Poll: Why I Don't Review Beers.

If I am at home enjoying my beer, I will try to write a review so that the experience is fresh in my head. I generally input beers first into untappd (especially if I am out), and don't always want to write a review after based on my untappd entry since I might not be able to remember everything well enough to accurately describe it. I usually just mark a "had" on beer advocate and give the beer a straight slate of whatever score I gave it on untappd.

I generally find that I give more nuanced scores to beers when reviewing on beer advocate first, but always think it will take longer than it actually does. I marked "don't have time" above, but it is a mix of that and not wanting to "review" beers based on scores I input on untappd six months ago.

 

It's all just so darn subjective. I've been let down by purchasing well-reviewed beer, and I've been shocked at how low some of my favorite beers are rated. Recently I've been making new purchases based on chit-chat in forum threads. The advice is way less stiff and I can avoid the Freshman-level cliches and hyperbole that plague the reviews.

 

Im not big on writing as I feel I dont really do it very well. Never been too great at it. But rating is enough for me, so I can keep track of what iv had and enjoyed.

 

This. Know I won't get better without practice, but too often I'll start one and it just feels like I'm borrowing words from a bunch of earlier reviews.

 

I review my beers . . . But mostly for my own notes. I'm honest in my reviews but don't really expect anyone to take them very seriously.

 

I don't want to. It's not fun. By the time I'm done picking apart the beer, it's half gone and I haven't enjoyed it at all.

 

When I don't review a beer, it's because it did not inspire 150 characters of comment.

 

I just don't typically want to commit the time to writing a full review of a beer. I keep up with my beers on untapped, but I do that primarily so I can look back and see how well I liked a beer if it's been a while since I last had it. If I have no frame of reference, I definitely look at the reviews on BA.

 

I chose 'don't have time' - which isn't exactly true, but it best represents why I stopped writing reviews.

When I was reviewing every new beer, I had to commit myself to being analytical throughout the whole beer drinking session. Take a sip, think and write, repeat. By the time I was done with writing the review, the beer was gone, and I never got to just sit back and enjoy it.

 

Spoils the enjoyment for me. Everyone is different - I understand that taking notes while drinking a beer enhances the experience for some. It has the opposite effect for me.

Plus I think it's slightly unfair to imply that not reviewing is not being a proper BA, or not being a BA in the fullest sense. There are people that write great reviews that don't get involved in the forums. There are people who are active in their regional forums who don't participate elsewhere. Some people are very experienced in the trading forums and offer great advice to newbies, but they don't get involved in other aspects of the site. Others are constantly keeping the community abreast of new releases or beer related news items. Some people offer great insight in conversations about beer history/culture/brewing, yet don't review. I think as long as you're adding value to some aspect of the site (which has many facets beyond reviews) then there's no issue. So personally I'm going to continue not to review, and instead enjoy reading the reviews of those that do. And I'll try to add a tiny bit of value by talking sh*t in the forums.

And on that note I'd agree with @offthelevel_bytheplumb that certain reviewers would be doing a service to the site by not writing reviews.

 

I would say, reviewing hindered my enjoyment of beer, and since I don't review anymore, I enjoy beers more.
Up to 2008 or so I ticked, had >2000 unique reviews in the end. And than, I stopped and started to enjoy more subtle beers in session mode. I myself am somehow happier, yes, the initial ride through the styles of the beer world made me more concious of what I taste, but with simple session style brews, I'd argue it is not only about concious tasting. But about simple enjoyment. Picking apart a very good franconian Dunkels in all its taste-parts,for me, takes away the joy of sitting in the shade,chatting with friends and having seidla after seidla, letting the beer support it the mood and the situation.

 

It's a time thing. Even when I have reviewed a new beer on Sunday, that "review" may not make it to the normal review section. I will share that I admit I am a Ludite. After 6 months I can successfully post photos with my IPhone. And I can use this IPad to to look at things and to "like" things ( no "like" capability on cell phone that I can find ). However, I haven't figured out how to upload or even write a review with IPad (ok, this is on me) but I know how to use my IPhone to photograph, and to submit reviews of beers and places, which for an old Ludite is a tedium given how small the device is; thus, I'm struggling between two devices to keep up with what is going on and to participate in a meaningful way. Bottom line, I want to review more and will hopefully get the hang of what is for me new/difficult technology.

 

Nothing wrong with an ice cold Mickeys every now and then, it's the Steel Reserve and King Cobra that's gives it the bad name.

 

I almost always review nowadays with the exception of tastings or if I am at a party and it would be inappropriate to sit down for a minute or 2 and put my thoughts down on a particular beer.

This is especially true of tastings or dinner parties - it is just rude to pull out your phone and write up a review of a beer in front of everyone, so I usually just make a few mental notes, rate the beer later, but not write a review as that isn't fair to the brewer, or anyone reading it since I am going on recollection a few hours later and am probably bombed too...

 

I don't review because I don't feel like I have a sophisticated enough palate to give it an accurate rating. I refer to ratings a lot and feel like I would be doing someone a disservice if I threw a rating at something that was off the mark.

 

I voted for 'I don't have the time', which isn't exactly true as I'm sure I could find the time to write up a review, I just don't feel like spending my time doing that or taking notes when I drink a beer.

 

Other - I don't have enough depth of experience with most styles. Since the point is to rate to style and not personal taste, it would be irresponsible for me to do so.

 

I said other. I find that I am beginning to understand the idea that if someone really disliked a beer, then they did not review it. If I can't measure it to style I will still a give a rating or review based on my observations of the categories.

 

OTHER: I chose other because as I started on this craft beer adventure I realized that my palate was evolving and that if I had started ticking obsessively I would find that later on down the road I might not review it the same way and bringing mildly OCD I just don't have the time to go back and re-review a beer over and over again.

 

I have gotten back to attempting to write reviews and add my thoughts for the beer I am drinking; however I did vote "I don't have time", because most times when I am just ticking the beer it's because I don't have the time, or more truthfully, I don't want to take the time. Sometimes it's hard to write a review without being influenced by others, especially if you read some review(s) to help make your decision in purchasing the beer.
I am happy that BA has gotten back to it's roots with making the reviews drive the overall rating, however I think this is also bad because not everyone likes to write reviews. Perhaps there could be a way to toggle back and forth between including ticks and reviews?