This may sound like a ridiculous question but honestly, do you swirl it and spit, like wine tasters do? or do you just drink it down? Do you swirl then swallow? what is your opinion?
I look, smell a couple times, take a sip and let it coat my whole mouth and swallow. I usually try to smell at the same time as I swallow (this all sounds horribly perverted). For me, much of my taste is based on smell.
Don't need to swirl a properly poured beer as the pour and carbonation releases the aromas. So I sniff, sip and swallow, usually using a glass such as the Duvel tulip where I get a sniff while sipping. Clarification, wine tasters/drinkers swirl, sniff and then sip and swallow. They swirl because the wine is not carbonated. The spit part is used by folks (including professional wine tasters/blenders who are going to be tasting multiple samples in a relatively short period of time. That swirl sip and spit routine is also used by professional malt whisky taster/blenders when assessing which barrels to mix, etc.
No one can beat this guy's technique: http://beeradvocate.com/community/threads/whats-your-daily-beer-game-plan.127280/
Sip, let it sit in my mouth for a hot second, small swish, swallow, secondary swallow to get all that good residue, then buttchug the rest of the bottle/bomber/growler
I usually hold it up to he light to see its color, if it's cloudy or it's clear. Il sniff it a few times to see what notes come right off the top, then generally take a small sip and let it sit in my mouth for a bit and see what flavors show themselves first. Clean palette is a must when first tasting anything.
Good advice here. remember you will make observations in 5 categories so take your time. I let the beer coat the toungue because tastebuds on the side of the tongue taste different things than the ones in front or in back. You want to make sure you involve them all. Really enjoy the nose and continue to observe it as you sip the beer. The complex beers will continue to evolve in the glass throughout the drink. If you hate it, for any reason, do not force it down your throat.
When we're out in public, my method is: sniff, sip, trill, see my wife's looks of utter mortification at my public display, swallow, smile.
“The complex beers will continue to evolve in the glass throughout the drink.” Permit me to expound upon what @utopiajane mentioned. Beer is typically served around 40°F (bar tap temperature and typical home refrigerator temperature). If you don’t guzzle your beer and you take some time to drink your beer (e.g., over a 20 minute time period) the beer will warm up a bit. As the beer warms up it often ‘opens up’ a bit and may taste a little different. There have been a number of beers where at the first sip I was not a fan of that beer but after some time (as the beer ‘opens up’) I much preferred that beer and became a fan. There have been other instances where the opposite has occurred (liked the beer at the first sips but later on didn’t). Because of what I detailed above I think the minimum size pour to effectively evaluate at beer is at least one 12-16 ounce drink (and multiple beers are even better). Cheers!
Best way I've found is similar to how coffee is cupped, and probably the same way oenophiles get into their do. Center pour about half full so there's big head. Ignore it until that's subsided a bit. Get into the glass and give it a nice big hork with the sniffer. Get those aromatics and stuff happening if there are any worth reporting on. And then pucker up and give it a quick suck with the mouth so it's really a small blast of beer which coats the mouth, and then maybe swish it a bit then swallow.
I take a decent sip and roll it around in my mouth to let it cover my entire mouth then swallow. The second drink I let it just pass over my tongue like a standard sip of something.
Hold the bottle up to the light to examine closely for any potential defects in the glass or label. Set the bottle down on the table (preferably a nice sturdy wood top, like oak) at a ninety (90) degree angle. Use a bottle opener to remove the cap. While the bottle begins to open up from the air, wash a pint glass with cool water (60-65 degrees Fahrenheit) and gently wipe dry with 1 (one) Bounty brand paper towel. Hold the glass at an angle not to exceed forty-five (45) degrees, and pour the beer down the side of the glass. Once one-third (1/3) of the beer has been expelled from the vessel, slowly began to tilt the glass upwards to a standing, ninety (90) degree position. Set the bottle and glass within close proximity in a naturally lit area. Lean the cap against the bottle and take 1 (one) iPhone picture. Don't forget to add a filter. Slowly lift the beer to the nose. Inhale quickly through the nostrils, 2-3 (no more than 4) times. Repeat thrice more. Softly touch the head of the beer with the tip of the tongue. Swirl tongue through head of beer, making sure not to penetrate the frothy pillow and risk prematurely tasting the beer itself. Once the tongue and nostrils have adapted to the aromas and oils of the beer take one small sip. Swirl the beer throughout the mouth, ensuring all areas of the mouth have tasted the beer. Swallow and contemplate for 3-4 (no more than 5) minutes. Repeat until the drinking vessel is devoid of all beer.
Before you even order your beer (or if you're planning to drink at home, before you even buy it), make sure you have the proper glass on hand. If you pour your beer into the wrong glass you're in for some serious tasting trouble from the get-go. After you have determined you have the proper glass for the job, compile a list of beers you would like to try or buy where you are going (or order a beer in its appropriate glass). Make sure that as your pour or it is poured that the bottle be completely upside down. Dump that beer into your glass. Forget convention, you're goddamn thirsty. Spin your beer around in the glass. If the head is still present, keep spinning until it has spilled onto the counter, table, or your hands. The head is the worst part of the beer; don't even sniff that stuff. Chug it.
