Beer review fatigue.

This ^

I'm frequently visiting new breweries and new beers that aren't on BA, so I generally like to get them on the BA map. Now what I've been doing lately, is taking a photo on my smart phone of their taplist, then just taking care of my review when I get home to my computer later that evening to enter in the new beers I drank earlier that day. I am starting to get a little frustrated though when months pass, and I see all of the 1 reviews next to beers at the brewers and look back and its still only me with a review or even and rating. So now I'm getting a little jaded that my extra work I'm doing isn't really getting these breweries/beers on the beer advocate radar at all (but Untappd has tons of traffic, which isn't nearly as credible ratings IMO).

 

You certainly are not alone. There was a stretch of about a month last year where I didn't write a single word, note, or descriptor about a beer. I took a break for many of the same reasons you mentioned, but above all it started to feel ever so slightly like a chore. I still enjoy writing about beer, and will continue to do so until I deem it unsatisfactory, at which point I will take another break. To help break up the constant writing about beer (which I thoroughly enjoy since it's about the one instance I get to practice my writing skills these days), I usually keep a simple sipping 6 pack on hand. Those are the beers I'll enjoy just to have a beer. Usually they're hoppy brews like Firestone Walker's Luponic Distortion, or Stone's Enjoy By. In the winter I'll pick up a couple 6ers of a local coffee stout (Mother's Winter Grind) that has a soft spot in my heart. Mixing those into my rotation helps keep beer, beer. Otherwise, I still enjoy writing. I find it adds to the process of enjoying an $18 bomber instead of throwing it back while I watch Always Sunny (which isn't bad either).

 

I've been there as well - but it's probably not a surprise that you can count me as one who appreciates efforts like yours. Seeing even a single review that gives me a little insight when I am at a place is useful, even if I don't get to write one myself.

 

Hey single review buddies. I've been checking out more and more local beers, and I always review when I post a rating on here. It's a little nerve racking being the first review, and a little frustrating when no one else gives their input even after returning to it months later, but at least we did our part. It's easy to write a beer that has thousands of reviews. Not so with the first dozen or so reviews on a new beer. So cheers to doing your part.

 

This thread comes serendipitously at a coincidental time for me. About a 4-5 months ago I gradually cut down on my reviews. This was not a conscious plan on my part but more some kind of gradual laziness or the desire to "just shut up and enjoy the beer".
I have semi-consciously been bouncing this around in my brain more and more. Reading this thread is like going to a counselor about my worries.

 

I just wish we could get more review/rating traffic on here, simply because its so much more credible than Untappd. There is a new brewery that just opened like a month ago in my town. I found out about it just yesterday, and plan to go sample their beers later this week. It doesn't even exist yet on Beer Advocate (brewery nor any of their beers), yet on Untappd, there are over 1,000 reviews already. 10 in the last hour alone. So I guess I'll be setting up the brewery and beers on BA later this week most likely.

I hate Untappd, in nearly every way compared to BA, but do love the enormous review/rating traffic it gets particularly on the new breweries/beers in my area. Maybe my area is just not into Beer Advocate compared to other parts of the country. Who knows. Seems the area loves Untappd though.

 

Once in a while I feel the need to completely stop reviewing for a few months and just focus on enjoying beer. But eventually I'll feel inspired to review a great new beer and will get back into it.

 

@bubseymour yeah I get ur frustration, seems that the places with no beer reviews that I go to, usually with family and don't want to be that guy. If it is seriously flawed, will give a one liner to give the jest, but those I rate above a 3.5 I have intentions on coming back around on.

 

I stopped some place yesterday that is not on BA. I have submitted it, and it's awaiting approval. After wards, I'll add all their beers to the system. While it kinda stinks, it does help us get more info about our respective beers scenes out there. While I wish I could go ahead and write my review of the brewery/pub and beers, it can wait.

I do not trust Untappd's rating system either. I've said it before, but Untappd's rating system is more of an "oh, shit! I like this beer" system then "this is a good or GREAT beer within this style". It's so much easier to assign an arbitrary number on Untappd then here. If the look of a beer is world class, but the aroma smells like garbage, BA will take that into account. On Untappd, it's up to the rater, who may not even account for the look of the beer.

I do think it's a little dangerous to stream line BA rating's system. While the system does weight reviews heavier than ratings, a system too streamlined could lead us down the same path as Untappd. While it stinks that some beers may never get a second review despite a dozen kegs being served of it every week, at least we've done our part. I also think there is a lot to be said about adding a place and their beers to the system. Most of the beers I've reviewed this weekend I had to add to the system. The nice thing about that is it is at least set up for someone who may be likely to review/rate it, but not willing to add it to the database.

There are two clusters of small breweries in my home town with another dozen scattered across the city. All of them have a large Untappd presence, and yet I had to add one to the system this weekend. I also had to add most of the beers I drank this weekend. Your city is not alone. As more and more and more breweries open up, and the brunt of BA being focused on whatever is trendy at the moment, those worthy local breweries may not get much attention. I just did a trade with someone who wanted something I had, and I just wanted to try some good local stuff from around there. I ended up getting two bombers of world class NE IPAs, and no - not Treehouse, Trillium, or any of that. These were just as good, cheaper, no waiting in lines, and yet no one is talking about them on BA, and thus they don't get much attention as far as reviews, ratings, or trade traffic. Shame, but such is the nature of this site.

 

While I have cut my beer reviews and "just shut up and enjoyed the beer", I have upped my place ratings. Writing them seems less invasive to my enjoyment because I usually write them days after a visit or even after multiple visits.
With beer, even if I wait some days after I have had a few of the beer in question, I find it is not "honest" to not write the review with an open sample active while posting. Places are different and in a weird way, seems like cheating to write the review while you are there.

 

Just enjoy it. You've spent the money on it, make it worthwhile. Reviews are helpful but honestly the buzz that goes around them seem to be more beneficial. Honestly I've gotten to the point I only review beers if it seems unique, if something special hits me.

 

In general, I don't put much stock in the reviews of a beer. No offense to the tastes of others, but I rarely care what another person thought/tasted when they enjoyed product X. Taste and smell are so subjective and so closely tied to the moment, that a "world class beer" to someone else may take like Lost Lake to me on that particular day. If I referenced a review prior to trying any new beer I would have had 2 beers in my life. If I can't mentally keep track of what I had it will be a welcome surprise the second time around.

 

I will admit, I rarely ever review a beer on here because it's a bit too "in depth" and the requirements for review, while respectable, is too much of a PITA for me. I just want to enjoy the beer and not overthink it by analyzing everything.

I find Untappd, while I don't trust the reviews at all, a better "quick note" review that I have done for me to reference down the road. It's easy and to the point. But again, far less "accurate" and any idiot can bias ratings good or bad, so it's best to ignore. That is the benefit of a review site such as BA. I have friends who treat Untappd like gospel for beer and it's borderline disgusting lol

I appreciate all the time people put into reviews here, as I do reference them at times, but I just can't dedicate myself to them personally. It's just not fun to me and hinders the beer "experience"!

 

I don't think I have any ratings or reviews on here.
I did a few as a guest reviewer for a local blog around here, and it was fun the half-dozen or so times I did them over the course of a year or something, but I couldn't really get into the mindset of doing it for every beer I have, even new ones. I do a sort of mental review when I have a new beer, sort of going through the list in my head, (OK, how's the pour, what's it look like, how's the aroma etc) but I don't have the patience to write it down, much less post it somewhere all the time. after those first few sips, I mostly stop thinking about it and enjoy the beer.

 

I also stay interested in writing beer reviews by taking notes with one of my fountain pens. It gives me a chance to work on my cursive, and use my pens. While I have a few pen pals, writing beer provides me with a consistent source for hand writing practice. And I get to enjoy a brew!





Both photos feature my TWSBI 580AL iwth a medium nib in pink. Upper picture has Bung Box's Ink of the Witch, and the latter has (my all time favorite) Pilot Iroshizuku Yama-Budo ink. I also have a Vac 700 in extra fine that I use at work for mark-ups, and a Pelikan M205 in fine in Cafe Creme. I just love the weight, form, and look of the 580al. It also puts out enough ink to write on cheap paper if I don't have either of my favorite paper pads.

 

Fountain pen guy myself, good show.

 

I stopped (except in certain cases) reviewing for a few reasons:

1 - Sometimes I just want to drink and enjoy a beer without analysing it & taking notes on it...I just want to enjoy the beer in the moment it's being consumed.
2 - In all honesty I doubt anyone but myself have read any of my reviews posted here, in the end I think I'm just reviewing a beer to satisfy myself.

 

That's a strong statement. I still read reviews, so there are at least two. Take a look at NBS. If half of the people read a post as have liked it, a dozen or so people are reading reviews weekly. Plus any folks who use BA to read up on a beer prior to purchases.

 

I think you and @THSdrummer, as flavorful beer lovers and Fountain Pen fans, might enjoy these two posts and their embedded links, especially the links.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/new-beer-sunday-week-534.292943/page-3#post-3657270

https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/new-beer-sunday-week-545.320220/page-4#post-3935143

 

I love it, @drtth ! I would like to pick up a vintage pen, but I love my modern demonstrators. As someone who works with mechanical engineers every day, I love seeing how the pen operates, or showing it off when folks ask. I'd like to add a stub nib TWSBI Eco to try out more traditional writing styles. The dream is a Pelikan M805 though.

Also found a couple custom brass wax seal makers. I'm so tempted to get one made to spice up the penpal writing. Although if I'm totally honest, I tend to only use cheap, business grade envelopes.

Writing notes by hand is a great time though. Anytime I want to take it slow, or review a beer while sitting on the screened-in porch, I reach for one of my fountain pens and let the experience take me away.