Beer is Art. Yup, you heard me, Beer is Art! While this may seem like a stretch for most of the general populace, there are a growing number of craft beer lovers that see a pint of beer as a canvas, and the brewer as an artist painting a image with grains, water, yeast and hops.
And just like an abstract on a museum wall, it sometimes help if you have a guide to give you an idea of what you are looking at or even what you should be looking for. Here is a small and very condensed guide on how to better taste and appreciate beer. I will fully admit that there are entire books written about this subject, (see Mosher, Tasting Beer), which you need to check out, but this is a great starting point nonetheless.
First is first — Glassware! Yes it does (sort of) matter. A standard pint glass, while the most popular way to have a brew, is not the best type of glass for examining a beer. My favorite is a tulip shaped glass that can concentrate the nose of the beer and give you a better idea of what you are getting into. Also, make sure the glass is clean and wet. This will help prevent any excess foam beyond what you would normally want.
Next take a look at your glass. Take some time to observe the color of your beer. What does it resemble? Copper? Straw? Does the head develop and stay or fizzle out? Is your beer crystal clear, hazy as fog or opaque as ink? The color and clarity of a beer can give you a little bit of insight into where the brewer wants to take you.
Now on to the nose or the aroma of your beer. This is one of the most important steps in the tasting/appreciating process. What you smell greatly influences what you taste. A good way to draw out the aroma of a beer is to gently swirl your beer and subtly agitate the carbonation so that you build up a bit of head. Then place your nose close to the lip of the glass and inhale. What is the first thing that comes to mind? Are there smells that overpower one another or are they well-balanced?
Ok, now for the fun part: take in a small amount and swirl it in your mouth, making sure it touches all areas of your tongue. Do the flavors punch, kick or kiss you? Is your beer balanced in flavors or is there something dominating your palate? Some people try hard to describe as many descriptors as they possibly can and while this isn’t a bad thing, it shouldn’t be your first goal. If you only taste hops, that is fine. If you find the subtle hints of lemon grass and white pepper, awesome.
After you have swallowed, take a breath in observe what you taste. Is it a mirror image of what you just drank or does something different stand out? How long does the aftertaste linger or does it linger at all? I have found more surprises in the aftertaste of a beer than in the first few sips, so don’t just pass this step by.
The single greatest thing to remember when conducting a tasting or sampling beer in general is that there is no wrong answer to any of the questions mentioned above. Everyone has individual tastes and just as in art, beauty is in the eye of the be(er)holder. Happy tasting!
Al the Brewer