Backstory: I asked All-Star Czech Beer man- Alistair Reece- what are his favorite Czech lagers found in the US. He replied with a couple beers I have had, Budvar and Zatec, and with a couple I have not heard of, Primator and Czech Rebel. Czech Rebel sounded intreging, so I decided to look it up. See what others had to say.
Now, I do not expect everyone to like every beer style. But I take Fuggled's taste to be pretty accurate of the Czech stuff. This reviewer states that they do not have a liking for pilsners. But then to review it poorly, simply because it isn't your cup o' tea, is even worse:
look: 2 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2
Loved the name if the beer. It made me wanna try it which is good for the brewery. But as I sat down to enjoy this brew I realized that I really can't get into pilasters too much. So I sat there trying to toss back a rather large bottle of beer for myself. Clear yellow and grassy and a fluffy head on this one.Just to think about the "Look" score. He states that it is "Clear yellow and grassy and a fluffy head", what more could you ask for? If that is true, shouldn't it be given a "5"?
I have no problem with people who rate to taste, instead of staying strictly on style- for beers that are brewed away from style. But this seems like a classic example of a pilsner, which is it how he should have rated it. Don't expect an hazy, amber beer with no head. This has me riled.
As I have stated before, I hate the review sites- for their rating systems. I like to see what people like about beers, hate about beers and whatnot. But to me there is no reason this beer should have been given a D- by this guy, simply based on his description of what it looks like.
(I could go on and on, but it is time for me to end my rant.)
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Goodness gracious me (I am biting my tongue and holding it all in at the moment), but what a pile of ludicrous, ignorant drivel from that reviewer!
ReplyDeleteThis is part of my issue with many attempts at pilsner over here, so few people have had the real thing and for some reason believe the marketing that Miller Lite has a classic pilsner taste or some such marketing bollocks.
If Kout na Sumave were ever available in the States, I genuinely fear that people would not understand it and so it would get slaughtered.
rating systems should be based on the BJCP, which is what beer is judged by.
ReplyDelete@Velky- you should see the rest of his reviews for pilsners
ReplyDelete@Kelly- I don't like going strictly based on BJCP, because I feel that some great "Creative" beers wouldnt get the recognition they deserve, since some do not follow those guidelines. But if I had to make a choice between no guidelines and BJCP, I would take BJCP
I agree whole heartedly, I tend to fired up over this subject too. To get a score like that I would assume the beer had a major flaw or somehow infected. These sites are all opinon and not good ones at that, but liquor stores and bars love to post the RB & BA scores to sell these products.
ReplyDeleteA friend in my brewing circle always jokingly refers to these reviews as the 'German Chocolate Cake’ scenario.
It goes something this: Layered Chocolate cake with ample frosting in between the layers with this coconut-pecan frosting I had to scrap off. I am Polish so I'm not much of a fan of things German, I don't like Chocolate, hate coconut and am allergic to nuts. Score: 1.3
There should be ratings for ratings! So many entries at Ratebeer are obvious attempts to increase overall rate count, with little care given to the actual content of the rating.
ReplyDeleteI think this is why you need to take them all with a pinch of salt and make sure you read a good few to get a decent view.
I touched on this when I wrote about tasting notes a while back BeerBirraBier.
I fear I would begin spitting blood if I did read his other pilsner reviews. Ah what the heck, always game for a laugh.
ReplyDelete