Is there anyone who takes the Beer Advocate seriously?

[Nolan_E]

@b hudak

1. I can see rating wines, but beers are so varied in style that it is an individual choice- rating beers makes no sense

That’s why I prefer wine, I know there are only three styles to choose from. That’s all that exist, three.

[Bill_Tex_Landreth]

@William Segui

I’ve never seen a shelf talker for beer, but I am certain they exist.

Here in Dallas, both Spec’s and Total Wine & Spirits have them. Take three guesses where the gaps with no beer on the shelves are.

[Mike_Daniel]

Same with Total Wine in Northern Virginia/DC area. I go in there because the selection is usually pretty good, but have a good laugh at many of the shelf talkers. Honestly, in the past few months I have avoided Total Wine for the most part. I found a place in Maryland that has a nice selection, no beer scores, and a knowledgeable staff that works with your own palate. I have found that their recommendations are usually pretty on with what I like.
I also agree with the Aussie analogy. While I am a fan of Imperial IPA’s, it seems like bigger and bigger equates to better, which as you know is not always the case. Although I really cannot blame brewers who use “the formula” to produce a beer that they know will score highly on sites such as Beer Advocate.
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[Brian_G_r_a_f_s_t_r_o_m]

“[Do you] take the Beer Advocate seriously?”

N/A. I don’t pay attention to them at all.

[C_Janko]

Personally I enjoy BA and while I do glance at the scores, I always read over the first 5-6 reviews to get a good feel for the beer. You can easily tell which reviewers actually have a advanced palate and those who just copy the “hype” that is posted throughout.

Like any form of “rating” I use it with caution. Yelp,trip advisor,car and driver, even CT…at the end of the day it’s all personal preference, but having the ability to hear others thoughts is priceless to me.

[Anthony_Lombardi]

@Mike Daniel

Same with Total Wine in Northern Virginia/DC area. I go in there because the selection is usually pretty good, but have a good laugh at many of the shelf talkers. Honestly, in the past few months I have avoided Total Wine for the most part. I found a place in Maryland that has a nice selection, no beer scores, and a knowledgeable staff that works with your own palate. I have found that their recommendations are usually pretty on with what I like.
I also agree with the Aussie analogy. While I am a fan of Imperial IPA’s, it seems like bigger and bigger equates to better, which as you know is not always the case. Although I really cannot blame brewers who use “the formula” to produce a beer that they know will score highly on sites such as Beer Advocate.
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Not sure that I see the big beers/Parkerization as apples to apples. The bigger styled beers have been going for a while, and while hype certainly plays in to “rate” them higher, there is an appeal to them being in smaller batches, seasonal releases etc.

[Corey_N]

@b hudak

… from what I am seeing people are relying on scores and write-ups rather than their own palates.

I disagree with this, to a point. While I think that “groupthink” exists, scores/write-ups can be helpful in deciding which beers to buy and which to avoid. It’s important to note that you cannot rely on your palate until you have purchased the beer. Consumers don’t have the time, money, or opportunity to sample every beer on the market. Scores are a shorthand way of knowing which beers might be worth trying. It’s not a perfect option, but what is? Ever check cellartracker to see what people are saying about a wine? I think of the BA scores/commentary in the same way. Sure, scores don’t mean everything, but if “everyone” likes a beer and is scoring it highly, surely the odds of it being “good” (whatever that means) is better than a beer with consistently low marks.

So are people really influenced by scores after they have purchased a beer? Maybe, some are, but they’d have to be pretty stupid to keep drinking beer that they didn’t enjoy. I’d argue that people on WB are influenced by groupthink (and pricethink) too, but that’s another topic altogether.

@Thomas Keim

As you guys point out - you look at the top scoring beers in The Beer Advocate and Ratebeer.com, they are most always Barley Wines, Stouts and Quadrupel IPA’s

If you look on cellartracker, Sauternes consistently get high ratings. Is that any different? I’m not trying to justify the scores, but presumably people flock to certain wines because they are made in a style that people enjoy. Sometimes it’s just a fad (see: Merlot circa 1990s), but often not.