Sensations of beer and characteristics

Question 1

What are the sensations?

Answer 1

Aroma- many different scents coming out of the liquid
Taste- Flavors on your tongue: Sweet, bitter, salty, umami (savoriness)
Flavor- Encompasses Aroma and taste
Mouthfeel- Various textures, fullness, creaminess, astringency (tactile taste (dry, rough) feeling in the mouth.

Question 2

What are the characteristics of beer?

Answer 2

Balance- interplay between malt sweetness, hop bitterness, roastiness, and other flavors.
Carbonation- Fiziness from carbon dioxide gas that is given off during yeast fermentation
Color- From pale straw to inky black, beer colors come in various shades of kilned or roasted malt.
Clarity- Some are best presented clear, but other types are purposely hazy or cloudy
Head- Tiny bubbles filled with carbon dioxide held together by malt proteins

Question 3

Beer by the numbers

Answer 3

Various characteristics of beer can be summarized numerically. As they are sometimes used on labels and other sources of information.

Question 4

Alcohol

Answer 4

Measured in percent by volume. Alcohol varies from 2- more than 25 percent. Majority of craft beers are in the 4-6 percent range.

Question 5

Gravity

Answer 5

The amount of dissolved malt sugars and other solids in the liquid before its fermented into beer.
Two Systems: Degrees Plato indicated a percentage (most beers are between 10-16 degrees P)
Original gravity- English system that is a ratio compared to pure water. Most beers are 1.040 and 1.065 OG).
Final gravity- measurement after fermentation indicating residual sugar still present in the finished product.

Question 6

Bitterness

Answer 6

Expressed in International Bittering Units. Beer ranges from 6 to over 100 IBU with most beers in the 15-50 range.
Most of the times Hops provide bitterness.

Question 7

Color

Answer 7

In US measurements are expressed on a scale of SRM (Standard reference method). For most enthusiast purposes verbal descriptions are sufficient.

Question 8

SRM (Standard Reference Method for color)

From light to dark

Answer 8

Pale straw
Straw
Gold
Pale Amber
Amber
Brown
Dark Brown
Black

Question 9

Perfect poured beer

Answer 9

Beautifully presented in a clean glass at the proper temp poured with a perfect creamy head of foam and with some head space to allow the aromas to collect.

Question 10

How to do a beer tasting

Answer 10

Check aroma- several short sniffs better than one long. Try to describe the specifics.
Look especially for malt at hops- are they bready, nutty, or caramel notes? Or more cocoa or espresso.
Are there floral, herbal or spicy notes from the yeast?

Check the appearance- Note the color and clarity. Is the head light and creamy? Long lasting or vanishing quickly?

Lastly- Take a sip. Note the sweetness and level of carbonation. Pay attention as the bitterness builds. How is the mouth feel (full, dry, heavy, oily)? This about the balance. As flavor fades focus on the after taste. Is it clean,, dry bitter? Think of the taste as a movie and not a snapshot.

Question 11

4 main ingredients in beer

Answer 11

Grain, water, hops, Malt (barley)