How was this list calculated?This Best of BeerAdvocate (BA) list is generated using statisical formulas that pull data from hundreds of thousands of user reviews; they are not hand-picked. The general formula uses a Bayesian estimate:
weighted rank (WR) = (v ÷ (v+m)) × R + (m ÷ (v+m)) × C
where:
R = review average for the beer
v = number of reviews for the beer
m = minimum reviews required to be listed (currently 10)
C = the mean across the list (currently 3.64)
The formula normalizes scores, that is pulls (R) to the mean (C) if the number of reviews is not well above (m). So if a beer has only a few reviews above (m), its (WR) is decreased a little if it is above the mean (C), or increased a little if it is below the mean (C) in accordance with the normal distribution rule of statistics.
Currently, a beer must have 10 or > reviews to be included in any calculations. And (m) is calculated by averaging the number of reviews for beers that have 10 or > reviews within the list being viewed, while (C) is the mean (average) overall score for all beers that have or > reviews within the list.
Example 1: (a beer with a 4.35 review average and 105 reviews)
(105 ÷ (105+10)) × 4.35 + (10 ÷ (105+10)) × 3.64 = 4.29 = WR
Example 2: (a beer with a 3.1 review average and 11 reviews)
(11 ÷ (11+10)) × 3.1 + (10 ÷ (11+10)) × 3.64 = 3.36 = WR
Frequently Asked Questions:Q: The letter grades seem out of sync?A: That's because this list is based on weighted rank (WR), which takes the number of reviews into consideration; the beer's solo review average (rAvg) and A-F score does not; helping to demonstrate WR as a result.
Read more about our ratings »Q: What if I don't agree with your list?A: We don't care.
Q: What if I don't agree with your formula?A: We don't care.
Q: Why isn't {insert beer} listed? That's just wrong!A: It didn't make the cut. Did you review the beer? If not, then you have even less to complain about.
Q: How can {insert beer} be better than {insert beer}?A: Ask your first grade math teacher.
