It's been a while since I started a thread, and I did a quick search and didn't see anything on this, so here it goes. What's the lowest BA score you'll accept when looking for a new beer? I personally look up a beer on my phone while in the aisle and tend to steer away from anything under 80 unless it's a style or brewery I really like. A lot of my friends think this is stupid, but (for the most part) I agree with my fellow BAs, so why not? What's the lowest score you'll go when picking out a new beer?
I never let reviews or score dictate what I buy. Mainly because according to the scores, my tastes are FAR different than the majority.
I actually have a Schlitz in my fridge. It's been there since like '95. What does that fetch, around a 2?
I'll try just about anything, sometimes especially ones that have really low ratings. For example: I went out and bought Pumpkinhead from Shipyard because it had such low reviews. I wanted to see what all the fuss was about and thought to myself, "How bad can a pumpkin beer really be?" It turns out, it can be very bad.
I look at scores on my phone when I peruse the aisles as well but in the nj market there isn't much I haven't had. So if I do see an out there brew that I haven't tried i'll buy it despite it's rating. Really the rating means nothing to me besides giving me what the masses think. The score is kind of there telling me, hey you'll probably like this! or hey, this might be an unappreciated gem! If it's low score is a low score for a reason, i'm still glad I tried it to know why the score is low.
lol i actually follow the scores when my phone gets reception at said beer stores. I usually don't go below 90.... but then again, my budget is super tight.
If I'm going through a store and look up a bottle I've never even seen before, or ever even heard of, I probably won't buy it unless it's at least a 90 (though prefer 94+; it kinda depends on my budget at the time). This changes if I've heard of it or had it recommended, but that's my basis for buying something completely blind (simply use it as a "filter" to limit selection since I can't buy everything I've never had). That being said, PBR is our go-to "hey we're broke" beer/fridge-stocker; so once I've had it, the score really doesn't matter at all.
This is my exact reason. I don't drink much because I'm in school and don't have much money to budget towards beer, but when I do drink I want to drink something nice, so I tend to lean towards higher scores. That's not to say that the scores make it a better beer, but I do tend to trust reviews on a beer that has 40+ reviews and is rated 90+. Maybe I'm wrong, and maybe I'm biased, but it's just the way I do things on a tight budget to try to find good beer. I guess I also should have stated that mass produced beers shouldn't be taken into the equation.
I pay more attention to the flavor descriptions, both positive and negative, than the scores. I know there are certain favors that I am really sensitive to and don't enjoy, such as the acetic character in certain sours. In IPAs I tend to favor grapefruit and tropical hops to piney or resiny hop profiles. That said I tend to stay with beers above scores of 80 if I've never heard of it before.
This. All of the scores are relative, everyone tastes things differently and prefers different flavors. Personally I just wing it and try it, I never look up ratings. Every beer is worth a try at least once regardless of what some hack thinks about it.
Probably Guinness.. I still enjoy that beer once in a while and it is a beer that the wifey loves to drink.
I prefer to spend good money on higher scores (85+), but I am willing to go below that for adjunct lagers, Michigan-made beers, or simply for beers that sound like I might enjoy them from what well-written reviews say.
85ish. life's too short to drink mediocre beer. although I'll sometimes buy a bottle on a whim if I like the style, am intrigued by what they did to twist the recipe, or like the brewery without looking it up, sometimes it bites me and sometimes it pays out pretty well.
I look up the scores after purchasing and drinking a new beer. The below two beers are an example of why I do this now. http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/804/21095 http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/13667/70540
Well seeing as it's not on the top 100 anymore, I'd say Dark Lord (lolol just kidding!) It is funny though that hopslam out ranks it technically on that list.
I like Yuengling, but when I am looking at a review for the final say, I havent yet bought a bottle that had less than an 84.
As it's priced right, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is a staple in my fridge. I look at ratings, but if something new comes in, I'll buy a single to try it. I at least get the pleasure in either ripping it or raving about it, most of the time, or it ends up being a solid brew that doesn't blow my mind, yet doesn't suck. Sorry for the run-on.
I don't base my beer selection on scores....I love reading the reviews but enjoy trying everything from macros to Barrel aged stouts
I guess '0' is my technical answer, since i very rarely base my purchases off of score. However if it's more than about $1.50/oz, i check the scores and read a couple reviews before i pull the trigger.
I still have a dumbphone and beer is the one reason I'm glad I don't. To me part of the fun is just trying random beers, which is why I hate breweries that skimp on the label info. I'm not saying that I buy indiscriminately either, I'll ask anyone within a ten foot radius about a beer I haven't had but it's also fun to talk about beer with random people. If it's expensive and I can pick it up later I will do some research at home and come back. Finally, the way BA ratings are skewed an 80 is a poor/mediocre score not above average as it should be. Edit: The beer I probably drink the most of is Simpler Times Lager, and I can't imagine it having a very good rating.
If I am going for quantity over quality like for a party or something score doesn't matter. Now if I am picking out a craft selection where I'll be sipping and enjoying? 80 is the bare minimum. Some will say not to let reviews dictate what you buy, which would be fine, but I need some sort of reference when I am looking at 500 beers I haven't tried yet and want to stick to some budget. I have to limit my chances of buying a drainpour.
I guess at the end of the day its all about style and preference. For people like me that are well on their way to being full blown beer snobs, sometimes only a 93+ will suffice when I'm buying single bottles/bombers that can be 12-20$+
Never really cared if it's something I've been interested in trying. I've had great beers with bad ratings and stinkers with high ratings.
The rating is the variable in this equation because I buy what I like. If I think something is tasty and everyone else disagrees, the rating drops ergo my "how-low-can-you-go-rating" drops as well.
A lot of people watch American Idol but I'd rather watch my nuts get caught in a meat grinder than sit through thirty minutes of that. All I'm saying is that people have different tastes and for the most part, following your rule will steer you towards 'better' beers but I wouldn't make it my first consideration. Sometimes you have to eat a McDonalds hamburger to remind you how good real meat is.
I don't care so much about numbers. I will look at a number of reviews to see if I catch any themes. If enough people complain about a similar aspect, or praise a similar aspect, then I consider how that jibes with my interests.
Yeah, mannnnnnnn, I buy what I wannnnnt, mannnnnnnn. No score is gonna tell this bromigo what to buyyyyy, mannnnn. I make up my own minds! No, that's not actually true. I use a beer's score as a flexible guide, with some simple qualifications. Checking a 15-20 dollar bomber at the store? Probably not going to buy it if it's a very conventional style and is barely pushing 80 with a sizable amount of reviews. Interesting sounding take on a style from a brewery I typically like? I'll check reviews, typically, and if the score is on the low-average side, but the reviewers are saying things that interest me? I might give it a whirl. Of course I get adventurous sometimes and just buy something random, but not usually on the expensive side; regardless of what one might say, I will drain pour something I don't enjoy. Of course, all of what I've just typed certainly isn't exhaustive, but still. Use the scores how you see fit, obviously. That being said, generally, I find myself in the same ballpark as the cumulative review, and I think most BAs do as well.
Unless it's a really expensive bottle, I don't look at BA scores anymore. And even then, it may or may not sway my purchase if I am interested in trying something.
This has got me thinking of beers I really liked that were below 85 and I'm struggling coming up with any.
I've purposefully sought out bad reviewed beers (see: Cave Creek Chili Beer). Mostly for a joke, but how do you know what the best taste like if you've never had the worst Everybody should try Chili Beer...it's fun to say the least.
And for the record, I've had plenty of Corona Light with a lime @ the pool. Not saying it is 'a great beer,' but really...the absolute worst based on reviews? Come on, it still serves a purpose and is better than some of the so called 'craft' stuff I have drain poured. I've never drain poured a Corona...haha
What do you think you are better than the BA scores. F'N philadelphians. Jeez! This is why I keep East vs. West alive! VIVA TUPAC!! Cheers!
