Here’s a handy list of beers I’ve drank and judged over time. Beers I’ve tried since 2007 I’ve reviewed on this blog and are hyperlinked to the original review. Beers I rated prior to 2007 do not have a full review and do not link to anything I rate beers by awarding points for their appearance, aroma, taste, how they look after a few sips, and overall quality on a ten point scale. Any beer that earns 5 or more points is worth trying again and I rank these with one to five stars. Any beers below five points are on a descending spiral of badness. I tend to screen out bad beers ahead of time so I don’t get many no star beers. If you want to look at it on a letter grade system then the point scale to letter grade equivalents would be something like this:
- A = 8.1 – 10
- B = 6.1 – 8.0
- C = 4.1 – 6.0
- D = 2.1 – 4.0
- F = 0.1 – 2.0
Five Stars
- 9.6 – Guinness Stout (from the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin)
- 9.1 – Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier
- 9.0 – Aventinus
Four Stars
- 8.9 – Growstown Steam Ale
- 8.9 – Gritty’s Black Fly Stout
- 8.9 – Rogue Shakespeare Stout
- 8.8 – Allagash Sixteen Counties Ale
- 8.8 – Murphy’s Irish Stout (in Cork, Ireland)
- 8.7 – Well Bombardier Bitter
- 8.6 – Old Chub Scottish Style Ale
- 8.5 – Almanac Pilsener
- 8.5 – Harpoon Leviathan Imperial IPA
- 8.5 – O’Hara’s Irish Stout
- 8.5 – Victory Old Horizontal
- 8.4 – Cisco Summer of Lager
- 8.4 – Harpoon UFO Pumpkin
- 8.4 – Kilkenny Beer (in Kilkenny, Ireland)
- 8.4 – Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout
- 8.4 – Riverwalk Gnomad
- 8.3 – Hermit Thrush Poo-Tee-Weet
- 8.3 – Slumbrew Porter Square Porter
- 8.2 – Ballast Point Wahoo White
- 8.1 – Attic & Eaves Toasted Brown Ale
- 8.1 – Jack’s Abby Sunny Ridge
- 8.1 – The Haven ‘Special 70’ Ale
- 8.1 – Lagunitas Brown Shugga’
- 8.1 – Von Trapp Golden Helles
- 8.0 – Allagash Saison Ale
- 8.0 – Beamish Irish Stout (in Cork, Ireland)
- 8.0 – Harpoon Kettle Cup Thunder Foam
- 8.0 – Hofbräu Oktoberfest
- 8.0 – New Albion Ale
- 8.0 – Portico Escher
- 8.0 – Pretty Thing’s Lovely St. Winefride
- 8.0 – Tennant’s Lager
- 8.0 – Trappistes Rocheforte Biere
- 8.0 – 21st Ammendment Toaster Pastry
- 8.0 – Wayerbacher Imperial Pumpkin Ale
- 8.0 – Young’s Chocolate Stout
Three Stars
- 7.9 – Brooklyn Oktoberfest
- 7.9 – Éphémère (draft)
- 7.9 – Lindemans Framboise
- 7.8 – Bronx Brewery Now Youse Can’t Leave Double IPA
- 7.8 – Cambridge Brewing Co. Sgt. Pepper
- 7.8 – Harpoon Cambridge Uncommon
- 7.8 – Hofbräu Dunkel
- 7.8 – Jacks’ Abby Lashes
- 7.8 – Jack’s Abby Smoke & Dagger
- 7.8 – Mayflower Pale Ale
- 7.8 – Mill City Porter
- 7.8 – Ommegang Rare Vos
- 7.8 – Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale
- 7.8 – Samuel Adams Winter Lager
- 7.8 – Slumbrew Imperial Cream Ale
- 7.7 – Baxter Pamola
- 7.7 – Guinness Nitro IPA
- 7.7 – Magic Hat “Jinx”
- 7.7 – Peak Organic Evergreen IPA
- 7.7 – Sierra Nevada Nooner Pilsner
- 7.6 – AleWorks Dear Old Mum
- 7.6 – B. Nektar Black Fang
- 7.6 – Cambridge Brewing Bo-Steam-ian Lager
- 7.6 – Ithaca Dark Vine
- 7.6 – Long Trail Seaport Honey Ginger IPA
- 7.6 – Pretty Things Baby Tree
- 7.6 – Rising Tide Daymark
- 7.6 – Weihenstephaner Korbinian
- 7.5 – Anchor Liberty Ale
- 7.5 – Bronx Brewery No Resolutions IPA
7.5 – Caffrey’s Ale
- 7.5 – Harpoon Camp Wannamango
- 7.5 – Harpoon EHOP Collaboration
- 7.5 – Harpoon Saison Various
- 7.5 – Lagunitas Lucky 13 Mondo Large Red Ale
- 7.5 – Long Trail Imperial Pumpkin Ale
- 7.5 – Peak Organic Fresh Cut (bottle)
- 7.5 – Post Road Pumpkin Ale (2015)
- 7.5 – Pretty Things / Yeastie Boys Our Turn, Your Turn
- 7.5 – Radeberger Pilsener
- 7.5 – Samuel Adams Boston 375 Colonial Ale
- 7.4 – Baxter Window Seat
- 7.4 – Harpoon Dunkin’ Coffee Porter
- 7.4 – Harpoon Octoberfest (draft)
- 7.4 – Paulaner Oktoberfest (2008)
- 7.4 – Wachusett Quinn’s Amber Ale
- 7.4 – Wolaver’s Organic Pumpkin Ale
- 7.3 – Blue Hills Brewery Okto Braü
- 7.3 – Cambridge Brewing Company Heather Ale
- 7.3 – Grimbergen Abbey Ale
- 7.3 – Guinness 250th Anniversary Stout
- 7.3 – Harpoon White IPA
- 7.3 – Magic Hat #9
- 7.3 – Samuel Smith’s Organically Produced Lager Beer
- 7.3 – Shipyard Old Thumper Ale
- 7.3 – Two Roads Workers Comp Saison
- 7.3 – Whetstone WIPA Snappa
- 7.3 – Zero Gravity Conehead IPA
- 7.2 – AleWerks Old Stitch
- 7.2 – Brewmaster Jack Total Eclipse
- 7.2 – Cisco Island Reserve Lager
- 7.2 – Éphémère (bottle)
- 7.2 – Haverhill Annie Schwartz Black Lager
- 7.2 – Left Hand Nitro Milk Stout
- 7.2 – Magic Hat Pistil
- 7.2 – Mystic Chardonnay Barrel Fermented Saison
- 7.2 – The People’s Pint Farmer Brown
- 7.2 – Post Road Pumpkin Ale (2009)
- 7.2 – Samuel Adams Cinder Bock
- 7.1 – Berkshire Brewing Co. Cabin Fever
- 7.1 – Berkshire Brewing Co. Hoosac Tunnel Amber
- 7.1 – Buzzards Bay Black Lager
- 7.1 – Charlie’s BBC British Ale
- 7.1 – Peak Organic Nut Brown Ale
- 7.1 – Sevens Dark Ale
- 7.1 – Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale
- 7.1 – Trapp Pilsner
- 7.0 – Affligem Blonde Ale
- 7.0 – Backlash Redux
- 7.0 – CBC Amber Ale
- 7.0 – Harpoon Ale
- 7.0 – Harpoon Munich Dark
- 7.0 – Harpoon The Long Thaw
- 7.0 – Hertog Jan Springbier
- 7.0 – Mount Desert Island Ginger Wheat
- 7.0 – Night Shift Belafonte
- 7.0 – Notch LP India Pale Lager
- 7.0 – Peak Organic Pomegranate Wheat Ale
- 7.0 – Pretty Thing’s Field Mouses Farewell
- 7.0 – Samuel Adams Latitude 48
- 7.0 – Smithwick’s (draft in Boston pub, 2009)
- 7.0 – Southampton Keller Pils
- 7.0 – Whetstone Prime Porter
Two Stars
- 6.9 – The Bük
- 6.9 – Long Trail Belgian White
- 6.9 – Long Trail Blackberry Wheat
- 6.9 – Long Trail Double Bag Ale
- 6.9 – Mayflower Autumn Wheat Ale
- 6.9 – Palm Amber Ale
- 6.9 – Samuel Adams Hefeweizen
- 6.9 – Sea Dog Brewing Co. Apricot Wheat Beer
- 6.9 – Shock Top Pretzel Wheat
- 6.9 – Stone Old Guardian Barley Wine
- 6.9 – Wachusett Blueberry Ale
- 6.9 – Wexford Irish Cream Ale
- 6.8 – Ipswich Oatmeal Stout
- 6.8 – Ithaca Apricot Wheat
- 6.8 – Jack’s Abby Leisure Time Lager
- 6.8 – Leinenkugel’s Ginger Shandy
- 6.8 – Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy
- 6.8 – Magic Hat Odd Notion
- 6.8 – Mystic An Dreoilin
- 6.8 – Notch Saison
- 6.8 – Peak Organic Citrus Saison
- 6.8 – Rising Tide Ishmael
- 6.8 – Rogue Dead Guy Ale
- 6.8 – Samuel Adams Merry Maker
- 6.7 – Blue Moon Spring Ale
- 6.7 – Dale’s Pale Ale
- 6.7 – Harpoon Brown Session Ale
- 6.7 – Harpoon Octoberfest (can)
- 6.7 – Hertog Jan Pils
- 6.7 – Lagunitas IPA
- 6.7 – Lost Abbey Red Barn Ale
- 6.7 – Negro Modelo
- 6.7 – Peak Organic Super Fresh
- 6.7 – Smuttynose Hayseed
- 6.7 – Wormtown FU IPA
- 6.6 – Anchor Humming Ale
- 6.6 – Ballast Point Sculpin IPA
- 6.6 – Blue Hills Brewery King’s Kolsch
- 6.6 – Dark Horse Boffo Brown Ale
- 6.6 – Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA
- 6.6 – Haverhill Tap Nico Kölsch
- 6.6 – Long Trail Harvest Ale
- 6.6 – Magic Hat Single Chair
- 6.6 – McEwan’s 80/ Ale
- 6.6 – Game Of Thrones: Three-Eyed Raven
- 6.6 – Samuel Adam’s Rebel IPA
- 6.6 – Saranac Pale Ale
- 6.5 – Cain’s Bitter
- 6.5 – Harpoon Belgian Pale Ale
- 6.5 – Notch Infinite Jest
- 6.5 – Left Hand Milk Stout
- 6.5 – Moo Thunder Stout
- 6.5 – Peak Organic Pomegranate Wheat Ale
- 6.5 – Red Hook Long Hammer IPA
- 6.5 – Samuel Adam’s Boston Lager
- 6.5 – Staropramen Lager
- 6.5 – Stone Coffee Milk Stout
- 6.5 – The Tap Snowbound English Old Ale
- 6.4 – Anchor Small Beer
- 6.4 – Beer Works Watermelon Ale
- 6.4 – Brooklyn Lager
- 6.4 – Cape Ann Fisherman’s Pumpkin Stout
- 6.4 – Harpoon Chocolate Stout
- 6.4 – Harpoon Winter Warmer
- 6.4 – High & Mighty Purity of Essence
- 6.4 – Notch Černé Pivo
- 6.4 – Ommegang Abbey Dubbel
- 6.4 – Shackmeister Ale
- 6.4 – Smuttynose Rhye IPA
- 6.4 – Southampton Public House Double White
- 6.4 – Stoudt’s Scarlet Lady Ale
- 6.3 – Boddington’s Pub Ale
- 6.3 – Cisco Brewers Bailey’s Blonde Ale
- 6.3 – Harpoon Flannel Friday
- 6.3 – Jack’s Abby Jabby Brau
- 6.3 – Leinenkugel’s Sunset Wheat
- 6.3 – Paulaner Oktoberfest (2015)
- 6.3 – Samuel Adams Blackberry Witbier
- 6.3 – Saranac White IPA
- 6.3 – Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale
- 6.3 – Sixpoint Brownstone Brown Ale
- 6.3 – Wieckse Witte
- 6.2 – Cisco Brewers Winter Shredder
- 6.2 – Harpoon Pilot Coconut Porter
- 6.2 – Harpoon Weizenbock
- 6.2 – Jack’s Abby Cee-Lo
- 6.2 – La Fin Du Monde
- 6.2 – Maine Beer Company MO
- 6.2 – Off Shore Islander Pale Ale
- 6.2 – Otter Creek Winter Ale Raspberry Brown
- 6.1 – Allagash White Ale
- 6.1 – Calder’s Cream Ale
- 6.1 – Fuller’s London Pride Bitter
- 6.1 – Harpoon Polskie Mastne
- 6.1 – McNeill’s Blond Bombshell
- 6.1 – Notch Zen Arcade
- 6.1 – Samuel Adam’s Grumpy Monk
- 6.0 – Abita Turbodog
- 6.0 – Comet Tail Pale Ale
- 6.0 – Dogfish Head Raison D’Etre
- 6.0 – Harpoon Grateful Harvest Ale
- 6.0 – Leinenkugel’s Big Butt Doppelbock
- 6.0 – Little King’s Cream Ale
- 6.0 – Narragansett Beer
- 6.0 – Old Speckled Hen Ale
- 6.0 – Ommegang Witte
- 6.0 – Peak Organic Fresh Cut (Can)
- 6.0 – Tröegs DreamWeaver Wheat
One Star
- 5.9 – Belhaven 80/ Ale
- 5.9 – Blanche de Bruxelles
- 5.9 – Cambridge Amber
- 5.9 – Long Trail Harvest
- 5.9 – Southern Tier Raspberry Porter
- 5.8 – Budels Pils
- 5.7 – Cisco Brewers Pumple Drumkin
- 5.7 – Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale
- 5.7 – Leinenkugel Fireside Nut Brown
- 5.7 – Peroni Nastro Azzuro
- 5.7 – Smithwick’s Ale (in Kilkenny, 1998)
- 5.6 – Otter Creek Stovepipe Porter
- 5.6 – Singha Lager
- 5.6 – Victory Lager
- 5.5 – Hell or High Watermelon
- 5.5 – Left Hnad Juju Ginger Ale
- 5.5 – Off Shore Inkwell Imperial Stout
- 5.5 – Stella Artois
- 5.4 – Samuel Adams Boston Brick Red
- 5.4 – Simpler Times Lager
- 5.4 – Southern Tier Heavy*Weizen
- 5.4 – Whale’s Tail Pale Ale
- 5.2 – Clarke’s Amber
- 5.2 – Heineken Lager
- 5.2 – Yuengling Traditional Lager
- 5.1 – Enlightenment Ales Transcendence
- 5.1 – Harpoon IPA
- 5.1 – Narragansett Del’s Shandy
No Stars
- 4.9 – Bass Ale
- 4.8 – Smuttynose Shoals Pale Ale
- 4.7 – Samuel Smith Organic Strawberry Fruit Beer
- 4.5 – Presidente
- 4.2 – Wallace IPA
- 4.0 – Caledonian 80/ Ale
- 4.0 – Carlsburg Lager
- 3.2 – Southern Tier Pumking
- 3.0 – Wild Blue Blueberry Lager
Five great American beers I’ll have to try (according to Paste).
LikeLike
Hey Liam, you need to get some Belgian in you (not many on the list). Here’s one I tried and throughly enjoyed.
LikeLike
I will have to look at this properly, but after looking at your list, it confirms a rule of thumb that I made a long time ago – don’t try a beer with fruit in it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve had some good blueberry beers, and I don’t mind a shandy, but there’s always a grave risk of fruit beers tasting overly sweet and/or artificial.
LikeLike
I’ve quite enjoyed ginger added to beer, Blandford Fly from the Badger Brewery in Dorset for one, but I find that there is much more batch to batch variation this kind of beer.
LikeLike
Can’t recall trying ginger in beers much but it looks like the ones I’ve tried got good reviews (it’s a good thing I write these things down or wouldn’t remember at all!).
LikeLike