Tasting Technique

How to pour a beer

Use a clean glass. A dirty glass, containing oils, detergents, dirt or residual liquid from a previous beer, wont give your beer a good stage to work from.

Hold your glass at a 45 degree angle. Pour the beer, targeting the middle of the slope of the glass. There's no rule about the distance between the bottle and glass, that's personal preference.

At the half-way point bring the glass to a 90 degree angle and continue to pour in the middle of the glass.

This will create a perfect foam head - this is a very good thing. It releases the beers aroma and adds to the overall beer sensation.

How to taste a beer

Beer tasting is a personal preference, however if you follow the brew.com.au step by step guide, we guarantee a better beer tasting experience.

Glass and Temperature
You should always taste beer in a glass - any glass will do, as long as it's clean! Also, be wary that the beer isn't too cold - very cold beer will reduce its flavours and aroma.

Look for colour
You should raise the beer glass in front of you, with a white or neutral background behind it. Look at the colour, and try describing it; is it dark, is it light, golden, watery?

Now swirl!
Gently swirl your beer around the glass. This will help release the aroma, show up any slight nuances and test the head retention.

Smell
Similar to wine tasting, a slow inhalation just above your beer will help you discover the aroma. Try describing it - does it smell bitter, no aroma, overpowering smell or...

Taste
Now sip the beer without swallowing. Let the beer wash around your mouth. Note the 'mouth feel', the consistency of the liquid's body, and overall sensation. Try to detect any sweetness, salty flavours, acids and general bitterness.

Swallow
Now that you've swallowed, what tastes remain? Is the finish short and sharp, or does it linger for a while? Try your best to explain these sensations.