 |
 |
|
|
|
July, 2006
The Best Beer for You
Nancy and Don Chandler
Oak Pond Brewery
There are few pleasures more satisfying than that first chug of an ice cold beer after a run through the rapids or a tough trail ride. Beer is meant to be consumed by the mouthful not sipped like wine and that initial slam of cold beer when you are hot and thirsty can be a truly rewarding experience.
After that initial gratification of that first gulped down beer, it may be time for a more introspective review for the malted beverage you are imbibing. This article is not a treatise on how to become a competitive beer judge; its goal is to increase your awareness of the difference between beer and great beer and to introduce an approach that could alter you from "Joe Six Pack" to "one who drinks with the brewing Gods". Don't think that good beer must be expensive, there are lots of beers to select from in any given price range. With some care and thought you can select the beer that tastes best to you and minimize the impact of expensive marketing hype.
To get the true taste of a beer, start with basics. The taste of beer is best determined by drinking from a glass. Consumption from a bottle or can limits the drinker's ability to judge and fully enjoy beer. For example, 1/3 of the ability to taste is related to smell which is severely limited when drinking from a can or bottle. Glassware need not be fancy. Clear glass will allow you to observe the beer. Here is an old question…Should a beer glass be washed with soap? The short answer is No, but unless you use 99.44 % pure Ivory soap most dishwashing is done with detergent, not soap and the impact on beer is minimized. It is best to use unscented dishwashing detergent, rinse well and air dry beer glasses. Lipstick and lip balm can change the taste of beer and may affect the head retention and beer effervescence so it is best to not use them when trying to get the true taste of beer. If your bartender offers you an iced mug, gently remind him that it will only water down the beer. (Chilled bar glasses were introduced to reduce the foaming wasted when pouring draft beer.)
Pour the beer into the glass to create about one inch of head. Pouring a good head allows the beer's aroma and bouquet to be released. Smell the aroma; it should be a pleasing portent of the taste of beer to come. If the beer smell is unpleasant, such as the skunky smell of beer exposed to light, offer the beer to your buddy and try a different brand. Observe the head; the bubbles should be small and tightly packed. A pint glass of well made beer with an inch of head has about one million bubbles; enjoy them.
Note the color of the beer; it may range from pale straw to black depending on the beer style. (Clear malt beverages are not beer and people who drink them should be seated at the table in the far corner of the bar near the rest rooms.) Look to see if the beer is bright and transparent or hazy and cloudy. Clarity or brightness is a factor of beer style and brewing procedure and is noted to show comparison to other beers.
Taste the beer and mentally rank it from lacking taste to an intense flavor. Taste has two basic characteristics: Malt character (sweetness, caramel, roasted, nutty) and Hop character (bitterness, spicy, per fumy, herbal). Taste is divided into three elements, initial taste (when the beer first enters your mouth), mid taste (when the beer fills your mouth) and after taste (after you swallow). Each of the three elements may have its own malt and hop tastes. Ask yourself if you like the flavor, what makes it different from other beers. After you have swallowed, can you still taste the beer? Is it pleasing?
Major US brewers and their marketing staffs have accomplished a marvel of salesmanship by convincing the public that the food (beer) that they sell should have no aftertaste. Marketers use terms like clean, lite, dry, or ice to describe the non aftertaste. Think about it…what other food is successfully marketed as having no taste. Taste is good! If your beer has no taste, you can do better. (Pardon my rant.)
Along with the taste is the sensory experience of the beer in your mouth and throat. This is the body and mouthfeel of beer. Body is the sensation of viscosity on the palate, ranging from watery on the light side to creamy and full bodied on the more viscous side. Mouthfeel is the tactile feel in your mouth and throat, ranging from wimpy, to chewy and voluptuous.
Lastly, put everything together as a complete experience. Ask yourself, is this beer closer to water or is it the best beer you ever tasted. Experiment and try new brands and beer styles. Find the beer that is right for you.
Email nick [at] noumbrella [dot] com with your questions, comments and concerns.
Design and Content © 2002 to 2006 No Umbrella