How do you rate beers?

Usually my 1st impression is correct. After 1-2 quaffs
I'll say yeah it's a 7 or 8-8.5, or whatever score from 0-10.
Sometimes it will go up or down by the time I finish or are close to.

My ratings:
0-6.5 Don't care for
7 Decent
7.5 Pretty good
8 Good
8.5 Very good
9 Great
9+ World class.

 

I drink the whole beer, consider it for a while, then rate.

 

Generally, I have an idea of where a beer is going to rank about mid-way through the pint/bottle and I might scribble down a round-about score that I'm thinking. However, I'll wait until I'm finished and assign a numerical value for the A/S/T/M/O categories. For assigning a number to the overall category, I generally ask myself one of two questions: 1) Where does this beer compare among the other beers of the same style/category that I have rated? and 2) Is there anything about this beer which floors me and is worthy of additional praise? I take those numbers and plug them into a weighted average formula similar to what was previously used before the rating system was upgraded, which is to say greater weight is put on taste and smell categories. Then I compare the formula to my initial round-about score to see how close I was to my prediction, and I make minute ad hoc adjustments to the final score - usually no more than two tenths of points up or down - based on a variety of intangible factors that I don't think are necessarily captured by the traditional A/S/T/M categories (specifically pricing and availability or lack thereof) and how they impact my overall impression and enjoyment of the beer.

 

If it is one my favorite styles I rate it more difficult then styles that aren't. I actually get mad when I see someone give a harsh review because they obviously don't appreciate that style. Not a Belgian fan, but I rate that style for what it is. Meaning if it is better than most Belgians I have had, than I make sure it gets the respect it deserves.

 

Most of my ratings are driven by the design on the can or bottle. It's like judging a book by its cover. Do you know what I mean?

 

Sometimes I give a score between 1-5 in increments of .25 to each of the 5 elements. I add it up and divide by 5. The only problem is that mouthfeel gets the same pull as taste, etc. it's a cheap formula but I like it better than just thinking of a number. They just need to bring back the old system.

 

You sound just like me ! My favorite style is the tripel and my only 5 goes to chimay white =)

 

5 - have not found (yet) I obviously need to drink more
4.5 + - Top shelf, grab it whenever I see it
4.0 + Excellent
3.75 + Very good
3.5+ okay, likely wouldn't seek out, unless other options were much worse.
3.0+ Below average
2.0 + Awful
1.0 + have not found (yet)

cheers, in the end ,wwe get to drink beer. Life is good.

 

Westmalle does not rate a 5? oh well. lol. I hear yea, good system.

I look for standards in the So called "style". they are perfect to me so there fore they rate a 5.
I would NEVER rate a beer I not had at least 20 or 30 times a 5, period.

 

I compare them to what I think is the best I have had of that style. For the traditional styles (i.e., no lite beer and stuff like that), I think the best examples are all worthy of being considered great. So, I would rate the top examples of a style at least 4.5 if not higher. Then, lesser versions of a style would get docked from the highest score from that style. I only have one beer rated as a perfect 5.0, which seems sensible to me: the best beer I have tried should get a top score. Just my opinion.

 

I will be honest I am NOT really a good rater or reviewer. Its more of bad, decent, good, really good, and perfect.

whatever system the web site has ATM is where the beer scores. I deleted more reviews than I have.

Some times, its the food that effects the review, or too many hoppy beers, or too drunk, it varies. We review for ourselves, or at least I do.

Not trying to impress anybody, just trying to write notes on a beer. Which I hope down the line I can compare it to again.
I also been know (TO ME ONLY) to rerate beers, places too for that matter.

never down rated a 5 on this system, yet. I do prefer the Rb system, sorry its the sheet I use. otherwise I just put down notes, on price, where I had it, would I have it again sort of review.

 

my scale is pretty close to this as well. Only a small handful of beers have score 4.5 or higher. Only 5 I do believe.

2.75 and lower is piss water
3-3.25 are meh
3.5-3.75 good, glad I tried them. maybe get them again.
4-4.25 are fantastic beers
4.5-4.75 DAMN!
5 double DAMN!!

 

Can you tell me what program you use?

 

Below 3 - Not so nice
3 to 3.5 - Decent, might suggest based on someone else's preferences but not a repeat
3.75 to 4.25 - Worth getting again, solid representation of its style
4.5 to 4.75 - Amazing, outstanding, recommended to everyone
5 - Straight up legendary...potentially rare but a few of my 5's are available everywhere (Backwoods Bastard, FBS, Palo Santo)

 

fairly?

 

3 sips and some time... that's really all it takes for myself..

 

Uhh... "Precise" (the top choice) allows you to rate to a .01 increment, so if you think your tastebuds are accurate to that level across time then feel free to rate a beer 3.81 and trust that the beer you rated 3.80 last week was worse. Frankly I think that .25 increments are about as precise as makes sense and I'm pretty sure the 4.03 or whatever reviews I see are because the phone app doesn't use the same ".25 increments or Precise" that the website uses and the people using the app get tired of trying to dial in 4 exactly even if that is what they want.

 

Just Microsoft Excel. I made the spreadsheet when I signed up for this site and started rating beers, to have a sortable backup kinda thing. Takes me 10 extra seconds to input it to both places instead of just on the web.

 

I like to try new beers as often as I can, but I'm usually not going to drink something new if I know it's only an average beer, esp. if there are better options available. As such, I use ratings as a guide to help me decide when to try new beers and when to go with something I've already had. That said, here is how I typically rate beers:

1 - reserved for skunked AALs and Magic Hat #9 (so gross)
2 - pretty good...for an AAL (womp, womp!)
3 - average beer; no need to have again; I'd have a non-craft beer I've never had over having one of these again
3.25 - slightly above avg.; definitely not having this (or anything rated less than this) again unless there are no better options
3.5 - good but not great; not worth having again unless the only other options are non-craft
3.75 - pretty good but would try something NEW over having this again
4 - Really good for its style; would drink again for sure
4.25 - Would get this again even over *most* beers I've not yet tried
4.5 - I would drive across town to drink this or procure a bottle of it
4.75 - Not only would I drive across town for it, I'd STAND IN LINE FOR IT (gasp!)
5 - A perfect example of it's style and really special anytime I get to have one

Sometimes I have a beer in a style I don't like, but I really enjoy anyways so I'll give them a little bump (usually .25-.5 depending how much I like it).

Sometimes I'm drinking an average-ish beer right in front of a brewery rep so I'll give it a bump of .25 to stay in their good graces (hey, I'm only human).

Sometimes someone will share a beer with me that I don't like OR I'm drinking a beer I don't like at the brewery or in front of a brewery rep--in these cases I check into it on Untappd but don't give it a rating. The comment is usually, "Really interesting...glad I tried this" which is code for "I didn't like this. Don't bother drinking again."

If people have any problems with the way I rate, that's THEIR problem, not mine. My ratings are for me, not for them, and as you've probably guessed, I don't take this stuff too seriously.

Oh, any I usually rate about half-way through the beer as my opinion usually shifts a bit as it warms and after I've had a bit of time to cement my opinion on it.

Cheers!

 

Wow, you really went and checked out someone else's scores??? You have too much time on your hands and/or you take this way too seriously.