Yes, the rustic beverage Ð beer, sometimes referred to as the oldest alcoholic drink ever, can give itself to the fine art of ÒtastingÓ as well. So if you plan on encountering a flight of beers on your next outing (donÕt worry, weÕll define that one later), or just want to be more knowledgeable about different types of brews in general, read on. You will find that beer tasting is a lot simpler than the etiquette ridden art of wine tasting.
SEE ALSO: Top 4 Seasonal Local Beers You Have To Try Before They’re Gone
A Brief History of Beer
Beer really does have a very interesting history and if you are an avid drinker, then now might be a good time to hit the library (or the Google, letÕs be real). You can also refer to this website which has some pretty cool facts about where this international sensation comes from.
However, if you are strapped for time then you can refer to our simple definition: beer is what you get after you have fermented extracts from cereals such as barley. The fermented product is then usually flavored with hops, although a variety of different fruits and spices are also used to give it different flavors.
Why Beers Have Different Tastes
Malting refers to the process by which the cereal is soaked in water so that it can start to ferment. The way cereals are malted affects the overall taste and aroma of the beer.
The kind of hops that are used will also affect the flavor of the beer. Different hops can impart their flavor to a beer; these flavors can range from herbal to spicy, floral, citrus or even minty.
Some brewers might opt for other ingredients such as fruits, cherries, peaches or apricots, spices such as cinnamon, chili, or ginger or even coffee, chocolate, heather and thistle to give their offering a distinct, signature flavor.
Remember this as you will need to report the flavors that you detect while you are tasting a flight of beer. A flight of beer usually consists of 4-5 smaller glasses of different beers that are designed for you to drink in progression from light to dark
Types Of Beers
Despite the endless display if beers that you might have encountered at the grocery store, there are really 2 primarily types of beer.The difference distinction depends upon how the beer has fermented. All the rest are versions of these. Again, knowing this will greatly help you when you are busy tasting and showing off your beer knowledge.
Ales: AKA Porters, Stouts, IPAs, etc. These beers tend to have a fruitier flavor to them. Anything that tastes like orange, strawberry, dessert apple or butterscotch will be one of these. Butterscotch is most evident in beers from Northern England and Scotland. Ales, because they do not rely on cool temperatures for brewing, are more popular over lagers for Wilmington homebrewers.
Lagers: This type of beer encompasses many widely consumed brands such as Corona and Heineken. Lagers are defined by their brewing process: brewed at cool temperatures using Òbottom-fermentingÓ yeasts over longer periods of time, in contrast to Ales which are brewed at warmer temperatures using Òtop-fermentingÓ yeasts. Lager beers have a crisp flavor, and can have the aroma of newly mown hay. Clean lagers will only impart a taste of malted grains and hops, however donÕt be surprised if you find other flavors such as cookies, caramel or bread in a brew either.
Once youÕve got your beer knowledge down, tasting can be boiled down to 4 simple steps.
Step 1: Observe
Look at the color and the head of your beer. Is it more black or amber? What is the consistency like? These are all good things to take note of before moving on to step 2.
Step 2: Agitate
Similar to wine tasting, you will want so swirl your beer around in the glass to stir up the aroma and test the head retention.
Step 3: Smell
Taste is very closely related to smell. DonÕt sell the experience short by skipping this step.
Step 4: Taste
Start with a sip and hold off on swallowing for a few moments. Try and put to words all the flavors you are detecting. DonÕt view tasting as the entire event, but instead as the crescendo of the whole experience.
This covers most of the basics that you need to be aware of when you are tasting beers. Want to try some? Come to the Sierra Nevada beer tasting in Wilmington at the Co-op on February 27th from 5:30 to 7:30! Or maybe beer is not your flavor, so also check out the Wine and Chocolate Tasting happening on February 13 – click here to RSVP!