I rate all (numerical) categories on a 1-to-5 scale. 1 is the lowest ("not" sweet, "not" hoppy, etc.), and 5 is the highest ("extremely" sweet, "extremely" hoppy, etc.). Each of the numbers can have a "+" or "-" added to it, indicating an additional distinction. "-" is lower than the number by itself, which is lower than "+". So the sequence of rating values goes:
1-, 1, 1+, 2-, 2, 2+, 3-, 3, 3+, 4-, 4, 4+, 5-, 5, 5+
For the Overall rating, any drinkable beer is rated at 3 or higher. That is, to have an Overall rating of less than 3, there must be some major defect to the beer - soapiness, wet dog, rancid, dirty socks, etc., that makes the beer undrinkable (in my opinion, of course!). In general, the Overall rating also attempts to judge whether a particular beer matches it's claimed category. For example, a lighter bodied beer labelled as a "stout" might be rated lower if I think it's too light, and maybe should have been labelled as a "porter". However, I try to give the brewer the decision as to the beer category, and so if it claims to be a "stout", then I rate it against other stouts. An Overall score of 5 means "this is a perfect example of this type of beer". A "5" Overall rating for a particular beer would mean that it is the one that all other beers of that category would be compared against. For example, I consider Guinness to be the perfect Irish Stout. Also note that the Overall rating does NOT reflect my particular bias for or against different style categories. That is, both my more favorite categories (stouts and IPAs, for example), and my less favorite categories (such as fruit-based beers, other than lambics) are rated against their own category, so a "5" is possible for my less favorite categories, if I think that a particular beer is the perfect example of that category.
Where do I go to sample these beers? The best way to test a microbrew is at their tasting room, if they have one. Same for commercial breweries. Brewpubs are basically small microbreweries where a majority of their beer (brewed on-site) is served in the attached restaurant/bar. Brewpubs often have unique and tasty food to go with the beer selections, too. For bottled or canned beers, as well as a big selection of tap beers, check out your local Old Chicago restaurant. They have a large selection (and yes, I've completed the World Beer Tour several times, including in Boulder CO, Lenexa KS (twice), and Clearwater FL). Also, check out the Falling Rock Tap House. And, make sure you either attend the annual Great American Beer Festival, or look over the BeerTown web site.
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