My Next Article In Beer Connoisseur Magazine Summer 2026, Issue 85: Are Craft Beer Ratings Ruining the Experience?

I am excited to share that my next feature article will appear in Beer Connoisseur Magazine Issue 85, Summer 2026, titled Are Craft Beer Ratings Ruining the Experience? This is a topic I feel strongly about, and one that continues to grow more relevant as digital platforms reshape how drinkers discover, evaluate and talk about beer. The article examines how the culture of scoring, ranking and reviewing has evolved, and how it now influences not only consumer behavior but also the brewing industry itself.

Below is a short excerpt from the article:

“Beers are for drinking… not reviewing.”

“It is a sentiment often expressed half‑jokingly at bars, breweries and industry gatherings, but one that carries increasing weight in the digital age. Today, nearly every beer poured is also rated, ranked and reviewed online. Whether through sprawling platforms or quick mobile check‑ins, beer lovers are no longer just consumers; they are critics.”

The introduction from Beer Connoisseur’s announcement expands on this idea:

Bil Corcoran’s opinion piece takes on another modern beer habit: ratings. Scores, check‑ins and online reviews can help drinkers navigate a crowded marketplace, but they can also flatten the experience into a number on a screen. At some point, every drinker has to ask whether they are choosing the beer they actually want or the beer the crowd has already approved for them. Ratings have value. Worshiping them does not.

The full article explores how rating culture affects breweries, influences taproom behavior, shapes expectations and sometimes even discourages exploration. It also looks at how numerical scoring can overshadow the sensory experience, the social experience and the personal experience that make craft beer meaningful. The piece encourages drinkers to reclaim the joy of discovery, trust their own palate and remember that beer is ultimately about connection, not competition.

Read the full article: Are Craft Beer Ratings Ruining the Experience

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