Image is not available here at work, but I can imagine.
I think I'm getting a little better at making snap determinations based on the immediate conditions as to whether I can get away with saying what I really think: "It is a bit oxidized, but other than that and some extract twang and complete lack of hop profile, sure, this is a very drinkable pale ale" or whether to just crack a half-smile and downright lie: "Not bad", and then immediately turn around and find something else to get that horrible taste out of my mouth as quickly as possible. If pressed for suggestions on how to improve, I'll tell them, and most people know this. If not, I figure they're perfectly happy that it's wet and contains alcohol, so it's best to just avoid them as well as I can.
The flip side is that when I go out of my way to tell someone that I really love their beer and want to know how they made it, I believe they are often flattered at my obvious sincerity.
Fortunately and honestly, these days, most of the guys in my club generally brew much better beer than I do. This is especially true in recent years. Ten years ago... not so much!
Topic: Beer Criticism (Read 1970 times)
