Tasting A Beer.

[AngelTearsOnMyTongue]

I never seem to tire from the joy of watching the reaction of someone who doesnt brew, as they take their first few sips of a particularly good batch.

Sometimes I take the taste of my brews for granted a little. But when I take those first few mouthfuls of a new brew, the first tasting, I want to know its true personality.

If it were a nice red, I might swish it around my gob a little. Draw in a fine stream of air through my teeth and then gently swallow (bugger spittin it in a bucket). I might get a tangy dull tartness towards the back of my tongue....not too sharp. I may sense a hint of Cranberry or Oak. And then, that delicate aftertaste/smell of the long passed grape,

I have pondered this question as I take my first taste of a virgin brew. Is there a correct way to taste a beer? What am I looking for in it.

I sit here with a beer now. One that I brewed some months ago and have almost made my way through. Its sort of an old friend now. One that will soon go away for ever. "Sniff". How can I reaquaint myself with her best? Should I mimic my actions for a red wine?

I tried that and ended up with a mouthful of foam.

I have searched and tested, and in the end, I feel I know what works for me best.

Take a few good size glugs from the glass,(really big if you are thirsty). Swallow each glug on its owned but with another coming right behind. :chug:

Wipe mouth with sleeve and go Aaaaaah. :lol:

But is there another way I ask? :blink:

 

[peas_and_corn]

Here's what I do when I want to try it-

First I use a cervoise glass (that's the type with the stem). It is the ideal for appreciating the beer the best (also the **** factor is important here).

First I look at its colour, and assess whether it is appropriate for the beer style (stouts should not be straw coloured, for example )

Then I have a look at the head, and see how thick, creamy, size of the bubbles, retention (this is affected by glass cleanliness, though), flowering.

I then give the beer a smell. I note balance of malt/hop aroma. Whether there are any fruit tangs there (biggest problem with JS malt theif- hits you too hard).

I then give it a sip, just a small one. I see how it tastes on the end of my tongue, then swallow. I then get a bigger sip and roll it around the sides of my tongue to see what different flavours I get out of it. I swallow, at that point noting aftertastes and how it feels going down. I then have another taste and assess other atributes such as mouthfeel.


I'm sure the people on this board who have judged beers have a better method than that, but that's what I do.

 

[kook]

I'm pretty similar to peas_and_corn when I'm tasting, but I'll run through it anyway.

I generally only use one of three different glasses for tasting. A duvel glass, pint glass and a big open chalice (Rochefort or Chimay work well). Most beers go in the Duvel glass, but big belgians and imperial stouts etc I'll use an open chalice. Session beers like bitters, lagers, dunkels, weisse etc I'll stick in the pint glass.

The first thing I do is take a good look a the beer. It's colour, opacity, how it changes when held to light etc. I'm not all that concerned with the head or lace myself, though In some styles I do appreciate it more. This is mainly to see whether i find it attractive and something I want to drink.

Next I'll take a smell of it. I'll take in the aroma and see what I pick up, whether it smells like something I'd like to drink. Is there anything unique to it, etc.

I'll then take a sip of it and see what the initial taste is like, how it feels and tastes when it first hits my mouth. What flavours I pick up in the start. I generally take another sip or two after this to pick up the nuances in the finish and get a better idea of the body.

If it's a very subtle beer I find holding it in my mouth a little bit longer helps to bring out the flavours in the finish. I'm not talking about wine-tasting long swish times though

All that said though, most of that goes away if you're tasting in a festival style environment. It's very hard to judge beers effectively there, expecially once you've tried a few.

 

[Bazza]

I glug, swallow and go "num num num"
if you're not careful though, numbness follows...

 

[sah]

Although more from a judging perspective rather than pure appreciation, this study guide http://www.bjcp.org/Interim_Study_Guide.pdf for the Beer Judge Certification Program details a method of evaluating a beer.

A couple of quotes:

4. Smell the beer. As soon as the beer is poured, swirl the cup, bring it to your nose, and inhale the beers aroma several times.

7. Taste the beer. Take about 1 ounce of beer into your mouth, and coat the inside of your mouth with it. Be sure to allow the beer to make contact with your lips, gums, teeth, palate, and the top, bottom, and sides of your tongue. Swallow the beer, and exhale through your nose. Write down your impressions of the initial flavors of the beer (malt, hops, alcohol, sweetness), intermediate flavors (additional hop/malt flavor, fruitiness, diacetyl, sourness), aftertaste (hop bitterness, oxidation, astringency), and conditioning.

I myself enjoy the aroma as much as the taste and I spend a fair bit of time smelling the beer. I have to be careful not get my big nose too close otherwise it becomes a snorkel. That can be embarrassing

Scott

 

[AngelTearsOnMyTongue]

Although more from a judging perspective rather than pure appreciation, this study guide http://www.bjcp.org/Interim_Study_Guide.pdf for the Beer Judge
.....impressions of the initial flavors of the beer (malt, hops, alcohol, sweetness), intermediate flavors (additional hop/malt flavor, fruitiness, diacetyl, sourness), aftertaste (hop bitterness, oxidation, astringency), and conditioning.


Scott

[post="127238"][/post]​

Here here on the aroma. I finished bottling a Pils I made last week (Not an AG or Mini mash. Just some steeping involved) and when Id finished I like to stick my face right into the fermenter and breath in there for a while. This one last week was fantastic! I nearly wet myself in anticipation. I would make a guess that if the fermenter smells great at this point. Its likely the beer will be a cracker.

As for after tastes. I have a little Q.

A couple of Beers I have made (Two "recipes", twice each so 4 batches) have a taste to them that I find a little unpleasant but others seem to relish. Im not sure if I can describe it but I will give it a go.

It is an aftertaste predominantly although I am aware of its presence during the initial and intermediate flavours as well.

I mostly relate it to a sort of "over-ripe" fruit taste. Not rotten, just over-ripe. The first two batches I know that this flavour was not present or strong after about 2 weeks in the bottle, but appears around the 1 month mark. When I let it sit it seemed to come good after another month and in fact became one of the better beers I have brewed.

I attempted the same brews again earlier this year and that flavour is there again but seems to have persisited past the two month mark. Maybee temperature related (i.e going into winter rather than going into summer).

Any ideas or advice?

 

[jayse]

I'll just make a note on aroma as most of what I do has been covered. Although the aroma is one of the first things you make note on I don't make the final notes untill I have started into judging the flavour. You have to take the intial aromas in as well of course because there can be some stronger intial aromas that may fade or at least may not seem as strong later, so make a note on the intial aroma but don't actually put too many notes on paper or anything untill you have judged the flavour then go back to the aroma again. Reason being you want to judge the aroma throughout the whole beer, both before and after you have tasted the beer to get the overall impression and make a accurate judgement.

Apperance is always the first thing to get judging notes written on but I still check the aroma before that and although you give a intial judgement on the aroma the actuall full judging notes on it will ussually wait untill I have filled out the notes on the flavour then go back to the aroma to fill that out.

As far as a formal judging session.
Before setting into it I like to be in a good frame of mind and prefer to have not eaten for a while before and brushed my teeth about a hour and a bit before. I like to have a glass of water but don't drink to much of it just swish a few mouthfulls around and spit it out before going into the room. I also like to have a little glass of clean fresh reasonbly 'neutral' beer to settle in first aswell. Being a smoker i try to go to some extra lengths than some to achieve a fresh pallete and i have found these few things work well. Some people will eat crackers and so forth during sessions but i'd rather not as they to me can possibly give a sense of flour likeness to your mouth which could possibly come across as stale/oxidised in following beers. I'am not totally sure on this but as i said as a smoker I want to be as close to the top of my game as i can so don't chance it.


Anyway thats my ranting over.
Jayse

 

[Stuster]

I have to be careful not get my big nose too close otherwise it becomes a snorkel. That can be embarrassing

[post="127238"][/post]​

A different tasting technique.

Is this you sah?

 

[Steve]

One thing I love is noticing the change in taste the longer its in the glass. Especially with a nice Irish red ale or stout when its first out of the fridge in a cold glass compared to about 5-10 mins after its warmed up a bit. Two very distinct taste sensations. I love em.
Cheers
Steve

 

[sah]

I have to be careful not get my big nose too close otherwise it becomes a snorkel. That can be embarrassing

[post="127238"][/post]​

A different tasting technique.

Is this you sah?

[post="127254"][/post]​

I wish :beer:

Scott

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Basically if it tastes and smells like Victoria's Best, then IT WILL be a dud.