Poll: How many reviews validate a beer?

I’m sure there is a statistical answer to this, but for me 10 legitimate written reviews is enough.

 

I voted "Don't care", but if the break had been at 25 (0-24, 25-50 50-100, then the rest of your scale) I probably woulda voted for that. Having 10 local fanboiz give a beer 4+ scores would have no value.

 

I also voted the 'Don't Care' selection, but if I did care, it would have been the 0-50 choice.

 

One really good, thoughtfully written review from a trusted source is enough.

If you just want to know what people think tastes good I would think something over 100 aggregate reviews is getting statistically significantly. However, for many beer styles the average reviewer does not have the knowledge or experience to review to style and are going to lean more heavily on what tastes good to them, which isn't necessarily what is good for the style, especially when the average reviewer thinks fruity IPAs, pastries, coffee, bourbon barrels, etc., are what tastes good. Sometimes you can see aggregate scores for styles skewing to those sorts of tastes even if they are inappropriate for the style. That's why I answered with the poll with "I don't care" and I will stand behind my first comment that one thoughtfully written review from a trusted source is enough.

 

Tastes run different for everyone and my palate is as wacky as they come. So no reviews hold value for me except those of people that I've traded with or suggested beers for, as I hope I've provided them with favorable beers based on their tastes. I like that they like my suggestions.

 

Others have well made the point about the value of reviews by people whose tastes you can't really know, but if I see a beer rated over 100 or 150 times on here I feel like the number holds some information for me. I'll have to use my own experience and discretion to decide what handicap to apply to the score but at least at that point I feel like the score represents something

 

The amount of reviews don't really matter to me. I go through what reviews there are and look for what the more recognizable heavy drinkers say, except @beertunes where I generally add an additional 0.60-0.75 based off of his history with harsh critiquing.

 

One review would matter to me if authored by a friend who I know in real life. Apart from reviews from friends, I don't pay any attention to reviews.

 

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.

 

For Untapped, 999,999,999,999,999,999,999,... and it still won't be enough for me to pay any attention to it whatsoever.

Here, BA requires 10 before they calculate a score, and that is OK, but even better is when I see one or more reviews by someone who I know (from interacting with them here) appreciates that particular beer style.

 

I concur. This site is pretty much more rational than Ratebeer or Untappd combined.

 

My problem with reviews is that so many seem to be fad driven. I walked away from this site after a member rudely asked if I thought my palate was more refined than the 50,000 people that gave a particular beer glowing reviews. I had had a couple of the beer and really didn't like anything about it. Taste in beer is as personal as your taste in spouses.

 

Certainly wrt Untapped. Ratebeer is generally a tougher review than here (i.e. lower scores).

 

Glad to see ya back tho!

 

Number scores - since I don't pay attention to number scores an infinite number would not be enough

Reviews- If a trusted reviewer has reviewed a beer, one is enough. If no trusted reviewers, a sampling of other reviews will usually show which one(s) are done by folks with knowledge of styles and decent palate(s). Can't put a number to that.

 

For me it depends on who rates/reviews it. If I know them from past reviews it lets me know whether I will like that beer or not. So for me it can be just one.

 

Since so few people are rating /reviewing on BA these days I go with 5-10+ to get a feel, but as others mentioned just one or 2 credible BA members ratings sometimes is all it takes to steer me to buy or not.

 

Those were my wedding vows. They didn't go over as well as I expected.

 

100-500 in my eyes. In today's world of social media and folks liking or rating who know the brewery or are their friends I feel the number needs to get pushed higher. This way you allow for that handful but would have enough non-biased folks to give the beer a fair rating or at least I would hope. I think this range is not unreasonable at all for any decent brewery to achieve so I feel it does not hurt the small guy.