If you've ever been to a wine tasting, you may have observed people spending a lot of time putting their noses deep into the wine glasses, swirling the wine around in their mouths (maybe even swishing it like mouthwash), and possibly spitting into a bucket afterward. Tasting technique isn't limited to wine—beer enthusiasts also note the smells, flavors, and textures of beer when tasting. And while this might seem pretentious and showy, rest assured that it doesn't have to be.
When it comes down to it, what matters most is whether or not you like what you're tasting. So why learn about tasting at all? Taking in what it is you like or dislike about a beer is helpful in knowing what you'll choose down the road. And having a vocabulary for those preferences allows you to communicate your tastes to other beer lovers. "I'm looking for a dark stout with chocolate undertones," makes a lot more sense than, "Hey, I'm looking for that beer that looks almost black."
By the end of this chapter, you'll be able to discuss your favorite beer with even the most devoted of beer aficionados!
Have you ever had a really delicious meal, then gone back to the same restaurant later to find that the dish isn't quite what you remembered? Your taste buds are greatly impacted by so many elements. Were you chewing gum beforehand? What were you drinking? Was anyone smoking around you? Were there other smells? It's the same for beer tasting. To get the real flavor of a beer, it's a good idea to cleanse your palette with water before the first sip. Then, just take a minute to notice each of these five elements before downing the rest of your pint.
To get a good look at your beer, pour it into a glass. You don't want to have more than two fingers of foam (head) at any given time, so if it's getting too foamy too fast, slow down your pour. Is the head thick? Does it come to stiff peaks? Or is it thin and quickly dissolving?
Next, look at the color of the beer. Based on what you know about the different beer types, the color will give you some sense of what the beer will taste like. Darker colors point to an ale, while blonde hues likely hint at a lager. Is the beer cloudy or clear? These are all clues that hint at the flavor.
Once the head settles down a little (carbonation in your nose is no fun!), sniff your beer. What kind of scents do you get? You might find certain beers smell hoppy, meaning earthy, grassy, or floral. Other beers might smell sweet, indicating a malty flavor. Stouts infused with coffee or chocolate will give off those smells. Since 90 to 95% of flavor comes from smell, taking a sniff (or three) will open up your ability to more fully enjoy the flavor.
At last! It's time to take that first sip of beer. Remember, you just want to get the flavor at this point, so don't chug the entire glass. Take a sip and see what you can pick up from the flavors on your tongue. Does it taste as sweet as it smells, or is it more bitter? Do you detect a lot of hops? Take a moment to identify what it is you like or don't like about the flavor.
The texture of the beer on your tongue can definitely contribute to whether or not you like it. Light colored beers are often thin and quick to go down, whereas darker, heavier beers may feel thick. That thickness, or the feeling of density, is what people mean when they talk about a "chewy" mouthfeel. If you're sampling a flight of beers, you'll easily be able to juxtapose the textures to figure out what you like best.
What's happening after you swallow your first sip of beer? What flavors are lingering? Do the sugars from the malt leave a trail of sweetness? Does a strong bitterness from the hops stick around? The finish may leave a lasting impression, and can often determine what your overall feelings are about a beer, despite what you thought of it based on the previous four elements.
Just as different varieties of wine taste better in their appropriate glasses, so do different types of beer. Appropriate beer glasses allow the flavors of the beer to emerge better, giving the drinker a fuller experience. Andy from CraftBeer.com explains how different beer glass sizes and styles contribute to the overall enjoyment of different types of beer.
CraftBeer.com presents How to Choose the Right Beer Glass
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If you're just beginning to get interested in beer and you don't want to buy a bunch of different styles of wine glasses, many beer enthusiasts suggest starting out with the American pint glass. When you're out and about, you'll run across different shapes and sizes of glasses, and you can see how they impact your experience. If you find that it makes a difference to you, make the investment! It's all about your personal beer drinking experience—not hard and fast rules.