The thing is, a 5 doesn’t have to be “perfect” really, just about as good as it could be, or close to flawless and not lacking in flavor or intensity. There can be multiple 5s from different styles, it’s not like there is one perfect best beer that is a 5, it is pretty much just the best it could be within its natural limitations. People also rate differently too, like what would a 5 mouthfeel or appearance be for you for example. The reason why it’s good to have a lot of ratings together for a beer is because it determines the average rating, which is sort of popular opinion. Nothing is really factual and it’s certainly opinionated, and part of the reason why I even started rating and reviewing on here is because I disagreed with a lot of it. The avg rating is at least something to go off of with enough ratings anyway. I find reviews helpful for determining what a beer may taste like before trying. And there are plenty of average ratings I think are too low as well, like most Oktoberfestbiers and German lagers or UK beers.
My last perfect 5 was KBS - Maple Mackinac Fudge. A great beer that I bought a lot of, and I still have several bottles left. I still love it just as much today as when I reviewed it.
Theres a bunch on shelves from last years release in Los Angeles I love malt liquor, but i took two sips of it and threw it at the wall
I totally agree. Stupid Arkansas distro. Next time throw it my way. I'll save you the trouble of cleaning it up.
I did. I can't recall if they sent me a link to it hidden somewhere on their website, or if it was on Shut up about Barclay Perkins. I tried it out as is, but due to process and equipment, didn't turn out like thier's did. So I did some tweaking, a bit extra in the way of dark malt, a touch of peat malt, and splitting the hops 50/50 Fuggles and EKG got me, well not maybe close, but where I wanted it to be. @patto1ro do you know where one would still be able to find this recipe?
Highest score i think I gave was 4.6 which isn't about being critical so much as thinking nothing can be perfect. But @StoutElk_92 makes a very Intelligent point...a 5 doesn't have to be perfect Plus I've heard @TCgenny sing Dylans bucket of rain acapella flawlessly and since then nothing seems to be as perfect.
I did. And I've been chasing that high ever since. Contacted the brewery for the recipe, they gave it to me, my system didn't produce the same beer, tweaked it again and again until I settled for close enough.
KBS Maple Mackinac Fudge is my favorite KBS @ 4.54. With another spoon of sugar, it coulda been a contender. It needs to get off the fence, either it's a pastry stout or it isn't.
4700 beers rated, joined BA in 2010. 37 total perfect 5 scores. Last 5 beers that I gave perfect 5’s two included 2 in 2023 and 3 in 2022. I’ve definitely not given as many perfect 5’s as in the 2010-2020 timeframe. I suspect 3 reasons: 1) less trading and travel and bottle shares lately since pre-2020 so I’m not getting access to new beers from world class brewers 2) I’ve now rated 4,700 beers so more repeats and less new beers 3) getting older and tastes change…some 5’s I’ve given out before and on 2nd (or multiple) tastings, I’ve moved a few down from perfect 5’s.
That's great that they shared it and that you attempted it. Sounds like a beer I would appreciate much more now than when it was originally on shelves.
Never had one. I’m cursed with the ability to imagine something better. In all honesty, I think the act of rating something amplifies that character flaw.
No 5's. 4.87 for a 21 year old J.W Lees Harvest Ale was my highest, then Heady, Nugget Nectar, KBS Mackinac Maple Fudge. Still believe the great white whale is out there somewhere.
Out of 1440 rated beers I have 14 rated 5/5. The most recent is Black Friday Reserve Maple Pistachio, an imperial pastry stout from Listermann in Cincinnati. I rated the beer in July of 2025 and Listermann closed permanently in August. : /
