Ratings System

No five stars here. With combinations of levels, our grading comes with ten levels (hats off to the metric system). But if it’s not even good enough for the cat, just hold your nose and dump it down the drain.

CAT: Truly awful. Undrinkable. Down the drain. Our most popular rating among listeners and brewers who have not had the misfortune to have their wares so labeled.

POOR: This sucks. Way too much of something. Makes you consider putting it in a shoe to improve the flavor. It’s free, so you’ll drink it, but you will immediately cheat on it if something better comes along.

FAIR: It’s okay. Not great. Not good, but tolerable. Kind of like a donut. You’ll eat one, but you sure won’t have another one. Doesn’t deliver what it promises or does so and it was a bad idea.

GOOD: Nice taste, promises some of what it delivers. Aftertaste often what brings it down.

VERY GOOD: Super flavor. Complex or nails the one note it offers. Delivers almost all that it promises, but maybe misses on one of them. Again, aftertaste snobbery is a thing.

EXCELLENT: Impossible to find anything wrong it: delivers the tastes it promises, often in waves, though one-noters qualify if the one note is outstanding. Thoroughly enjoyable. You want to tell your friends all about this wonderful beverage and you will fight anyone who even looks sideways at your glass.