Let’s face it, beverage ratings are kind of silly. However, a lot of people seem to like them (if not demand them). In the absence of familiarity a rating can provide some desired quality intelligence. To meet this “need” or at least to satisfy curiosity we reluctantly provide product ratings. We strongly suggest, no rather insist, that you take any ratings in conjunction with the accompanying tasting notes, as they will provide the greatest nugget of information and understanding. Buying by ratings alone is a dangerous thing and smacks of seeking status rather than seeking flavor and pleasure. We prefer the latter.
Some would have you believe that men in white coats do this sort of thing in a “laboratory.” Well, if you enjoy a great bottle of Wine, tumbler of Single Malt, or classic German Lager in the most sterile of conditions the white coat and pocket protector approach may appeal to you. We will respectfully decline.
To further remove some of the silly element we will often take a segment of our products that we review and try them in total context. If we speculate that a particular wine would be ideal with a traditional dish we will perform the pairing. If a reviewed Gin is thought to be an ideal Gin and tonic candidate we will give that a spin and see if it performs as well in the glass as in our imagination. We seek to constantly challenge our evaluations and assertions while giving a real life “road test” to Beverages. After all, this is what we all do when enjoying the pleasures of life. Save the lab for that new, easy spread, water repellent.
At BevX we rate products on a 5-point scale. Of course, Five Stars is the absolute top of the mountain and One Star is at the bottom of the scale.
Unlike many who review beverages, we consider value when making our evaluation. The reasons are simple – BevX is aimed toward consumers and all consumers consider value when making buying decisions. So do we. Your expectations for a $10 bottle are far more modest than you expectations for a $100 bottle. For this reason we also assign a Value Grade with an explanation for the given grade.
All reviews by nature are subjective. We reserve the right to review any and all products available for commercial sale.
BevX Star Ratings – Accolades
- 5 Stars – Supreme! This rating is reserved for the cream of the crop.
- 4 Stars – Exceptional! A product of tremendous quality and distinction.
- 3 Stars – Brilliant! A pleasing product noted for its gratification and reliability.
- 2 Stars – Serviceable. A serviceable product that may show minor flaws.
- 1 Star – Disagreeable. We recommend that you look elsewhere.
If you are still having trouble putting our 5 Star classification in context, we have provided a simple decoder:
|
BevX Star Ratings |
Medals |
100-point Scale |
| 5 Stars | Double Gold | 97 – 100 |
| 4.5 Stars | Gold | 94 – 96 |
| 4 Stars | Gold | 93 – 90 |
| 3.5 Stars | Silver | 89 – 87 |
| 3 Stars | Silver | 86 – 83 |
| 2.5 Stars | Bronze | 82 – 80 |
| 2 Stars | Bronze | 79 – 70 |
| 1 Star | No Award | Sub 70 |