Beer festival season is in full-swing, and it’s a prime chance to get to taste new beers that usually don’t travel far from the brewery. Gearing up for tasting is also a great time to drink some beer exercise the palate by doing some beer-specific, palate-developing taste tests. I think even the most experienced drinker could benefit from some sensory focus time!
Beer Flavor Wheel from American Brewmaster
Building a Better Palate
According to Randy Mosher, in his excellent book Tasting Beer, our sensory perceptions differ. But we can train ourselves to be better tasters—and then even more appreciative of beer’s nuances. He reminds us that everyday exercises can help us enhance our sensory awareness. Walking outside or driving with the windows open offers the chance to pay attention to the changing smells, which builds a library of comparisons.
A similar exercise, from Food and Wine, focuses on the characteristics of hops and malts. Developed to help beginning beer drinkers discovers beers they might like, the exercise is also a great way to explore the differences in similar flavors. One test, for example, examines the characteristics of malt by asking the taster to work their way through several foods, from malt ball candies to pecans to dried cherries. In another, sniff-testing fresh grass, pine needles and grapefruit offers an exploration of hops aromas.
Similar Pair Tasting
A favorite exercise to detect nuances in beer is to drink two similar beers at the same time, tasting a bit from each of them. Tasting two beers in the same style (IPA, stout, pale …) in close order makes it easier to detect the subtleties between them. If the hop styles are different (such as piney vs. grassy), tune into what makes them different.
Also, check the beers’ websites, and try to choose beers that have a description of the style and flavor profile provided by the brewery (or a trusted source). A well-crafted flavor profile from a pro is an excellent source of information, since it provides the words and guidance for what the drinker should experience.
Craft Beers waiting to be judged. (photo Courtesy of Jay Brooks)
Triangle Tasting
Another tasting exercise, called the triangle, involves tasting three beers in close order, much like the two-beer exercise above. However, in this test two of the beers are the same, and one is different. The goal is to pick out the different beer and, if possible, describe what makes it different than the others.
Beer Vocabulary
One of the trickiest things about expressing flavor nuances is a lack of vocabulary, so noticing and putting words to specific smells can really help. I once tasted a beer that had not been lagered long enough, and had a sulfur smell. But the word that came to mind was “hot springs.” Close enough!
Draft Magazine is a great source for all things beer, and they compiled this handy list of beer terminology, for flavors both good and less-good. Knowing the word for the flavors you don’t like is just as important as being able to describe what you do like—particularly for brewers, because the off-flavors in a brew are indicative of specific issues, such as poor sanitation, incorrect temperature, and bad brewing procedures.
Get Tasting!
Where will your beer tasting adventures take you this summer? Let us know in the comments below!
