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The way we form opinions about the taste of beer – or, really, nearly any consumer product – is loaded with bias. Before even a sip, your brain is already making decisions based on what it knows: a beer’s maker, its name, its packaging, your previous experiences with it. By the time your taste buds join the party, they barely have a chance.  

That’s why blind tasting is the gold standard of beer competitions. For the Best of Milwaukee IPA contest, I chose five of what I believe are some of best widely available, locally made versions of craft beer’s most popular style. I did not see the beers poured into five sampling cups: No labels, no names, just beer.   Here are the results:

Editor ’ s Pick: Haze the Lord

COMPONENT BRE

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