BeerSnobChick

Tasting beer for most is an art, and an acquired ability, much like wine. I do not consider myself a pro, but I do enjoy it enough to want to teach people to enjoy the beer they’re drinking. Often times I’m out with people who will only drink the lightest beer, because they’re intimidated by the dark colors of ambers, porters and stouts – or are scared of trying a hoppy beer because all they know it to be is bitter. Those scary dark beers usually have caramel, chocolate, coffee, maple or spice flavors – that sound pretty good, right? Those hoppy beers tend to have floral , fruity or citrus notes – mmmm, yum, tasty, right?

What are the basic steps to taste beer?

1. Appearance (What do you see?)

• Color
• Head
• Carbonation levels

2. Aroma (what do you smell?)
3. Flavor (what do you taste?)
4. Mouthfeel (how does the beer feel on your tongue?)
5. What is your over all Impression?

Look:
Take pause and marvel at its greatness before you partake in it – it’s a beautiful beer! Raise the beer in front of you, describe its color, its head (foam on top of the beer) and its consistency (still/uncarbonated, petillant/slightly carbonated, sparkling).

Agitate:
Swirl your beer (as you would with wine). This will pull out aromas, stimulate carbonation and test head retention.

Smell:
Breathe through your nose with two quick sniffs. What do you smell at first? Chocolate? Citrus? Floral? Spices?

Taste:
Now sip the beer, but resist swallowing immediately. Note the mouthfeel, the consistency of the liquid’s body, and breathe out during the process of tasting. Try to detect any sweetness, salty flavors, acids and general bitterness. Explain what they are, or what they are similar to.

Also, try tasting the beer after it warms a bit (just a bit – not too much). Really cold beer tends to mask some of the flavors. As a beer warms, its true flavors will come through, become more pronounced.

I reviewed Saison du BUFF by Dogfish Head a bit ago and loved it. I was extremely excited to find the other two releases by Stone and Victory,  and try them side by side.

Saison du Buff is collaboration between Dogfish Head (Milton, DE), Stone Brewing Co. (Escondido, CA) and Victory Brewing Company (Downington, PA). Saison du BUFF was first brewed at Stone in 2010, and then replicated at each of the other two breweries – same recipe, same ingredients, three different breweries. I really do wish I had all three of them side by side, to my surprise you can taste a difference between Stone and Victory.

Saison du BUFF is a 6.8% ABV Saison brewed with parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme. Dogfish Head version has a medium body, crisp finish. The Stone version, all the same body, spices but a pronounced more hoppiness to it. The Victory also had an excellent medium body, and crisp finish, but a bit sweeter finish (but not too sweet) compared to Stone’s version. The spices in these beers are very pronounced, but it’s an excellent combination.

The release dates were as follows, if you can find, due try:

• Dogfish Head – March 2012 release
• Victory Brewing – April 2012 release
• Stone Brewing Co.- Late May 2012 release

Stone Brewing Co.
1999 Citracado Pkwy
Escondido, CA 92029
www.stonebrew.com 

Victory Brewing Company
420 Acorn Lane
Downingtown, PA 19335
victorybeer.com