Do you rate beers you don't like?

Talk Discussion in 'BeerAdvocate Talk' started by snowen21, Apr 2, 2014.

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  1. snowen21

    snowen21 Aspirant (295) Jan 16, 2014 Michigan
    Trader

    The other part of it is that I'm a noob and I don't want my "untrained" palate leading me to give a low rating to a beer that may deserve a better one. Or leading someone away from a beer that they might love (very slight chances I know)
     
    #21 snowen21, Apr 2, 2014
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  2. drtth

    drtth Initiate (0) Nov 25, 2007 Pennsylvania
    In Memoriam

    One thing you might do to build up your experience is to read through this:

    http://www.beeradvocate.com/articles/637/

    and then practice doing some reviews for yourself only. Once you've had a bit of practice you'll feel a lot more comfortable with doing it for the database on this site.
     
    #22 drtth, Apr 2, 2014
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  3. jj139

    jj139 Initiate (0) Nov 25, 2013 California

    While I don't purchase beer which I know that particular style doesn't appeal to me (waste of money). If I have bought something and it just doesn't work for me, I will rate it (and I do have a few of that type to do). However you can still rate that beer honestly, for example you can still tell if it is a well-crafted brew but this aspect or that aspect of it just doesn't work for you. Maybe it was too bitter, or too malty, or whatever, but be constructive in your criticism so that readers of your review can still tell that what didn't work for you might work for them.
     
    #23 jj139, Apr 2, 2014
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  4. Roguer

    Roguer Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,811) Mar 25, 2013 Connecticut
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I agree with @drtth if that's the premise of your question: I will not buy a beer I expect to not like, for the sole purpose of rating it.

    However, if I buy a beer and happen to not enjoy it, absolutely I will rate it. @Thoroughbred88 is exactly right: the statistics assume everyone rates honestly.

    What if it was an anomalous experience, like a bad bottle? Consistency is part of it. What if you decide that your palate and experience has changed over time, and you think maybe you didn't give it a fair shake? Buy another bottle, and re-rate it.

    My advice is to rate to your own individual experience, and try to give consideration to style. For example, Belgian Wits are not my favorite type of beer. I do not dislike them, but I don't lurve them, either. Thus, my ratings for Wits might run lower than someone who loves them. However, I also try to rate to style, so a Wit that is very well-crafted is going to receive a higher rating than a poorly-made Wit.

    I agree this can be tricky. If you don't think you can give a beer a fair shake because of inexperience, or it turns out you don't like the style at all (e.g. sours, coffee stouts, IPAs), then sure, don't rate it. If you think you can give the beer a fair shake, regardless of your own ambivalence toward the style, then go right ahead. Plenty of people are just ticking a 5.0 HAD on that beer, anyway, and we need to balance that crap out. :wink:

    Welcome, and cheers!
     
    #24 Roguer, Apr 2, 2014
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  5. 57md

    57md Grand Pooh-Bah (3,033) Aug 22, 2011 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    If I am at a party and the only thing available is Milwaukee's Best Light, I might not bother to write a rating (although I have rated a few AALs).

    I always try to rate craft beers that I sample be they good, bad or ugly. I've given (relatively) low ratings to some highly regarded beers including Jolly Pumpkin Maracaibo Especial, SN Narwhal, Dark Horse Scotty Karate, Cigar City Maduro Brown, Dark Horse Plead the 5th and Bell's Two Hearted.

    I try to rate my beers according to style, but I must confess that my personal style preferences have an impact on my ratings
     
    #25 57md, Apr 2, 2014
  6. dbrauneis

    dbrauneis Grand High Pooh-Bah (8,071) Dec 8, 2007 North Carolina
    Mod Team BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I do not generally buy beers I know I will not like just for the experience of rating them - though I have done some experiments with the bottom 100 beers just to see if they are really as bad as their ratings suggest.

    If only the people that liked the beers rated them, they would all have very high ratings.
     
    #26 dbrauneis, Apr 3, 2014
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  7. Jugs_McGhee

    Jugs_McGhee Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,140) Aug 15, 2010 Texas
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    "Just remember, the sweet is never as sweet without the sour, and I know the sour."
     
    #27 Jugs_McGhee, Apr 3, 2014
  8. RblWthACoz

    RblWthACoz Initiate (0) Aug 19, 2006 Pennsylvania

    I rate all beers honestly and fairly. Even pumpkin beers. If I don't like it, maybe there is someone out there who thinks they have similar taste appreciation as I do and will avoid purchasing something I don't like and they probably won't either. Same with the reverse in them seeing that I really liked something, and they may also.
     
    #28 RblWthACoz, Apr 3, 2014
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  9. LeRose

    LeRose Grand Pooh-Bah (4,423) Nov 24, 2011 Massachusetts
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Pretty much this. Good post, Roguer.
     
    #29 LeRose, Apr 3, 2014
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  10. UCLABrewN84

    UCLABrewN84 Initiate (0) Mar 18, 2010 California

    Yes, everything gets reviewed.
     
    #30 UCLABrewN84, Apr 3, 2014
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  11. John_M

    John_M Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,849) Oct 25, 2003 Washington
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Different strokes and all that. There's no requirement that folks rate every beer they try, and many folks don't rate anything. Also, since we went to the new format (which allows for a basic numeric score without a narrative), I've noticed a lot of folks have become increasingly selective about what they choose to write about. If the beer is memorable (either in a good way or a bad way), then they'll do a full review. However, if the beer isn't particularly striking, they'll just do a numerical score review.

    Personally, throroughbred88, I'm in your camp, as I do try to review everything. However, it's sometimes impossible, just becausee I try so many different beers, and often times because I'm not in a place where I can realistically write a review. So I don't sweat it if for some reason I don't review a particular beer I sampled in some out of the way location (especially if it strikes me as "mehhhh.").

    Shrug. I simply recommend that folks do whatever they're comfortable with, as there's no requirements (just some basic guidelines) when it comes to reviewing beers (or deciding whether or not to review a beer).

    "If people only rated stuff they liked, the ratings would not be legitimate since biases would occur."


    Unfortunately, that's just reality and is something everyone should keep in mind when looking at a beer's BA score. I think those kind of "biases" tend to even out over time, especially when a beer has hundreds or thousands of reviews. However, if you see a beer with a particularly high or low score, and there are only a couple of reviews, it's probably wise to take the score with a grain of salt, just for the reasons you mentioned.

    Just my two cents. Cheers!
     
    #31 John_M, Apr 3, 2014
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  12. JuicesFlowing

    JuicesFlowing Initiate (0) Jul 5, 2009 Kansas

    I review ever beer I drink. I may not like certain styles, but Ive had enough to be objective. I know a good beer from a mediocre one whether I like the style or not.
     
    #32 JuicesFlowing, Apr 3, 2014
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  13. Rekrule

    Rekrule Initiate (0) Nov 11, 2011 Massachusetts

    Everything get's reviewed. A beer being supposedly well crafted and a lot of people liking means nothing to me.
     
    #33 Rekrule, Apr 3, 2014
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  14. WVbeergeek

    WVbeergeek Grand Pooh-Bah (3,391) Sep 24, 2002 West Virginia
    Pooh-Bah

    Listen there are no rules here just do what suits you, I have a great time reviewing beers like Bud Light Chelada, and describing in detail why it's so horrific to my tastes. Someone else may think it's a well executed Red Eye with clam juice added...all of our tastes differ. I don't like to be a beergeek 100% of the time sometimes you just socialize and enjoy and talk beer. That's when I do a number rating, or when I do a full review it's usually at home and I write a love letter to the beer about how fucking good or horrible it is....that's my take on this topic.
     
    #34 WVbeergeek, Apr 3, 2014
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  15. jpweisel

    jpweisel Initiate (0) Jun 23, 2005 New Jersey

    Yes, review all, however, review it based against a style. If you realize you don't like a style, say barley wine, then don't rate a beer of that style poorly because it doesn't appeal to you. It could be an excellent example of that style and your poor rating could bring it down.
     
    #35 jpweisel, Apr 3, 2014
  16. mudbug

    mudbug Pooh-Bah (1,762) Mar 27, 2009 Oregon
    Pooh-Bah

    The answer to that is very easy to find, just compare the number of ratings for something like Pliny the Elder and Budweiser. There are roughly twice as many ratings for PtE than Bud. The only conclusion that you can make by this comparison is that roughly half of the PtE raters either never had a Bud (Not believable at all) Or that they simply choose not to rate Bud (bingo!) So the answer to your question is probably half or more BAs only rate beers they enjoy or find interesting. As for the legitimacy of ratings, they are quite legitimate. Just because there is a lack of data for lower appreciated beers does not infer inflated results for the better appreciated beers.
     
    #36 mudbug, Apr 3, 2014
  17. Jeffo

    Jeffo Pooh-Bah (2,874) Sep 7, 2008 Netherlands
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    If I know I'm not going to like it, as it's a style I don't like or something, then I won't even bother to drink it. If it's a style I like and it ended up being a poor representation of that style, then I go to town on it.

    Jeff
     
    #37 Jeffo, Apr 3, 2014
  18. linnymtu

    linnymtu Savant (1,206) Apr 2, 2010 Michigan
    Trader

    I rate every beer I drink. If it is a style I don't like, then I take that into consideration and rate it based on the potential of that style. For example, Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier I rated a 4.5/5 even though I'm not the biggest fan of hefewiessens.

    I like to be able and look back at my rankings and also it helps me remember if I had a beer or not 3 years ago.
     
    #38 linnymtu, Apr 3, 2014
  19. Roguer

    Roguer Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,811) Mar 25, 2013 Connecticut
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    This is probably related to why the "average" ratings of beers don't trend toward 3.0. I think for most people, calling a beer "average" means that it's drinkable, as it's not poor, or below average. However, once you've decided that it's drinkable, that must mean that it has good qualities, thus driving the score up over 3.0.

    We tend to inflate ratings, methinks. I'm not saying that's a bad thing. I am saying that it's related to the tendency of many people to rate only (or rate more often) the beers that they like, and ignore the beers they do not. @mudbug pointed out the disparity of the number of ratings for PtE vs. Budweiser. That sums things up pretty well. :wink:
     
    #39 Roguer, Apr 3, 2014
  20. lilsmizzul1225

    lilsmizzul1225 Initiate (0) Dec 27, 2012 Indiana

    I rate everything, but I don't keep up with the domestic ratings as much. I will rate Bud, Miller, Hamms, Keystone... etc but if I miss one it's no big deal.

    What I have a problem with is if I like something but not nearly as much as others do.
     
    #40 lilsmizzul1225, Apr 3, 2014
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