Beer Aptitude Scale...

Congrats on enjoying a hobby that can take more of your time, money, living space than you would ever imagine...

My biggest advice is to get involved with local BeerAdvocates / RateBeerians or other interested beer folks. Being involved in a tasting group of friends whom I've all met through the online beer community has been by far the most rewarding aspect of the hobby.

And homebrewing provides the most solid base for your future appreciation of beer. Grounds you in the fundamentals and instills an appreciation for well done classic styles that often get overlooked in the modern craft beer environment. I started brewing in college with a roomate in a tiny place with an electric stove using my closet as my fermentation area. If you really want to give it a go it can be done.

Cheers!

 

You'll be getting your "Amateur - Moderate Level III" card in the mail soon.

 

For homebrewing, one should start here: http://www.howtobrew.com/

Don't let an apartment hold you back, I brewed all grain batches every other week for a few years in my apartment - of course I went through two a/c units, ruined a stove, and had to scrub the dripping malt off the walls before I left, but it was all worth it.

And # of samples does not necessarily equate with beer knowledge. I kow plenty of people that have had many more ticks that I could in a lifetime and still don't know shit about the technical aspects of beer - they use the buzzwords, ingredient names, know all the brewers names (even pretend to be bestest friends with some), know all the whalez/rarez etc., but when they open their mouth about brewing, its painfully obvious that they only have a cursory knowledge level. Homebrewing is no guarantee either, but if you stick with it, do a lot of research, understand ingredients beyond their name, know what makes styles tick, understand common faults, etc., it gives a better appreciation and understanding of what it takes to make beer and becomes a basis of connoisseurship (which is a much different concept than the popular "what else you got" mentaility).

 

If you feel you need to measure your aptitude (which I can relate to), start with a Certified Beer Server from cicerone.org If you can pass that you are a well studied amateur and can start studying for the Certified Cicerone. If you can pass that, then your pretty accomplished, an expert by ordinary standards, but will still be far away from a great many folks who are just way ahead of you in experience and knowledge. The truly enlightened expert realizes that he has only scratched the surface, can never learn everything and can continue to gain knowledge from those above him as well as those below.

As far as getting real experience, time and tics cannot be substituted.

 

I'm pretty much in the same boat. My problem is my palette really does not discern the individual ingredients in beer so it's hard for me to rate things. To that end I try to come on here and read reviews and get an idea of what other people are saying and comparing that to what I like and think. Problem is I think a lot of these reviewers are full of crap. I don't think I'll ever detect bubble gum notes in wheat beer for example.

Now that I've had over half of the 100 Beers of Fame listed here I have a pretty good idea of what I like and don't like and what I want to try.

 

Dear Lord, no. Some kind of aptitude scale or ranking system is the last thing we need. The idiotic Cicerone program is bad enough.

Just enjoy your beer, taking pride in the fact that you are expanding your knowledge in a hobby that you love.

 

Agreed. A pissing contest of beer knowledge is the last thing we need. Just enjoy your new hobby, learn as you go, and take it for what it's worth. We enjoy everything "beer". Keep on truckin!

 

I have the same issue and I think it's related to the fact that I can't smell very well. I still get great enjoyment out of beer, but not the multitude of flavors some on here do.

 

If there is, it should remain unwritten. Enjoy your beer, keep on learning and expanding. But mostly, enjoy your beer. Your knowledge and experience will speak for itself. Cheers!

 

My recommendation for helping develop your palette is to taste a beer along side someone with a developed palette and see if you pick up what they are picking up. There are a couple fellers on the youtubes that describe the nose and taste of beer with some good detail and explanations. For example, I grabbed a Founders Breakfast and watched Chris Steltz's review of it while having some tastes. Great help picking up some of the less obvious notes.

 

I just happen to have some FBS. Thanks!

 

When you get to the level of Homebrew42 & JessKidden turn around and start over. You've reached the end.

Cheers!

 

I judge peoples experience level by how many whales they've ticked.

 

As long as someone who doesn't know more than me about beer decides to piss on my leg and tell me it's raining, I'm ok. It's the misinformed know-it-alls that get me p.o.'ed

 

Read this infographic: http://beerandwhiskeybros.com/2010/12/06/evolution-of-the-beer-geek/

Then sit back and reallize you don't need a title or scale and just be happy that you have expanded your knowledge. Encourage those that seek your knowledge without pushing your views of beer on people that don't want to hear it.

 

Favorite Beer: The nastiest sour he can pretend to love.

Nice.

 

It has been said "there are no beer experts, just beer drinkers with opinions." (not my words, or how I really feel about it)