The Rating Scale

As I face the daunting task of writing reviews for all of the excellent places, food, and cocktails I experienced during my trip to Chicago, I realize I must first back up and explain the rating scale used to assign value. Way back in the dark recesses of 2001 or so, a good friend of mine and I began to pool our individual reviews of beer, wine, and spirits each of us had been keeping track of as we wandered the saloons and beer halls of the drinking world. We called our collection The Big Book of Booze. Kevin, intrepid traveler, monk, and scholar was the one who ultimately wrote out the numbering system and coined the phrase “the House of Excellence” which comprises the top three spots on the rating scale. Since that time our quest to discover the inhabitants of this fabled house have been unrelenting if not downright obsessive. The scale itself looks like this:

1. Fundamentally Flawed
2. Awful
3. Bad, but not quite entering the realm of awfulness
4. Below Mediocre
5. Mediocre
6. Above Mediocre
7. Good, but not quite entering the realm of excellence
8. Entering the realm of Excellence
9. Excellent
10. Outstanding in its field

It should be known beforehand that I am essentially a beer man. My quest into the cocktail nation began with an exploration into the different types of beer found worldwide. I began my exploration with reviews of traditional Abbey ales as they are called, ales brewed according to traditional methods as founded and refined by Trappist monks centuries ago. One of the best known abbeys is the Abbey of Notre-Dame de Scourmont, located in Chimay Belgium. It is here that beer and cheese is still made following the specific recipes and procedures of the Trappist order. As they write at Chimay.com, “Here, in this heaven of peace and silence where since 1850 Trappist monks have dedicated their life to God, products are made which, in themselves, gladden the heart of man.”

To demonstrate this scale in action I shall provide the example of the first beer reviewed on my beer list

Chimay Ale Grande Reserve: 8
A smooth full bodied ale crafted with obvious care. Very dark and robust with a nut brown character and color. This Chimay, as there are three varietals offered, is highly effervescent like all the abbeys seem to be, and exhibits a perfect balance between sweet and bitter with essence of raisins and semisweet chocolate in the finish. Personally I found this beer gets much better the longer you cellar it. This dark lady demands special care however and is still highly temperamental even after great care is taken. While the name and reputation inspires excitement and anticipation, the experience leaves one with the all too familiar “I-have-had-better” feeling as you fumble for your clothes in the dark. Clearly approaching the House of Excellence exhibiting master craftsmanship, the Grande Reserve exudes perfection without actually getting there.
*Note as all Chimays are bottom fermented which means they continue slowing brewing over time. As such, each bottle will be slightly different with differing characteristics. Don’t let one bad brown produce an avoidance of all brunettes.

The stories of the Cocktail Tour shall follow shortly. Until then…

Enjoy!
The Gman