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Specialty Beer Evolution and Revolution
The Flavored Beer category has some potential overlap with Specialty Beer, and the determination of category is the brewery’s decision. Entries in this category are beers flavored with either conventional (fruit, honey, chocolate) or sometimes unconventional ingredients (chilies, peanut butter). The base beer may be related to almost any classic beer style, and the union of the base beer’s character with the flavoring element is a critical aspect of the beer’s success.
Interpreting the 100-point Scale
Consumers can translate the point score to the following quality bands:
| Point Range |
Quality Band |
| 96-100 points |
Platinum |
| 90-95 points |
Gold |
| 85-90 points |
Silver |
| 80-84 points |
Bronze |
| Less than 80 |
Not Recommended |
Legend
= Brewpub- ABV = Alcohol by volume
- Date denotes the date on which the beer was tasted
89 Samuel Adams Longshot Honey B’s Lavender Ale, The Boston Beer Co. (MA). 5.5% ABV (9/11)
Golden amber color. Bold aromas and flavors of spicy carrot cake, honey and faint floral talc with supple, dry-yet-fruity medium-to-full body and a lingering fig and citrus preserves on raisin toast finish. Very clever and tasty; will be great with barbecue.
88 7th Street Wheat, NOLA Brewing Co. (LA). 4.3% ABV (9/11)
Bright old gold color. Aromas and flavors of lemongrass and ginger crème brûléewith a hint of basil and a supple, dryish medium body with a crisp, savory citrus marmalade and honeyed cottage cheese -accented finish. A very flavorful beer to try with Asian cuisine.
