Beer Tasting - Need some input

I think your chosen order is solid, it's how I would place them myself, but there is no wrong order as long as everyone is enjoying themselves and you aren't speeding though beers at break neck speed.

A VERY general rule of thumb would be using SRM and moving from low to high, but there are a LOT of exceptions to that rule, especially when wilds/sours are involved. IBU is a fairly worthless metric IMO, simply because it doesn't take any other factors into consideration. An imperial stout, for instance, can easily reach 70, 80, or even 90 IBU, but those hops provide a balance to the malt to prevent cloying sweetness.

 

If you're not concerned about pairing with food so much I would group it this way:

Rhingeist
Lagunitas

Break

Nut Brown Ale
Ed Fitz
Founders Breakfast Stout

Break

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
Nugget Nectar
Fat Heads IPA

I sort of see this grouping which you are welcome to start one over the other first, maybe you would like to leave roast last (the second group) as opposed to the middle.

Just take your time in between beers, dry neutral cracker a few minutes and you'll be fine. Also remember to have fun! There's no hard or fast rules...

 

I'd dump a few ounces of each beer in a large braising pan and make short ribs, or oxtails

 

Don't forget, have some water on hand.

Cheers!

 

Personal opinion here, but I'd do:

Cougar
SNPA
Nugget Nectar
Nut Brown
Little Sumpin'
Edmund
Head Hunter
FBS

As mentioned above, make sure you've got water on hand, as well as snacks. Crackers, cheese, olives, etc - basic finger foods make for a good break in between beers, especially for those not used to the IBUs or ABV. Hosting a tasting is a ton of fun, don't sweat it or over-think it. Just have a good time and drink some great beer. You have a solid lineup there, and I think they'll enjoy it wholeheartedly. Cheers!

 

You might consider moving up the Eddy Fitz to much earlier in the proceedings. I know it has enough chocolate that pairing it later in the evening, with dessert, seems to make sense. However, with all of the hops that precede it, it could be lost entirely, whereas FBS has bigger flavors that can still be enjoyed after you've challenged your palate a bit. Besides, Eddy Fitz also works really will with certain savory dishes that might come earlier in the evening. Just a thought...enjoy!

 

saltines and water in between

 

Use less beer...stick to three and give striking contrasts. Trying to taste too much beer at once doesn't increase palate awareness...If that makes any sense.

 

I think you've got it right. As mentioned above, water and saltines. Good beers there with a big time frame and not too many beers. Have fun!

 

Use milk or dairy as a palate cleanser. Nothing is perfect but this is the most effective I believe, although all experts seem to have their own opinion about how to renew your palate between tastings.

IPA's are problematic because they definitely *do* wreck your palate (which is why I pay zero attention to blind IPA taste tests where they line up all the beers one after the other), altering the taste of every beer that follows. If you notice, the first few gulps of an IPA are the most intense. By the time you hit the middle to bottom of the glass the IPA seems more mellowed out. The beer itself has not changed. Your tongue has.

 

I think your order is pretty good and would probably be the best for you and the best for preventing palate fatigue or palate destruction

 

There is always some debate over ipas vs stouts first, but either way, leave the hoppiest and most bitter/strong flavored (FBS) for last. I don't think your order is bad, but I may alter it a bit. Head Hunter is a very aggressive IPA, and FBS is loaded with coffee and bitter chocolate, so they would be the last 2, in that order, no matter what for me. Especially since you mentioned your friends going out of their comfort zone. Here is my suggestion.

Couger
Nut Brown
Eddy Fitz (although it is much hoppier fresh)
SNPA
Sumpin'
NN
HH
FBS

 

Its going to depend on how you want the tasting to focus. Are you more interested in tasting to learn or tasting as a social event?

For tasting to learn about the beers, order is very important if you want to do as close to a fresh start on each beer as possible with minimal carry over effects from earlier beers (your sense of taste is the slowest to recover from being beat up with strong flavors). So if you are having the beers to taste them, learn about them and discuss them use pretty much your present IBU ordering since you've basically ordered them from least to most impact on your palate. After each sampling you can save the left over amounts for the social part of the evening to have with food and socializing. Also be sure you have enough on hand for each person to be served at least 3-4 oz.

Also from the stand point of tasting to learn, the better ways to cleanse the palate when having any beer include having plenty of bottled water on hand for between beers along with some unsalted crackers or pretzels, as bland as you can find them. Using salted food, milk, sorbet, cheeses or other flavorful foods between beers *changes* the palate but does not cleanse it or reset it back to being close to neutral. Most of the standard palate "cleansers" are actually meant to go with various foods not with beer.

If you are more interested in tasting as a social event then I'd still suggest the ordering be from least to most impact on the palate then it should be just fine to integrate the foods and have snacks, etc. between each beer as you'll also be spending a lot of time sipping, nibbling and chatting.

I personally prefer the "tasting to learn about the beer" approach for two reasons. First the focus is then on the beers and sharing what people are able to taste, what they like the most, why they like it, etc. Second, and perhaps more important, it puts the food, social time, etc. at the end so there is more time for folks without a designated driver to metabolize the alcohol and avoid driving while having a buzz.

 

Yep...

 

I 99% agree with this statement. The only thing I would question is being strict with the IBU order. Obviously we have all had beers that are much more impactful than their IBU rating. That was the first thing that jumped out at me whether it is a "learning" or "tasting" session, FBS is probably going to have the most palate impact. Off the top of my head, I think Six Point Resin is around 101, and I think most people would agree that Head Hunter is every bit as bitter/agressive of not more so. The Edmund Fitzgerald is another good example. I think that low IBU rating is very misleading. Tons of roasted/ashy bitterness that would be very strong to an inexperienced drinker. Anyway, the long winded way of saying that IBU ratings are a decent guide, but there are definitley exceptions

FWIW, I like to bounce back and forth from hoppy/lighter bodied to malty/darker beers.

 

By IBU's in general, but pull out the browns, stouts and porters for the final round. Start that group with the brown, porter next and end with the stout.

 

Rhinegeist Cougar Blonde Ale - 20 IBU, 4.8%
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale - 37, 5.6%
Founders Breakfast Stout - 60, 8.3%
Troegs Nugget Nectar - 93, 7.5%
Mt. Carmel Nut Brown Ale- 38, 6.0%
Lagunitas A Little Sumpin' Sumpin' - 65, 7.5%
Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter - 37, 6.0%
Fat Head's Head Hunter IPA - 87, 7.5%

 

I think 8 beers is too many for a beer tasting evening, looks like you're trying too hard. 4 or 5 is plenty enough already, with 8 you won't remember them. For food pairing, keep to the basics. IPAs are wonderful with spicy food, don't use a stout that's too sweet with a sweet desert (more a fruit salad or a fruit pie without too much sugar in it). If the KBS is too sweet (never had it) and your dessert is sweet already, stick with a nice dry porter. Cheese goes well with a saison or the blonde ale, but cheese and cured meats can be served before the meal.

 

I agree with what alot of the people are saying above. 8 is definitely too many for novice beer drinkers and may off put them a little bit.

Here would be my suggestion, especially knowing that you live in Cincinnati:
Cougar or SNPA
Mt. Carmel Nut Brown or Edmund Fitzerald
Head Hunter or Lil Sumpin
Breakfast Stout

Then after hearing about their particular likes, pair them up with the remainder of the beer.

This way you can tell if your guests prefer a light beer, something a little maltier, something hoppy, or something rich.

From there you can steer them into other beers they like. For example for people who enjoy Head Hunter or Lil Sumpin, steer them towards the Nugget Nectar, which is a little more malty, but still provides a bitterness.

In terms or pairings, I think you got a lot of information above. Cheese and an unflavored cracker or pita would go well with the cougar, something spicy with the IPAs etc.