Does appearance skew your rating?

Talk Discussion in 'BeerAdvocate Talk' started by DerekMorgan, May 29, 2013.

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  1. DerekMorgan

    DerekMorgan Initiate (0) Jan 15, 2013 Massachusetts

    Does anybody find that appearance rating skews your reviews initially? It seems like a lot of reviewers will have a beer they don't like and have straight 3s or less across the board. When you reviewed it did you really think it looked bad, or did you go back and change the rating you gave the appearance initially to match the categories with the lower numbers?

    It's mostly just curiosity because I'm starting to practice writing reviews (I haven't put any on here yet) and it really stuck out for the first time the other day with Stone Belgo Anise IRS. It poured nicely for a stout. Thick, almost black with a small tan head so I gave it a 5. There wasn't anything wrong with the appearance; it was what I like to see from a stout. Then the aroma. Awful. Smelled like dry cat food: 1 Taste: 1 Mouthfeel: 1 Overall: 1. The bottle had to be stored wrong or something, there is no way it was supposed to taste the way it did. When this happens will you go back and change the appearance to a 1 to make the average a 1 or do you leave it and have your average be almost double at a 1.8 solely because of the look?

    Either way it's a bad score and I wouldn't drink again, just looking for a tip for further reviews going forward. Any other reviewer tips would be appreciated. Cheers
     
  2. ShogoKawada

    ShogoKawada Initiate (0) May 31, 2009 Pennsylvania

    I mean honestly I think you're overthinking it.

    But yeah, I've gone back and fiddled with the #s until I'm happy with the overall score.
     
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  3. Jeffo

    Jeffo Pooh-Bah (2,874) Sep 7, 2008 Netherlands
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I leave every category seperately. I don't taste the apprearance.

    Jeff
     
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  4. smartassboiler

    smartassboiler Pooh-Bah (2,518) Apr 9, 2012 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Trader


    I'm not knocking how you decide to review your beers, but if that's commonplace, something seems broken.
     
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  5. otispdriftwood

    otispdriftwood Initiate (0) Dec 9, 2011 Colorado

    Reminds me of the old joke: looks bad feels good.
     
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  6. SadMachine

    SadMachine Grand Pooh-Bah (3,220) Mar 14, 2011 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    It wouldn't make it a 1.8 because of the look being a 5. The appearance rating only mildly affects the total score. Each category is weighted. I believe it goes Overall>Taste>Smell>Mouthfeel>Appearance. The appearance only affects the hundreths place, so I believe if you had scored it 5-1-1-1-1 then the score would be 1.09, but I'm not 100% certain of this. I will check and get back to you on that.
     
  7. SadMachine

    SadMachine Grand Pooh-Bah (3,220) Mar 14, 2011 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Ok, so I was a bit off, but it comes out to a 1.2 if you score 5-1-1-1-1, so it's still a very mild affect.
     
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  8. TheBrewo

    TheBrewo Initiate (0) Nov 11, 2010 New York

    Each category is independent. "Skew" is not the word I would use either. Of course the appearance affects your overall perception of the beer. If it looks poor for the style I will knock it right then and there, and be sure to discuss why I did in the body of the review.
     
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  9. deuce9259

    deuce9259 Initiate (0) Dec 28, 2011 Ohio

    This. I still eat Thai food even though it may not look presentable.
     
  10. DerekMorgan

    DerekMorgan Initiate (0) Jan 15, 2013 Massachusetts

    Ah, I didn't know it was weighted since I haven't added a review yet. That makes more sense, thanks!
     
  11. fredmugs

    fredmugs Initiate (0) Aug 11, 2012 Indiana

    It can't be weighted evenly. If it was every overall score would have to be in 0.2 increments and for those who do official reviews (as opposed to ticking) that is rarely the case.
     
  12. AlcahueteJ

    AlcahueteJ Grand Pooh-Bah (3,242) Dec 4, 2004 Massachusetts
    Society Pooh-Bah

    This doesn't appear (ha, see what I did there) to be affecting Heady Topper.
     
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  13. fredmugs

    fredmugs Initiate (0) Aug 11, 2012 Indiana

    4.53/5 rDev +14.1%
    look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

    My review for Bell's Hopsolution. Evenly weighted this is 4.4. Obviously taste triumphed over the fact that this beer was lacking in aroma. I imagine Look has an even lower weight assigned.
     
  14. SadMachine

    SadMachine Grand Pooh-Bah (3,220) Mar 14, 2011 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I know it can't be weighted evenly. It would be terrible if it was, since frankly, while I like looking at a nicely poured beer that has great head/nice retention/leaves great lacing, that barely affects my experience with drinking the beer! Taste is most important, followed pretty closely by smell, then pretty far behind is mouthfeel, and significantly further behind is appearance!
     
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  15. Stugotzo

    Stugotzo Initiate (0) Jun 13, 2012 Florida

    You're ugly and I rate you a 1.

    Ohhhh, did you mean something else? :wink:
     
  16. DerekMorgan

    DerekMorgan Initiate (0) Jan 15, 2013 Massachusetts

    But you didn't factor in my manly aroma.
     
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  17. Stugotzo

    Stugotzo Initiate (0) Jun 13, 2012 Florida

    That's why you got a 1 instead of a 0. :grinning:
     
  18. MooseBoose

    MooseBoose Initiate (0) Jun 6, 2007 Wisconsin

    Appearance of my beer is the least of my worries. I know you are supposed to judge on it but it really does not influence my enjoyment at all.
     
  19. rhartogsq

    rhartogsq Initiate (0) Jun 18, 2010 Virginia

    I don't dock points for appearance on my beer...but if does have a beautiful color, I may add some points.
     
  20. socon67

    socon67 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,895) Jun 18, 2010 New York
    Pooh-Bah

    Appearance should stand on its own and frankly I like that it is the first factor listed in the review process. This way you can see what the beer looks like and give an unbiased rating that isn't affected by the smell, taste, or other compnents. The only time I'd bother to adjust the appearance score is if after time the beer settled and looked drastically better (or worse) than what it originally looked like when originally poured.
     
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