The 5 Step Process to Tasting Beer Like a Professional - Dead Presidents (2024)

The 5 Step Process to Tasting Beer Like a Professional - Dead Presidents (1)Have you ever wondered what the craft beer trend is all about? In a market worth $19.6 billion dollars, there seem to be so many good craft beers that it is hard to differentiate between them all. What is an IPA? A stout? A pale ale?

We’ve all been there, hopping around to different bars on a Friday night trying to find the best local watering holes available. Many people, when they want an adult beverage, choose beer to drink, as in 2014 41% of U.S. drinkers reported drinking beer compared to the 31% who drink wine and the 23% who choose liquor. Ever want to learn how to taste beer like a professional? Follow these five steps and soon you’ll be able to frequent those craft beer bars more often!

1.A quick sniff and a quick look
It is important to pour a beer into the proper glass so its aromas can be released. Once it is poured, quickly move the glass under your nose and inhale. Think of it as a ‘drive by’ sniff, so you can get a sense of the beer’s flavor profile.

During this drive by, you should look at the beer’s clarity and color. The colors will tell you a lot about the taste of the beer. Light or pale ales are grainy, amber ones taste toasty, brown has roasted nut and chocolate flavors, and black-colored quaffs offer burnt toast and coffee flavors.

2. Swirl it
Hold your hand over your glass and give the beer a light swirl. This will release the true aromas, allowing you to get a deeper scent. Afterwards, go ahead and inhale.

3. Take a sip with the front part of your tongue, and hold the beer in your mouth for a few seconds
This will give you a full bodied taste of all the different aspects of the beer. Use this time to identify the more subtle notes, and you may taste cloves, fruit, caramel, coffee, or oak.

4. Take a large sip directly to the back of your throat
This will give you an impression of how the beer tastes when you drink it regularly. You should be able to identify the broad flavors, whether the beer is acidic, salty, sweet, or bitter. Be prepared, the beer will be cold. Typically, all U.S. beer refrigeration equipment in bars are designed to store beer between 34 and 38 degrees Fahrenheit.

5. Enjoy your beer
Now that the hard work is done, go ahead and enjoy that beautiful beer in front of you!

The 5 Step Process to Tasting Beer Like a Professional - Dead Presidents (2024)

FAQs

The 5 Step Process to Tasting Beer Like a Professional - Dead Presidents? ›

Beers are often tasted in an order from lightest to heaviest, driest to sweetest and cheapest to most expensive. This forms a basic structure of the tasting, but it is more important to organise the tasting according to how the human tastebuds work.

How to taste beer steps? ›

How to Taste (and Drink) Beer Like a Pro
  1. Pour. Whether you're drinking canned, bottled, or draft beer, it's imperative that you pour it into a glass. ...
  2. Look. Once you've poured your beer, give it a good look. ...
  3. Swirl. Gently give the glass a swirl. ...
  4. Smell. ...
  5. Drink. ...
  6. Taste. ...
  7. Reflect.
Oct 10, 2014

How do you prepare for a beer tasting? ›

Here are ten essentials you should know before going for a beer tasting.
  1. Know The Types. There are two major styles of beer – Ales and Lagers. ...
  2. Know the Styles. ...
  3. Cleanse Palate. ...
  4. Always Drink From A Glass. ...
  5. Pour It Right. ...
  6. Watch The Temperature. ...
  7. Don't Chug It All. ...
  8. Chew To Drink.
Aug 20, 2020

How does a beer tasting work? ›

Beers are often tasted in an order from lightest to heaviest, driest to sweetest and cheapest to most expensive. This forms a basic structure of the tasting, but it is more important to organise the tasting according to how the human tastebuds work.

What are the five steps in the official beer tasting process? ›

The 5 Step Process to Tasting Beer Like a Professional
  • A quick sniff and a quick look. ...
  • Swirl it. ...
  • Take a sip with the front part of your tongue, and hold the beer in your mouth for a few seconds. ...
  • Take a large sip directly to the back of your throat. ...
  • Enjoy your beer.

How do you clean your palate for beer tasting? ›

Even with a light-to-dark line-up, though, you should cleanse the palate in between beers with some crackers or at least a sip of water. Sparkling water cleanses the palate even better than still water. It may not be as refreshing to drink, but those bubbles sure do rejuvenate that palate.

Can you learn to like the taste of beer? ›

If you've tried beer in the past and didn't enjoy it, that doesn't necessarily mean you're not a beer person. You may just need to acquire a taste for it. Fortunately, you can learn to enjoy the taste of beer while having fun trying different kinds along the way!

How do you judge beer tasting? ›

Appearance addresses color, clarity and foam stand. Flavor is similar to aroma, but also includes bitterness, balance, sweetness and finish/aftertaste. Mouthfeel involves body, carbonation, alcohol heat and other palate sensations. Guidelines present a range of intensities and descriptors for each.

Can you train your taste buds to like beer? ›

Understanding Hops. It might sound like overkill at first, but if you really want to refine your beer tasting palate, you have to train your tongue and taste buds. Of course, the good news is that this means you have a great excuse to drink more beer.

How do people develop a taste for beer? ›

Just with any other foods and drinks, the more you consume them the more accustomed you become to their tastes. Well, it takes time. Kinda like coffee. Once you begin to drink more beer, and more different kinds of beer, you will acquire a taste for it.

How do you adapt to the taste of beer? ›

Experiment with Different Beer Styles

Experimenting with different beer styles can help you appreciate the differences in flavor and aroma between different beers. Try a variety of different beer styles, from light and refreshing lagers to rich and complex stouts.

How do you professionally taste beer? ›

Aroma
  1. Begin swirling your glass. ...
  2. Slowly bring the beer up to your nose, and begin wafting it back and forth under your nose while simultaneously taking short sniffs. ...
  3. Stick your nose into the glass and conduct a one-second sniff. ...
  4. Take a sip of the beer and swish it around in your mouth to warm it up.
Apr 4, 2023

What order for beer tasting? ›

Drinking the beers in the beer flight from lightest to darkest in color is generally the best way to get the most out of each beer. Doing it this way ensures you don't overwhelm your taste buds with a dark, heavy stout before you try something light and crisp, like a pilsner or Helles.

What is a tasting of beer called? ›

A beer flight or beer stick is a method of serving a variety of beers, in relatively small quantities, for tasting.

How do I get accustomed to the taste of beer? ›

Become a beer drinking expert with these 8 tips to optimize the flavor and overall beer experience!
  1. Pick the Right Beer for YOU. ...
  2. Choose the Right Glass. ...
  3. Pair Your Beer with Good Food. ...
  4. Skip the Frosted Glass. ...
  5. Perfect the Pour. ...
  6. Dive into the Initial Smell and Taste. ...
  7. Don't Drink Beer Ice Cold. ...
  8. Don't Leave Beer in the Sun.
Jul 14, 2022

What is the correct order of steps in brewing beer? ›

  • MASHING - cracked barley mixed with hot water.
  • BOILING - wort is boiled; hops added.
  • FERMENTING - wort is cooled first; yeast added.
  • CONDITIONING - beer is matured, made ready.

How do you write beer tasting notes? ›

Beer is described by its style (IPA, stout, lager, etc.), flavor profile (bitter, sweet, sour, etc.), aroma (citrusy, floral, earthy, etc.), appearance (color, clarity, foam), and mouthfeel (light, medium, full-bodied). These elements combine to give each beer its unique character.

How do you stand the taste of beer? ›

Switch to a different strength.

If you find one beer to be overpowering, transition to a lighter style. These tend to be less fermented, which means they won't be quite as bitter. On the flipside, people who are dissatisfied with weak, watery beers can try brews with more intense flavors, like porters and stouts.

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