How proximity to a brewery impacts ratings of its beers
To my surprise, ratings that were made at or within 10 miles of the brewery received slightly below-average scores (3.17). Once you get more than 10 miles away from the brewery, the average rating jumps up to 3.26. This level is roughly maintained up to a distance of 500 miles from the brewery, after which it sees a sharp decline all the way to 3.04 (750-1250 miles from the brewery). Lastly, check-ins more than 2000 miles from the brewery actually had the highest rating of any distance group (3.29).
So what does it all mean?
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Perhaps just a perception of rarity? If a person is close to a brewery, they perceive the beer as easy to obtain. Compare that to a beer that was brewed across the country and your perception of its worth goes up. Since excitement and perception have a lot to do with taste and appraisal, the rating increases.
Just a thought.
I think you’re right with the X-factor that if it is really far away, it took some great expense or effort to get it which sways the rating.
It’s not remotely surprising. You get used to a thing and take it for granted. The local beer is probably better than you think it is, but you’ve had it a bunch of times. At about ten miles out, they have to work to get the beer. Maybe go to a specialty store. Beyond a certain distance, no one cares about your brewery. Naturally the nerds who are the furthest away who had to trade for the beer are going to rate it higher because of anticipation.
Scarcity value