Beer Tasting Checklist

Many of us have become familiar with watching someone swirling their wine glass or paused to watch as a whisky taster has carefully dropped a splash of mineral water into their Scotch, but how many of us have thought to do the same with a beer? Beer like many types of beverage alcohol has a tasting process that reveals the intricacies of the brewmaster’s art. Before starting a beer tasting make sure you have plenty of clean and the beer(s) are being served at the appropriate temperature. Light lagers should be served between 6-8 ºC while other lagers and wheat beers should be served between 8 and 10 º. Most ales should be served between 12 and 14 ºC and Stouts, Porters, Trappiste ales and other strong beers should be served between 14 and 16 ºC.

The Look – A great beer engages all the senses; not least of which is the appearance. The appearance of a beer tells a big story about the beer. The depth of colour and hue speaks to the amount and type of malt used. In addition to the colour of the beer, you should also note the amount of carbonation as well as the richness and consistency of the head.

The Swirl – Swirl the beer in your glass, as this helps to release the beer’s aroma and it also gives indication of the carbonation. If the head dissipates quickly it is suggestive of a beer that has been artificially carbonated while a long lasting head is a showcase of a beer that has gained its carbonation naturally. A good head is an indication of the quality of the beer.

The Nose - After the swirl it is time to nose or smell the beer. Agitate the glass again, and then smell the beer. This gives you an opportunity to indicate the intensity and complexity of the beer’s aromas. In beer, the aromas are generally from the yeast, the type(s) of malt used and the type(s) and amount of hops used and when they were added during the brewing process Lager yeast generally adds little character, but ale yeast often provide fruity esters to a beer. The flavour range from the malt is an extreme range from the biscuit-like character of pale malts to the nutty, caramel and toffee character of caramel malt to the rich chocolate and roasted coffee notes of the darkest malts. Finally, hops add a range of flavours depending on the hop varieties used but common descriptors include citrus, spice and grass.