Trust me no one is looking at my reviews for direction. ‘I love a well made ipa. It’s an art to brew a beverage with all that goes into it, the precise mix and timing of hops to yield such amazing flavors. I guess I enjoy what the hops alchemy brings, so I avoid IPAs that put fruit purée into the recipe. I like hop fruit, not fruit fruit, for God’s sake!
I don’t like being misled by inaccurate marketing of the beer style. But after a few oz of tasting the beer to adjust my expected flavors to what I’m experiencing, if it’s tasty, I’ll still give it the proper credit in my ratings. I don’t ding a beer review rating score because of marketing deception.
I think this is a really good question, and I can see both sides of it. There is definitely value in a beer being a clear and accurate representation of a style. That gives people a reference point and keeps traditions alive. Something like Newcastle is a good example of that kind of consistency and identity. At the same time, coming from a brewery environment, I have seen how often great beer exists outside of strict style lines. Brewers are constantly adjusting based on ingredients, process, and creativity, and sometimes the result does not fit neatly into a category but still delivers a better overall experience. For me, I separate two things. One is whether a beer is a strong example of its style. The other is whether it is enjoyable and well executed on its own terms. Those do not always overlap, and I think that is okay. I can appreciate a technically correct beer, but I do not feel limited by that when deciding what I like. Some of the most memorable beers I have had would probably not score perfectly for style accuracy, but they succeed in balance, flavor, and intent. So I would say I respect style guidelines, but I do not treat them as the final measure of quality. They are a tool, not the whole picture.
I always consider how close a beer is to the labeled style when I'm rating them but it's just one factor among many. In the end taste is always what matters most.
