Excuse me while I get personal…this is a first person point of view post.
I am just sick of beer reviews. Blah. Boring. Now, if you review beers frequently for your blog, please don’t get mad at me, because I review beers too. I’m not really preaching to the choir, I’m preaching to the preacher who in this case is me. Odds are if you are reading this I read and enjoy your beer reviews.
A lot of frustrations came out already in the post, “Are Beer Reviews Legit.” I’d encourage you to read it in all its controversial glory for contextual reasons. But besides the pretentious nature highlighted in that post, I just find my beer reviews (and some others floating around the interweb) BORING. I’m bored. I read through several of my recent beer reviews the other night. Bored. And if the great western philosopher Harvey Danger is right in saying, “If you’re bored than you’re boring,” then to save myself, somethings gotta give.
I’ve narrowed down part of my problem in approaching beer reviews, and it’s two fold:
1) I’ve become too analytical. I remember when I first learned guitar I fell out of love listening to the stereo for some time afterward. I was obsessed with trying to pick out the guitar riffs. So much so that I was missing the overall fullness and emotion of the song. Yeah, that’s an analogy folks. As I developed my palate (I’m oh so sophisticated, you see) and learned what ingredients developed what flavors in a beer, I began approaching a brew like I approached a song as a neophyte guitarist as a teen. Well, no more people, no more people! How to remedy this? I’m not sure…but I know I’m throwing out the rules and so called “tasting professionalism.”
2) Beer reviews are too formulaic; i.e. Appearance, Aroma, Taste, Overall Thoughts, I’m Asleep. Good Lord…this isn’t church. (Although I love me some liturgy while sitting in the pew…everything in its right place). Last night for kicks I went over to Beer Advocate (not my favorite site) and read through the reviews. I had to wonder…do people even read this stuff? The remedy: Again, I’m not sure…but I know I’m throwing the system, including the “ratings” out the window. I know this beer review might provide some inspiration. Virgin ears beware, these boys embrace profanity, unlike myself; regardless, the review was interesting.
This post isn’t a rant, just a confession. I want to be passionate–not bored– about beer reviews since they can be a useful communication and beer evangelism tool. I want my reviews to be interesting and highlight the EXPERIENCE of beer as well as the delicious (or despicable) flavor of the beer. Consider this a work in progress. Lay on the feed back in the comments section PLEASE!
That’s a funny review on the site. It’s a little ironic that they say “it’s fucking beer” like that but are versed in music and sure to make distinctions among names and real electronic. What if I said, “It’s just a damn Moog”, or “it’s simply electronic music”. I bet that would be considered ignorant. Even more ironically, I find myself agreeing with the sentiment at the same time. Of course, my Bud Light review pointed to the fact that I took some liberty, shall we say, to explore the finer points of beer reviewing. I consider the statement, of their site the other end of the pendulum (the left swing being pretentious reviews). However, it’s important to the that end as a corrective to our gnostic approach.
I don’t know what to do about this either but something has to give. I’m on record as saying that I can’t wait until we just enjoy beer…wouldn’t that be a magical moment. I’m glad you brought this up and I’ve seen several other writers (I’m sure you guys and gals will respond) that have branched out of only beer reviews. Sometimes, I think (and I’m not speaking of any of you) it’s lack of knowledge that makes people afraid to put themselves out there to do something other than beer reviews, which, anyone will tell you, are notably subjective in approach.
We’ve had a site for almost 2 years now and when I look back at what I knew about beer then, I see how much I’ve grown and learned. Sometimes what I wrote was surprisingly right. Other times it was so so. Yet, other times it needed to be rewritten. Point is, I put myself out there because I wanted to share what I was learning.
I think my point is that putting yourself out there is important and I felt beer reviews just weren’t accomplishing that for me.
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As someone who reviews beer and sometimes accidentally does it well, the trick is to think about where the beer takes your mind. What does it make you feel? What does it make you think of? What category does it fall into in your jumbled head?
This is what’s fun about beer for me – the characterization. Founders Cerise made me think of Silence of the Lambs (I think because its name reminded me of Clarice, the Jodie Foster character), so I wrote a review in the context of the movie. And it was fun to do, because it gave me something to play with from pop culture.
Of course you still have to cover what the beer tastes like, etc., but having a spin to it makes it more fun.
And if it’s more fun to write, hopefully it’ll be more fun to read, too.
I think Daniel’s site (the potty-mouthed place you linked to in the post) takes a similar, yet more salty approach to reviewing beer. You know he’s having a f**cking good time when he writes, and it makes it fun to read.
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I agree Mike. Though I think the guys over at “It’s a f$#%ing beer” are not trying to denigrate what beer is, just bring some levity by combing their passion for profanity with their passion for beer. Anyway, yeah “putting myself out there” doesn’t happen for me in beer reviews. But I still want to do beer reveiws, So I’m changing up my style so that they aren’t run of the mill “industry standard”
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I agree JIm…I like your reviews because it highlights the experience of the moment but still expands on the flavors. I’m headed in that general direction. I think pyrotechnics need to be involved somehow in my future reviews.
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Yes Nate, blow some shit up. Don would approve.
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As a beer reviewer myself, I will whole-heartedly agree. Reviews can be boring. They have to be spiced up. I always throw additional personal life crap into my posts either before or after the review. I also avoid any specific format of review…I just let the thoughts flow out of my head.
I used to be very careful to include every detail (ABV, mouthfeel, taste, aroma, color, etc)…now I post a different subset of that stuff with each review, but never the same set of info.
-Lost
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[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Nate | THFB, Nate | THFB. Nate | THFB said: Trying not to be bored with beer reviews: http://bit.ly/9ZvQKG [...]
I don’t read beer reviews anymore. I don’t have time and, honestly, I don’t have the interest to wade through them all. No offense to the people who do them, please continue. But I’m not clicking through. I’m more motivated to try a beer by hearing good things on twitter, or having my friends recommend something new they tried.
Why? I think it boils down to two things:
1) I was really interested in beer reviews before I was able to wrap my head around the aromas, appearance and flavors of beers. I think reviews helped me develop a vocabulary to talk about beers, and helped me understand my personal tastes. I’m not saying I’m a super-taster now, or have a remarkable palette, but I’m very comfortable being in critical beer conversations now. Reviews don’t offer me the insight they used to. Perhaps that is something to think about when writing posts: that your base will always be a rotating crew of newbies who love craft beer and are hungry and eager for any and all information.
2) The second part is finding a trusted reviewer. If you find movie critic out there who you agree with 90% of the time, that is quite a find. You will actively seek out that person’s reviews. It simplifies your purchasing choices and it, in a selfish way, reinforces what you already think. (The latter isn’t a good thing, but we are only human.) And if I haven’t found a beer reviewer that I “click” with, it is likely my fault for not researching and reading more. Websites and blogs have become vital to the craft beer culture, but the ability to self-publish puts a lot of noise in the beer review space.
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I agree with your sentiments Nate. Its hard to really reinvent the common beer review, one tries to cover the sensory basics hoping that someone who hasn’t tried the beer can get a feel for what its like.
It can grow old – and tedious. In my case, I don’t get out much so the ‘experience’ about the beer is usually limited to my kitchen! Ultimately, the writing has to make you happy, and the guitar analogy was perfect.
Just so you know, I do read all the posts here, reviews or otherwise, and have never been put to sleep by them. I’ll also go on record saying that I think Jim and Don have found something of the right balance in keeping B&WB entertaining and varied. Good job guys – keep it up!
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And yes, pyrotechnics can only help!
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@Lost – me too…all those details just bore me…like reading a genealogy or something! I do enjoy reading the personal touches.
@Barlow – I agree. Beer reveiws were helpful to me in the same way. The problem is, there are SO MANY beer reveiw sites now. There has to be a few new ones every day, which leaves me asking, “if there’s no void to fill, how can I still contribute?” Mike and I hardly ever write beer reviews for that reason. As far as a trusted reviewer, I have yet to find one where our tastes our exactly right on, but I trust their discernment of quality.
@ Scott, thanks! And likewise, mike and I read TBC content in it’s entirety. I NEVER go out…the experience is just as valid in my kitchen though. Explosions to come!
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Great thought Nate. I wonder how many beer reviewers feel the same way, we are a dime a dozen now, how do we separate and individualize our selves? Like Jamie said, if you find one you like do you stick with them or do you move on? I was kinda banking on the prior, but I don’t think that is the case looking at the number of comments I’m seeing per review.
I think as established reviewers we need to evolve and I think (hopefully) it is going to be different for all of us. I’ve backed off on Simply Beer a bit lately as Iron Brewer is starting to gain some traction. But, like you, I’ve been wandering what is the next level. is it broadening our scope or niche? I have ideas where I want to go, do you know what you are going to do if anything?
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@Peter -I have noticed that you’ve been posting less on Simply Beer. Yeah, we are dime a dozen. Mike and I, having realized this, very rarely post beer reviews anymore. I’m not sure where I’ll go or where Mike will go. I know I don’t like the idea of broadening (no meads or ciders here). I’m going to re-read a book called “Blue Ocean Strategy” for starters.
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I started a blog last year and the idea was to review beers and talk a little bit about homebrewing. I haven’t posted in a very long time, but the first thing to go was the beer reviews. They seemed like a chore, and then I had an epiphany: if I don’t read other people’s beer reviews, why would they read mine?
The homebrewing angle worked for me and, hopefully, I’ll start blogging about that again soon. I think passive critical reviews, in the end, are all about the beer. And that can be good or bad depending on which way the beer moves you. By how much of a muse it is.
I think posts that you are an active part of are far more interesting and have personality. The brew you brewed, the beer dinner you hosted, the competition you created. And then going into details about how it went and what you learned. I think there is traction there. And they start good and meaningful conversations.
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Blow stuff up! Blow stuff up! Blow stuff up!
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You know Nate, I too find myself bored with my reviews sometimes. I’ve contemplated changing the direction of how I review to something not so formulaic and maybe just write about the experience as whole (like mentioned about Jim). But since Scott has immortalized my review style on his review of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale (haha) I feel like it is something I’m known for. Lately I try to add some of my own humor into my reviews without being too crazy. I’m not a robot and I don’t want my reviews to read like one.
But overall I completely understand what you mean. And I’m glad there are bloggers out there that write differently on their reviews. It keeps things interesting. Like my south Florida brethren Dos Beerigos and Daily Beer Review. They are always entertaining and make me laugh while I read about beer.
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I used to do what Jamey mentioned in his point #1 about reading reviews to help develop my vocabulary. I would seek out the top reviewers on BA and see what they had to say about a beer, and then compare what I thought. It definitely helped, but like Jamey said I as I’ve become better at tasting (but not great) I don’t do that as much.
Now all of the reviews I read are either 1) from bloggers like you and the other guys that have commented here because I know you guys and like to read your stories. And 2) Experts in the industry who can really diagnose a beer because I eventually want to be a BJCP judge. Ever read the judge reviews in the back of Zymurgy? They’re great and I try to follow that method with my homebrews.
I’ve never done a beer review on my blog. I just felt that it would get lost in the crowd. Plus the personal reviews I do are very boring – pretty much bullet points. I’d put my readers to sleep quickly, just like that kid in the picture, but with more drool.
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Beer reviews… I find them tedious to read. Really. I do appreciate the sentiment of the cussing blog. It’s a beer; drink it! Amen to that. Now, did you like it? Great.
These days, beer is part of an experience for me. I don’t aim to critically taste a beer. I want to enjoy it. Usually, it’s a night cap. But last night, I tried a friend’s recently brewed Amber ale. Delicious. It was hot out, and I was parched. And, dang, it tasted good. Refreshing. But moreover, I was able to talk politics and religion with a good friend. We were discussing a book I’ve been reading lately and such, and complaining about having to bundle up and huddle next to the fire on July 4. Just hangin’ with one of my bros’.
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Interesting viewpoint @nate… preaching to us preachers.
Personally I enjoy reading other people’s perceptions of beers, and use those to inspire me when I visit my local specialist Beer shop (I’ve found one!).
And, as you know, I try and take my own reviews out of the kitchen and into the history books when I can. I’m often tempted to take my reviews out into the bars I visit, but then the atmosphere and ambience can unduly influence a review. How often have you enjoyed a drink while on vacation and taken a bottle home only to find that it’s just not quite as enchanting as it was on a catamaran in the Sea of Cortez?
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Nate, thanks for this post. It really got me thinking about why I don’t read beer reviews on blogs anymore. Part of it, I think, is that there are so many, and so many of the reviews are of beers I’ve already had and decided my feelings on. Though I have to agree that, when I was just getting into craft beer, they were helpful. Also, I’ve found that I read reviews in print more than online, and I have absolutely no idea why that is. I certainly don’t trust them more, but something about picking up an issue of BA or Beer Connoisseur makes the review reading easier.
I think part of the review is essentially self-motivated. Like anything else, writing down one’s thoughts forces one to clarify them, evaluate them, and express them well. Since so many of our reactions to beer are instantaneous and unscientific, perhaps the act of writing the review is far more valuable to the writer than the reading of it is to the reader. In that way, all reviews would really be some type of diary, forcing us to examine our thoughts and impressions. Of course, I don’t really want to read other peoples’ diaries, so maybe the whole idea of the beer review is just an essentially self-focused, introspective exercise.
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@Greg makes some great points. When I started, the reviews were really for us (the brew club) to keep track of the beers we had and so it wasn’t really written for anyone else. Definitely self-motivated. It was like an online beer diary I guess, and I found that it really helped me get a feel for understanding beer.
To drink it and enjoy it is great, but to try and figure out how to translate what your brain is experiencing into writing form is tough. It still is, but I guess its helped me learn and I’ve forgotten about that part of the process.
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Over at RateBeer whenever I get bored with ratings, I check out krisbierjaeger’s handiwork:
http://www.ratebeer.com/user/2742/ratings/
Now that’s a man that knows how to rate. Shame he doesn’t do it much these days but there are still almost 850 of them to read through. Pure gold, I tell ya.
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[...] meaning. A personal meaning. With beer, the tendency is to review what is represented by the image. Some have come around to my way of thinking: reviews bore. Of course, even this tactic is false. What is [...]
Bob,
Sometimes I go through the spam just to make sure that it didn’t stop a comment. Apparently, it caught one from you and I’ve just approved it. Sorry that I didn’t catch it sooner. I agree about the influence of ambience and how a bar or pub is simply unsuitable for optimal reviewing condition.
Indra, thanks for stopping by…we hope to see you again.
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Sorry I’m so late to the party. When this was posted, I had just had a major ultimate frisbee accident and shattered my collarbone. So I was doped to the nines and contemplating “itsafuckingoxycontin.com” and its alternative domains that would be marked as spam. I’m bionic (stainless plate and seven screws) and back in the beer world now (’tis better for moving the bowels). Hopefully I can post a few reviews and other articles soon. I was able to cross the country and visit Stone Brewing and Ballast Point back in June but got too busy to post.
We got into this game as a drunken joke, after one night discussing how difficult to process most beer reviews are. Especially when you’ve already been drinking. There was a simple blog at first, and then I met Greg from Stone and he made a boisterous announcement to a crowd and on twitter. I figured we should put a real website together, extolling the finer (and baser) points of beer and testing our creative writing abilities. Could we actually make each review interesting enough to read and different from the rest of them (both ours and the plural yours)? It’s tough when you don’t have a formula (Miller High Life review at http://itsafuckingbeer.com/2010/06/guess-that-guest-review-1/ ). It’s also a challenge to me to photograph bottles, glasses and colored liquids in a different manner each time.
If we can spear a few pretentious reviewers in the process, then it’s two birds with a single stone. We love beer – we just drink way to much to turn it into science.
And the whole electronic music thing was more a joke than anything (sorry, Don). Obviously, I dig my Moog. (I also play Fender guitars and a Vox amp, but they didn’t fit with the style of the review I was writing.)
I’ll probably never be a Cicerone, but at least I’m having fun along the way. I’ll try to wrote a little more here and there to even things out. I still love beer, after all. And most of the beer snobs I know are just drunks with directed passion. They need representation, too.
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[...] buddy Nate at Thank Heaven for Beer touches on this exact subject. Check out Nate’s opinions on beer reviews here and read how [...]