A NOTE ABOUT OUR RATINGS SYSTEM

I've been reading through Bob Klein's "BEER LOVER'S RATING GUIDE" of late, and trying to reconcile his well-crafted rating system with one of my own. Since I have assigned a exceptionally dorkified point-based "rating" to the beers we've been discussing in this forum, I think it's only fair that you know on what basis I'm rating them. And sorry to disappoint you, but there's very little logic to it. The only thing I'd have to say is that I'm probably "tougher" than the average beer reviewer - and keep in mind that I know about 1/10th what the average beer reviewer knows about beer. I simply call them like I see them, and it's fun to evicerate one of them when the stakes are as low as they are when you're "beer blogging". Here's how my personal 10-point scale (graded in half-point increments) tips out, more or less:

10: An exceptional, world-class beer that is among the small handful of the best I've ever had. Reserved for the greats, like DESCHUTES' Black Butte Porter or ANDERSON VALLEY's Boont Amber.

9-9.5: A knockout, stellar beer that I'd drink again anytime, anywhere. We've already thrown two 9's on this site at BEAR REPUBLIC's Racer 5 and DRAKE'S Denogginizer, and then gave MOYLAN'S India Pale Ale a killer 9.5. I'd also add that RUSSIAN RIVER's Rejection Belgian Black Ale deserves a 9 as well.

7-8.5: Very good beers that I can recommend and drink repeatedly with pleasure, just lacking something that keeps it from the true heavyweights.

5-6.5: A good microbrew, usually best tasted once before moving on to something else, with the thought that maybe it might get ordered again somewhere down the road.

3-4.5: A disappointment or something just not that worthy. Drinkable, and that's about it.

1-2.5: A crap beer that I will never drink again & will encourage you not to either. So far we've awarded this brilliancy prize to COAST RANGE'S Famhouse Saison 7, and thankfully no one else.

0-0.5: Blatz, Miller Genuine Draft, Coors Light, etc.

Hope that helps explain the mysteries and wonders of our complex, well thought-out rating scheme!!