Hippo Manchester
August 18, 2005

BEER CELLAR

How to taste your beer

It’s more than just raising the wrist

By Mike Roy 

Spending so much time in the Beer Cellar, I  sometimes lose sight of the simple things, such as the right way to taste beer. I’ve been encouraging you to experience new and exciting beer, yet I failed to tell you how you should go about drinking it.

I know what you’re thinking — how do I get off telling you how to drink? You’re an adult, you know how to drink a beer. But do you really? I mean, it is more than putting the glass to your lips and pouring the beer into your mouth.

First off, you need to get rid of the bottle — it doesn’t allow for a true appreciation of the beer. I know many people think it’s important to be seen with your chosen brand, it’s the image of being cool, but have you ever wondered why wine isn’t consumed straight from the bottle? Why on earth should beer not be treated in the same manner? Remember, a bottle is just packaging, so find yourself a clean glass and start working on a proper pour. There actually is correct way to pour a beer into a glass and it’s fairly simple to learn.

Start by tilting the glass at a 45-degree angle, pouring the beer so that it hits the bottom at a moderate speed. Don’t be afraid to allow some frothy head. A good head can symbolize a lot in a beer, including the cleanliness of the glass, the freshness of the ingredients and quality of the beer. Most important, it agitates the beer allowing more aromas to come out.

Checking out your beer’s appearance is also a very important factor. After all how often do we put things in your body that we haven’t inspected with our eyes? Look to see is the head holds up for a while or if it dissipates quickly. Good head retention is desirable. Also look at the beer’s clarity — is it brilliant, hazy, cloudy? These things can help you determine a lot about a beer without even tasting it.

Next, take a good whiff of your beer by sticking your nose as far into the glass as you can. You can gain a lot of insight from a beer’s aroma. Without aroma you couldn’t perceive citrus notes, toasted/roasted malt, nuts or fruit because your tongue can only detect sweet, bitter, salt and sour. So thank your nose for everything you “taste.”  In fact, a good experiment to perform is to pinch your nose while sipping on a beer and see what exactly you do taste without your olfactory receptors, the part of your nose that tells your brain what you are perceiving.

It’s also important to note that smoking reduces your ability to “taste,” so your palate will be more receptive to beer if you’re not smoking while drinking or if you quit those cancer sticks altogether.

After the aroma, it’s time to taste. Yes, finally. Take a sip, but don’t swallow. Swirl it around your mouth, allowing your entire palate to be covered. Notice its mouth feel (light/medium/heavy bodied) and its texture (sometimes effervescent with carbonation, oily or silky). Now swallow and enjoy slowly. Despite everything you think you may know, take your time and enjoy this, Notice the finish (or lack of it), how the beer lingers on your tongue. Now go forth and repeat until your glass is empty.