Tasting

Beer making is an art form and can be mastered and manipulated by each brewer to create their unique brew. Water chemistry can be adjusted to create more flavor. Water used for brewing should be free of contaminants, pesticides, heavy metals, iron, sulfur, and other particles that can be toxic to yeast and contribute to haze and or add unpleasant flavors. Barley is the perfect brewing grain but rice, corn, wheat, and oats can be used for cost-cutting, texture, or tradition. Adding hops to the wort will also increase the flavor and bitterness. The craft beer movement has introduced many new styles to the everyday beer drinker and will continue to evolve as this journey has only just begun.

How to taste a beer:

Aroma – Stick your nose into your glass preferably a tulip-shaped stein. Inhale several times, swirl several times to agitate the aromatics, and breathe in. 

Appearance – A beer can be crystal clear or hazy. Haze is due to refrigeration, or wheat added to the ingredients. Hold your beer up to the light with a slight tilt, check out the color and the head. Does the head dissipate quickly, leave a lacey finish on the side of the glass?

Color – Colors range from pale straw, pale gold, deep gold, amber, brown to black depending on the beer of your choice.

Flavor – As you taste a beer you want to look for malt, hops, and other components combined during the brewing process. Hops will add bitter components as malt will add structure and smoothness to a beer. Are the flavors balanced and integrated? 

Body – The body can feel light or heavy in your mouth. Carbonation levels can vary with bubble sizes ranging from small to large or a mixture of both adding the burning sensation from the alcohol.