great. We can both be right.I am not a cicerone or beer judge so I rate on how well I like a beer. With that said there are 5s out there, if you listen to your palate.
