Beer For Dummies, 3rd Edition
Explore BookA few useful beer descriptors
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Aggressive: Boldly assertive aroma and/or taste
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Balanced: Malt and hops in similar proportions; equal representation of malt sweetness and hop bitterness in the flavor — especially at the finish
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Complex: Multidimensional; many flavors and sensations on the palate
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Crisp: Highly carbonated; effervescent
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Diacetyl: Buttery or butterscotchy aroma or flavor
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Estery: Fruity aromas
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Floral: Full of aromas reminiscent of flowers
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Fruity: Flavors reminiscent of various fruits
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Hoppy: Herbal, earthy, spicy, or citric aromas and flavors of hops
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Malty: Grainy, caramel-like; can be sweet or dry
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Roasty/toasty: Malt (roasted grain) flavors
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Robust: Rich and full-bodied
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Mouthfeel is the tactile sensory experience of the whole inside of the mouth and throat — warmth (alcohol) in the throat, dryness, carbonation, and so on — and includes a sense of body.
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Body describes the sensation of fullness, or viscosity, of a beer on the palate, ranging from watery to creamy; beer is generally described as thin-, light-, medium-, or full-bodied.
Unusual beer styles and great beer brands to try at least once
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Belgian Fruit Lambic: Well-aged ale with surprising, effusive fruit aroma and taste; intoxicating fragrance
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Doppelbock: Strong, dark, and caramel-like Bock Beer with two times the flavor and body of Bock (doppel your pleasure, doppel your fun)
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Imperial Stout: Dark, rich, and creamy Stout with complex grain flavors; a brew to chew
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Rauchbier: Oktoberfest beer made with a portion of beechwood-smoked malt; delicious and unique but takes somewhat of an acquired taste (great with smoked cheese or sausage)
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Witbier: Perfumy Belgian Wheat Beer made with orange rind and coriander seed; like nothing else in the beer world
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Guinness Stout (Ireland): Dark, dry, smooth, and roasty, with a creamy head; the perfect sipping pint
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Pilsner Urquell (Czech Republic): Crisp and hoppy with a touch of malty sweetness; the original, classic Pilsner beer
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Rodenbach Grand Cru (Belgium): Sharply sour but refreshing, with fresh fruity notes; beer masquerading as Burgundy wine
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Samichlaus (Austria): Incredibly malty-rich and spirited; a terrific tipple for the Christmas holidays
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Samuel Adams Utopias (United States): Throat-warming malt complexity with hints of oak, like no beer you’ve ever had; that’s why you sip it like a brandy
Buying the freshest beer
- Don’t buy bottled beer that’s coated in a layer of dust and/or has any flakes, chunks, or floaters in it.
- Always consume beer from growlers before it goes flat — usually in the first 24 to 36 hours.
- Look for freshness dates and buy only beer that isn’t past the freshness date.
- If you have the choice, buy beer that’s refrigerated rather than beer that’s sitting on a shelf.
- Don’t buy beer that is or has been sitting in the sun.
Serving beer properly
- Make sure the beer is at proper serving temperature. Lighter bodied and lighter colored beers can be served cold (40 to 44 degrees Fahrenheit, 4 to 6 degrees Celsius), but darker beers should be served a bit warmer (44 to 48 degrees Fahrenheit, 6 to 9 degrees Celsius). High octane brews can even be served at room temperature.
- Always pour the beer into a (clean) glass. Doing so releases a lot of the CO2, which increases the beer’s aromatics while reducing your carbonation intake (and, thus, your aromatics).
- Though not absolutely essential, using certain beer glasses (such as Pilsner glasses, Weissbier glasses, wine flutes, and brandy snifters) can enhance your sipping experience.
Tasting and evaluating beer wisely
- Purposely pour the beer to create at least two fingers depth of head in the glass. Creating a decent head also creates a fuller aromatic bouquet.
- Experience the beer’s aroma first because aromatics dissipate quickly.
- Look at the beer’s color and clarity. The color and clarity of beer changes from style to style, so don’t expect all beers to look the same.
- When tasting the beer, try to discern the various flavors of the primary ingredients — malt, hops, yeast, and so on. Note fruitiness and warmth (if any). In addition, pay attention to whether the beer is sweet, dry, or acidic, as well as where those flavors are experienced (foretaste, midtaste, aftertaste).
- Determine the body and texture of the beer. The body may be full, medium, or thin; texture may be watery, creamy, chewy, gassy, and so on.
- Reflect on the beer. After tasting the beer and discerning its various flavors, aromas, and textures, decide whether the various parts of the beer work harmoniously to create an enjoyable beverage.
Creating a delicious dining experience with beer
- A very general rule is to think of lagers as the beer equivalent to white wine and ales as the red wine equivalent.
- The best pairings occur when beer is used to either cut, contrast, or complement the dish. For example, a hoppy India Pale Ale cuts through the oiliness of duck or lamb, a malty Märzenbier or Vienna Lager contrasts the heat of a 5-alarm chili, and a rich Imperial Stout nicely complements fudge brownies.
- Drink light-bodied beers before eating; save fuller bodied beers for dessert or for after the meal.
- Lighter bodied and colored lagers pair well with delicate fish; malty, amber-colored beers pair well with chicken; hoppy Pale Ales mate well with pork and lamb; dark Porters and Stouts complement hearty beef dishes — especially when grilled.