Reviewing an "off" beer

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by ifnkovhg, Oct 28, 2012.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
Page 2 of 2
  1. MasterSki

    MasterSki Grand Pooh-Bah (4,848) Dec 25, 2006 Canada (ON)
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    This is pretty much my approach as well. I don't buy beers without dates unless they are one-offs or seasonal beers where it's easy to figure out when they were made. I also generally don't review IPAs after 6 weeks or DIPAs after 3 months, even if they are still 'in code'.

    Exceptions are Euro beers that arrive to market AFTER the best before date. If a brewery has chosen such crappy distribution that this happens then they should know about it.

    If I've had numerous samples of the same beer, and one of them is off I probably won't review the 'off' bottle, although I'll mention it in the review text. 3F Oude Gueuze Vintage 2006 has been awful both times I've tried it, but every other release is great.
     
    #21 MasterSki, Oct 29, 2012
  2. AleWatcher

    AleWatcher Initiate (0) Jan 25, 2009 Illinois

    Absolutely. The last 2 times I tried it was terrible. Like a sweaty gym sock soaked in green pepper juice.
    I don't know what happened with that 06, but it isn't right!
     
    #22 AleWatcher, Oct 29, 2012
  3. Immortale25

    Immortale25 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,775) May 13, 2011 North Carolina
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I actually went back and deleted all my reviews where the bottle was past its marked freshness date because I felt it wasn't fair to those breweries. The only review I left up was N'ice Chouffe but that's only because it was the fourth beer I'd had by them that was skunked/oxidized/lightstruck and it's their own fault for putting it in a green bottle while not providing a freshness date.
     
    #23 Immortale25, Oct 29, 2012
  4. Blanco

    Blanco Savant (1,243) Oct 11, 2008 Pennsylvania

    If it's the brewers fault (i.e. infection, no bottle date, etc.) I review it. The idea of not reviewing "off" beers is like telling people not to review when their TV breaks after a month or something similar.
     
    #24 Blanco, Oct 29, 2012
  5. axeman9182

    axeman9182 Initiate (0) Aug 5, 2009 New Jersey

    Depending on the reason a beer is "off" I may or may not review it. If a beer is out of date, I won't review it, that's my fault for buying it. If a beer such as an IPA tastes old, but there's no date on the bottle, I will review it, as the brewery should be providing freshness info for styles where freshness is important. If there's some other flaw in the beer (infection, carbonation level, etc...) and the brewery has acknowledged the problem and/or tried to make it right I won't review it. If the brewery remains oblivous/in denial to the problem (o hai flat Lost Abbey bottles) I will review it.
     
    #25 axeman9182, Oct 29, 2012
  6. UCLABrewN84

    UCLABrewN84 Initiate (0) Mar 18, 2010 California

    I agree with what others have said already. I will do a review no matter what.
     
    #26 UCLABrewN84, Oct 29, 2012
  7. Beerista

    Beerista Initiate (0) Sep 11, 2012 Massachusetts

    You have to review the beer in front of you, not the one in your memory, or the platonic ideal generated by a beer's popularity or unpopularity. That said, it is only fair not to review beer that you know is out of date or has been subjected to bad treatment. PoopChute69's recommendation to not review styles you know don't like is a good one.

    Excellent topic, and many good responses.
     
    #27 Beerista, Oct 30, 2012
  8. barleywinefiend

    barleywinefiend Initiate (0) Nov 22, 2007 Washington

    If they allowed the product to be on the market then its fair game. If you don't want bad reviews, don't release bad product.
     
    #28 barleywinefiend, Oct 30, 2012
  9. maximum12

    maximum12 Grand Pooh-Bah (4,686) Jan 21, 2008 Minnesota
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    #29 maximum12, Oct 30, 2012
Page 2 of 2
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.