Beer tasting doesn’t have to be serious or complicated. A few simple steps will help you notice aromas and flavours you would otherwise miss – and make it easier to find the styles you like best.
1. Choose the right glass and temperature
Pour the beer into a clean glass rather than drinking it from the bottle or can. A glass that narrows slightly at the top holds the aroma. Don’t serve beer ice-cold: light lagers are best chilled, but darker and stronger beers reveal more flavour when slightly warmer.
2. Look
Hold the glass up to the light. Notice the colour (from straw yellow to almost black), the clarity and the head. A thick, lasting head often points to good malt and a good pour.
3. Smell
Gently swirl the glass to release the aroma, then take a few sniffs. Can you pick up citrus, tropical fruit, pine, caramel, bread, coffee or chocolate? Smell is a key part of flavour, so don’t skip this step.
4. Taste
Take a sip and hold it in your mouth for a moment. Pay attention to:
- flavour – malt sweetness, hop bitterness, acidity;
- body – is the beer light and watery or full and creamy;
- carbonation – lively or gentle;
- finish – how long the flavour lasts and whether it is dry, bitter or sweet.
5. Compare and take notes
You will learn the most by tasting two or three different styles one after another, from lightest to strongest. Write down your impressions – you will quickly see what you like.
Conclusion
Every glass has its own story. Come to Fermentor with friends, order a few different beers and make your own little tasting – we will gladly help you choose.
