From Hiss to Aaahhhh!

I have been asked on more than a few occasions how to get the best taste out of a given beer. There are a number of factors that influence the beer drinking experience, including how the beer has been stored, your choice in glassware, temperature of the beer, and your individual palate. Anyone can drink a beer, but to be able to really taste it and distinguish it from others, takes practice and skill.

Storing beer

Beer, like wine can be stored in a cellar. Typically storing beer for periods of time is reserved for the stronger beers or vintage beer. Some people say store it laying down, others say keep it upright. From my research and experience I would recommend the upright method. For homebrew, bottle conditioned beer, and ale on lees you will have sediment, mostly made up of yeast that settles on the bottom. For some brews you want this to be poured with the beer, in others you do not. It is easier to pour and still keep the sediment in the bottle if the sediment is on the bottom rather than all along the side of the bottle. Also, since beer is a liquid, and as liquid evaporates it creates humidity, the need for laying corked beer down to keep the cork moist becomes overkill. Plus, over time, the beer can absorb some of the cork flavors - not a good thing. Different cork materials have different shelf lives. It is recommended that you do a little research on what type of cork you have and how long it is expected to maintain its' durability.

It is important to keep the cellar dark and cool and the temperature constant. Heat and light are not friends of beer. You may have had the experience of tasting beer that has the odor and taste of skunk. This is the havoc light and heat can bring about (actually this malady does have a name - it is called "light struck.") This photochemical reaction between hop compounds and sulfur compounds is what creates the skunk smell.

What temperature should the cellar be kept at? Typically, the cellar should be between 50-55 degrees Fahrenheit. It just so happens that's approximately the correct temperature for it to be consumed. As the alcohol percentage rises so does the serving temperature. As the alcohol percentage decreases, again, so does it's temperature decrease. Beers like Belgians and other strong ales are best enjoyed at 50-55° F. Dark ales are pretty happy around 55-60° F. Light ales and amber or dark lagers should be served at 50-55° F. Wheat beer and the lighter lagers are best between 45-50° F. As beers get colder they may develop what is called chill haze - a slight cloudiness due to the proteins and flavanoid polyphenols precipitating out. This goes away as the beer warms, but serving a cloudy beer that is not supposed to be cloudy - what a faux pas. If a beer is cooled and heated repeatedly, the chill haze will be permanent.

Glassware

Again, like wine, beer can be enhanced or degraded by the type of glassware used. The shape of the vessel allows the carbonation to escape and the nose of the beer to enjoyed fully. Of course, you can drink a beer out of any glass, but it wouldn't have the same aesthetics, plus if you know the right glass for the different beers it is quite impressive.

Clean glasses are a big factor in the beer world. "Beer Clean" is a term that is used to make sure glasses are not only clean, but beer clean - meaning it won't change the taste or head of the beer. Soap is a no-no when cleaning beer glasses. It leaves a film on the glass that you cannot see, but you may taste and you can observe the results in the lack of head you would otherwise get. There are commercial products for cleaning glasses to get them beer clean or you can use baking soda. Air-dry the glasses. If you see water spots after it is dry, clean them again. Do not freeze the glasses. This adds water to your brew and the cold glass can change the temperature of your brew.

Chalice
These are typically for Belgian abbey and trappist style beer. They can have a look of royalty about them. They can be more "V" shaped with either straight or an inward curving top, sometimes rimmed with a precious metal. The stem is thick and the length is usually rather short.

Flute
Typically seen with champagne. Beer flutes have shorter stems than champagne flutes. The mouth has a smaller diameter than the mid section to hold in carbonation.

Goblet
Goblets can resemble a fishbowl. Typically they have a round bowl and come in various sizes. They are somewhat like a brandy or cognac snifter. Use these for high alcohol sipping beers.

Kolsch
Looks like a cylinder. The kolsch glass has straight sides and is tall. Holds 12 oz.

Mug, krug, seidel
The only beer glass with a handle. Typically very heavy and sturdy. They can have different textures and come in different sizes.

Pilsner glass
These also are tall, somewhat thin walled, sloped glasses with a solid base. Their capacity is usually 12 oz.

Pokal
A pokal is a European pilsner glass with a stem. Can look similar to a tulip without the flare at the top or similar to a chalice with a smaller less angular bowl. Holds 12 oz.

Pub glass or Pint glass
Probably the most common beer glass. Straight, thick sides at a slight angle making the mouth of the glass larger than the base, typically holds 16 oz. You may also come across an Imperial Pint glass. These hold 20 oz. have somewhat thinner sides and a bulge about 3/4 of the way up the glass. These also come in 10 oz. half pint sizes.

Stick or stange
This is a taller, thinner version of the pilsner glass. Holds 12 oz.

Tulip glass
The tulip glass looks somewhat like a tulip - go figure. It can have a stemmed base and roundish bowl, which thins out about 1/2 way up the glass then flares out slightly. It can also be similar in style to a pint glass, but has the tulip flare. Holds 16 oz.

Wheat beer glass
These are tall, somewhat thin walled, sloped glasses with a solid base. They are typically 1/2 liter in capacity. They resemble a pilsner glass, only taller.

Willibecher or becher
Similar to a pub glass, but thinner walls and they stop angling out about 2/3 of the way up the glass and become straight at this point.

Yard
As the name suggests - it is about 3 feet long. They are awkward and can be quite fragile. They hold almost 3 pints. They also come in half yards.

Pouring

Oh come on, you are going to teach me how to pour a beer? It's just pop the top and pour into mouth right? Well, yes you can do it that way, but if you want to really savor and enjoy the beer and all it has to offer then try the following:

1. Get a "beer clean" glass of your choice. See the glass guide for the proper glass if you are new to this.
2. Open the bottle.
3. Tilt the glass about 45 degrees and pour the beer in the glass first making contact along the side starting about 1/2 way from the bottom.
4. As the bottle gets half way empty, turn the glass upright and continue pouring into the center of the glass.
5. You can increase the amount of head by putting more distance between the glass and the bottle or decrease it by pouring more beer in the glass before you tilt it back up.
There is a swirling technique that can be used for wheat beers or other beers where having the sediment in the glass is desired. To do this pour 2/3 or so into the glass. Then with the remaining 1/3 in the bottle, hold the bottle upright and gently swirl the bottle in small circles for a few seconds. Pour the remaining beer into the glass. This can also be done to increase the head volume.

Note: If the beer is too cold the head will not form properly. If it is too warm you will get too much foam and the beer will go flat quickly.

Tasting and evaluating

Tasting beer is not only done with your tongue. A proper tasting or evaluation involves sight, taste, sound, smell and touch.

In order to properly taste beer, first of all you need a suitable environment. A loud, smoky bar is not the place for this. You should be in a quiet, relaxed, odor free atmosphere with good light. You should have white walls, tablecloth, or placemat available to properly judge color. You should also have your tasting journal, writing utensil, "beer clean" glasses and bottle opening devices. If you are doing a session with multiple beers, you should also have a palate cleanser such as water and bread or salt-less crackers.

It is a good idea to get a notebook or a journal of some type and keep notes on the beers you taste. This can be a good way to compare beer or evaluate how your palate is improving or deteriorating. For home brewers it is good way to check your brewing progress, see how well your beer ages, and get ideas for future recipes.

Now that you have everything set up, have a seat and get ready.

Open the beer and pour it into the glass. Observe the head, the consistency, the color, the clarity, the aroma. Hold the beer up to the white background (not direct light) and observe. Make your notes in the journal.

Swirl the beer in the glass. Smell the beer several times. If the beer is too cold you may need to warm it by holding the glass in your hands for a bit. You may also cover the mouth of the glass with your hand for a few seconds then as you remove your hand, smell the beer. Make notes about what you smelled. Pay attention to the hops, malt, fruit, yeast, off aromas and so on.

Finally, taste the beer. Take a sip (an ounce or so) and allow the beer to come in contact with all parts of your mouth. Gently swish it around or "chew" it to help distribute it better. Now, swallow the beer and exhale through your nose. Make notes as to what you have tasted. Pay attention to mouthfeel, initial taste, mid taste, aftertaste, body, and flavors.

You can repeat the smelling and tasting parts to catch anything you may have missed. As the beer warms up you can make further notes, as the flavor and aroma may change slightly.

It is a good idea to know your palate. If you have been ill, burnt you mouth on spicy or super hot food, smoke, have palate fatigue from tasting other items, are exposed to chemicals or otherwise have impaired your sense of smell or taste, keep this in mind when evaluating. It is best to wait until your palate has recovered before doing any serious tasting. It takes about 10 days or so to recover from a burnt palate.

To really get into it, there is a chart or tasting wheel put together by Morten Meilgaard in the 1970's. The beer flavor wheel has 14 categories broken down into 44 flavors. Beer has been found to have over 1000 identifiable flavors.  An experienced taster can pick out maybe 100. I recommend doing some research in taste science or flavor chemistry to learn how the different flavors are perceived. There are a number of good publications available to help get you going down the right path. If you feel like you have mastered this, then maybe you should check into taking the BJCP Exam to become a certified judge.

I hope I have provided you with at least a decent base to get started on the road to really appreciating beer and also impressing your friends with your brewducation.

By: Chris Love