| Whether you've been invited to a beer tasting party, | | | | beers have several different aromas. What foods, |
| or you'd just like to learn about different beers, basic | | | | herbals, spices, or other scents can you detect in the |
| beer tasting skills will help you out. Before you start | | | | beer? Can you smell the alcohol, and if so, is it heavy |
| with a tasting, there are a few things to keep in | | | | or light? |
| mind. First of all, don't eat just before, or during | | | | When you take your first sip, make sure you take in |
| tasting, or do a tasting in a smoke filled room. | | | | enough to cover the entire tongue. Pay very close |
| Lingering tastes and smells can distort the beer's | | | | attention to the initial sensation. The initial flavor of |
| flavor for you. If you taste a number of beers, start | | | | beer can be quite different from the finish. Try to |
| with the lightest colored beer, and work up the scale | | | | distinguish between the tastes. Also, not how the |
| to the darkest. It's best to cleanse you palate | | | | beer physically feels in your mouth. Is it silky, fizzy, or |
| between beers with water. Finally, make sure you | | | | chewy? Does the beer taste well balanced between |
| serve the beer at the temperature appropriate for | | | | hops and malts? How is the aftertaste? Is it |
| the style of beer. | | | | pleasant? Can you taste the alcohol? If so, is it |
| Never taste a beer directly from the bottle. Always | | | | strong? Does the carbonation feel right? |
| pout it into a glass first. Some beer-tasting | | | | Before you take your next sip, jot down a few |
| connoisseurs believe that you should always use a | | | | notes about what you've tasted. See if you notice |
| brandy snifter for tasting, because it enhances the | | | | something new on your next sips. Also, see if you |
| characteristics of the beer. Others believe you should | | | | confirm what you tasted earlier. Try to get as many |
| use the glassware choice appropriate for the style | | | | notes as possible within the first four sips, because |
| being tasted. Whichever you choose, make sure that | | | | your taste will start to lose acuteness after the |
| your glass has been appropriately cleaned. When you | | | | fourth sip. Unlike wine tasting, you should definitely |
| pour your beer into the glass, start with the glass at | | | | swallow your sips. |
| a 45 degree angle, and bring the glass upright as you | | | | Remember when tasting beers, there is no right and |
| pour. Adjust your pour speed to tray and create a | | | | wrong. Your thoughts on the beer, and your opinions |
| head about two fingers high. | | | | of it, are just as valid as anybody else's. Drinking a |
| Before taking a sip of your beer, take note of its | | | | beer is like viewing a work of art. Different people |
| appearance. Is the head thick, or thin? What color is | | | | will see it differently. So, step outside of your normal |
| it? How long does the head last? What does it look | | | | drinking routine and taste some new beers. There's a |
| like as it dissipates? Is the beer cloudy, or clear? How | | | | lot of gems out there waiting for your to discover |
| heavy does the carbonation look? Next, sniff your | | | | them. |
| beer. Does it smell primarily of hops, or malt? Most | | | | |
