Do you edit your review of seasonal beers each year?

I always pull up my old reviews (as embarrassing as some of them are) when enjoying a favorite seasonal. I compare my new impressions with those I noted the previous year. I sometimes add a comment at the bottom. On rare occasions, I may change a rating, especially if I've gathered more experience with that particular style since the last time.

Reviewing is a challenge! I take it very seriously and I consider it a true intellectual activity. It takes a lot of thought and concentration to articulate sensations of smell and taste. I'm always trying new beers and learning new things and I want my reviews to reflect that.

 

I just re-reviewed Fremont Harvest Ale last night. I didn't just edit the old review though; I deleted it and wrote a fresh one. I've been reviewing for only about a year, so I think as my palate continues to develop it's worth revisiting some beers occasionally. I don't always do this though, just depends.

Since there's often batch variation from year to year I don't think just adjusting your ratings or editing an existing review is generally a good idea. Seems like doing that would end up misrepresenting both of the actual beers you tried on specific dates, and would instead capture and combine only certain aspects of each of them under one review.

 

I edit my review if I have the same beer that tastes different. I just add the (**EDIT**) tag.

 

I dont think its per se fair to edit the beer review wholesale. Your opinion at that time was honest. your palate may have developed, but it doesnt mean the beer has changed. That perspective on the beer, different as it may be, isnt any less valid.

For example, the first time I had Bitches Brew (I think it was 2010), i was floored and thought it was one of the five best beers I had ever drank up to that point in my early craft beer journey. At this point i still like it a lot, but i wouldnt rate it as highly. i probably wouldnt rate it today as high as I did a year ago, but I think my impressions of the beer as someone earlier in his craft journey are worth keeping around.

 

Besides, isnt the name of the game tick and move on?

...oh wait, thats ratebeer!

 

No. Do you update a non-seasonal beer with every new batch that comes out?

 

I see your point, but if I drink a particularly memorable batch of something (say an infected batch) then sometimes I'll make a note of it. A lot of times they are seasonal releases though, as it's harder to find infected year-round beers.

I do generally go back and edit a review if it's a seasonal beer that has some variation to it (and don't have separate listings), or beers where I've had various vintages of different ages. I just drank a 20 year old Adam and felt the need to edit my review of the fresh bottle in case others wanted to know how it holds up after that long of a time period.