What if beer ratings didn't exist?

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by AlcahueteJ, Feb 15, 2017.

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  1. drtth

    drtth Initiate (0) Nov 25, 2007 Pennsylvania
    In Memoriam

    Oh, I don't doubt that at all. But none of those beers ever appeared on my radar screen so they might just as well have never existed. Did they brew 3.2% ABW versions of those beers?
     
    #121 drtth, Feb 17, 2017
  2. rgordon

    rgordon Pooh-Bah (2,701) Apr 26, 2012 North Carolina
    Pooh-Bah

    Beer ratings and Twitter gone? Holy God, have you lost your mind?! Those are the last two threads holding me to a well conceived alternate reality......
     
    #122 rgordon, Feb 17, 2017
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  3. Roadkizzle

    Roadkizzle Initiate (0) Nov 6, 2007 Texas

    I should have said it was available from at least 1973. I had no idea about the actual release dates or what was available from Shiner before then. I just knew the description of the beer on their website says "fans have demanded it year-round since 1973". Their website also says they first expanded to Austin in the 1970's... Apparently the first time they shipped beer outside of the countryside around Shiner.

    https://www.shiner.com/beer/bock
     
    #123 Roadkizzle, Feb 17, 2017
  4. rgordon

    rgordon Pooh-Bah (2,701) Apr 26, 2012 North Carolina
    Pooh-Bah

    It would be interesting to see exactly where/when the most modern sour craze began. Cantillon has always been considered unique and classic, but the buzz/momentum didn't all of a sudden happen, it built up, and the rarity of the bottlings sent the "seekers" into the current frenzy. I literally used to look at piles of varied Cantillon and wonder why I had bought so much. I thought about closing it out, but a few forward thinking customers kept me on my toes. I did put a good bit of Achel Extra aside, but missed the Cantillon boat!
     
    #124 rgordon, Feb 17, 2017
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  5. AlcahueteJ

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

    I think @drtth and @dcw6363 make great points, and the reality is, that for most it's not an "either or" scenario. Either there's ratings I can check, and they're acceptable, or there aren't or they're not acceptable. So I'm either buying the beer or I'm not, no middle ground.

    I like to live a little, but when some four packs are $20, I'd rather not live THAT much (price isn't a big factor for me, but I do have my limits). :wink:

    I check ratings quite often, and most of the time I have the luxury of buying singles to try a beer. Typically I'll buy two just in case I like it. And when I'm at a bar I'm definitely more apt to try a beer without knowing much about it (also helps I can try a sample first). If it's a brewery I think makes quality beer, and it's a style I don't see often, I'll buy it regardless. For example, Jack's Abby's new Saxony Lager (a Vienna lager). Bought the whole six pack, didn't check a thing.

    I've also visited Portland and Portsmouth. When I visited Bissell Brothers for the first time since they moved, they had expanded their portfolio of beers. Since I was only trying a few, I checked the ratings to see which were the highest. In addition to that, if I had never checked the ratings, I would have never visited Austin Street.

    Oxbow's ratings weren't as high as those two, but it seemed interesting, so I went there out of curiosity (plus we had to wait for our table at Eventide :wink:). I'd heard good things if I recall correctly, but it's not like they had a beer like "The Substance" that was a must try. Basically, it depends on the situation.
     
    #125 AlcahueteJ, Feb 17, 2017
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  6. dennis3951

    dennis3951 Initiate (0) Mar 6, 2008 New Jersey

    I never cared for Cantillon (or any other sour) but had a friend who did. Most stores did not even carry it but the few that did always had it in stock. He moved to Fl. about 10 years ago and we haven't stayed in touch. I'm sure he is fuming about what has happened.
     
    #126 dennis3951, Feb 17, 2017
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  7. Leebo

    Leebo Initiate (0) Feb 7, 2013 Massachusetts

    Two beers? Why bother? The quality of beers across the board is so high, at least in new England, I buy beer by the 4,6,12 pack all the time. No issues. Brewery reputation, sure. I have had no bad beers in Portland either. I think we hit 7 beer places in 3 days. Several of my local beer stores I go to taste almost all the beer they put on the shelves, so there's that. I may have a different perspective than some of the younger crowd here. Started pre Sam Adams with ( wait for it) Lowenbrau Dark and Tuborg Gold. Yikes. No where to go but up. I know my palate. Ipa, German style lagers, stouts, porters all good. Probably won't buy that saison with raspberries and dry hopped with hibiscus. To me, too much review and science kills the thrill of discovery. Try this, drink fresh, drink local.
     
    #127 Leebo, Feb 17, 2017
  8. drtth

    drtth Initiate (0) Nov 25, 2007 Pennsylvania
    In Memoriam

    An afterthought.

    I'd say you're spot on here, he didn't even have to assign numerical values and/or a number of stars to the categories and their definitions. There are other 'abbreviations' that would work just as well for the author's stated goals and for the publisher who needs an easy reperesentation to print. One wouldn't even need anything resembling numerical values at all. e.g., T, A, S, W

    Such a system might well reduce the likelihood of people thinking there is a numerical value order underlying the descriptive labels. (However, some readers of his work would still attach a "better than" or "greater than" meaning to the difference between a W beer and an A beer and so spend more time seeking out the former rather than the latter. :wink:)
     
    #128 drtth, Feb 18, 2017
    Last edited: Feb 18, 2017
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  9. AlcahueteJ

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

    You might have misunderstood me. I don't regularly go out and purchase JUST two beers. If it's something I've never head, more often than that, I'll just grab a couple to see if I like them.

    I only drink so many beers at home in a week, so it would be a real bummer to purchase six or twelve beers of something I don't like.

    For example yesterday I picked up a four pack of Proclamation Derivative Citra (I've had the Galaxy multiple times, never the Citra). Today I snagged a mix of three Fat Tire (tried it once maybe ten years ago), two Lord Hobo Glorious (never tried it, and a couple of their other beers haven't jived with me), and a bottle of Gneiss Weisse (had it, solid beer)...and then a six pack of Honker's Ale and four pack of London Pride.
     
    #129 AlcahueteJ, Feb 18, 2017
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  10. zid

    zid Grand Pooh-Bah (3,132) Feb 15, 2010 New York
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Have you read this thread regarding Fat Tire?
    https://www.beeradvocate.com/commun...-beers-ever-brewed.485966/page-2#post-5254020
     
    #130 zid, Feb 18, 2017
  11. PatrickCT

    PatrickCT Grand Pooh-Bah (3,776) Feb 18, 2015 Connecticut

    Actual culture as opposed to a culture of hype.
     
    #131 PatrickCT, Feb 18, 2017
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  12. IKR

    IKR Maven (1,490) May 25, 2010 California
    Trader

    I don't know what time/year the hype train took off on Cantillon but I used to periodically back up my reviews and on June 12, 2014 Cantillon had an overall average of 4.48 vs the current 4.32. The Beeradvocate rating has decreased since mid 2014 and my feeling is the hype has increased since that time so you have a valid point. Personally I don't give a shit about ratings and seek out what I think I'd like. I find the thread an interesting discussion so I had to look into your question.
     
    #132 IKR, Feb 18, 2017
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  13. drtth

    drtth Initiate (0) Nov 25, 2007 Pennsylvania
    In Memoriam

    Thanks for that additional information!
     
    #133 drtth, Feb 18, 2017
  14. otispdriftwood

    otispdriftwood Initiate (0) Dec 9, 2011 Colorado

    If ratings didn't exist, I wouldn't know what to drink.
     
    #134 otispdriftwood, Feb 18, 2017
  15. Oktoberfiesta

    Oktoberfiesta Initiate (0) Nov 16, 2013 New Mexico

    Drink everything? Years ago, there wasnt much selection and breweries better have brought their best because buying a sixer and getting BURNED was a wallet rating enough to just never buy from them again
     
    #135 Oktoberfiesta, Feb 18, 2017
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  16. BigMike

    BigMike Pooh-Bah (2,334) May 8, 2008 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    I try not to look at ratings until after ive tried a beer. Granted a lot of times I know going into a certain beer if its highly rated or not but that doesn't change my opinion.
     
    #136 BigMike, Feb 19, 2017
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