I JUST got into beer and I've only tried a couple so far. I want to get into beer tasting because there's just so much variety in beers and the possibilities seem to be endless. I want to try and seek out different flavors in craft brews. I know I've only started trying different beers out, but I'm having trouble in distinguishing flavors. It's almost like they taste the same. I've tried Rheingold and Blue Moon Honey Wheat, but they sorta tasted the same to me and I know they shouldn't. The Blue Moon Honey Wheat had a slightly different aftertaste, however. I've also had Red Trolley and Guinness (on tap) and they tasted the same to me. I never drank at parties, never had hard liquor so I'm SUPER new to this. I never want to get drunk, I just want to get into beer flavors. Does it just take time, or do some people never develop the taste distinction?
Everyone is different. Keep trying them and keep writing down what you think they taste like. Eventually you'll be able to pick out distinct flavors. It's still an ongoing process for me as well.
just my thoughts.. While you're drinking them, focus on what you pick up in the aroma...note what you taste while drinking. 'training' yourself to focus on the flavor of the beer may make it easier to pick up different notes. Also, you may want to start reading beer review. Some say that you may taste something in a beer because you have read it in a review, but for someone with no experience it might not be a bad thing to see what other flavors people pick up and then try to taste them for yourself...that way you will eventually be able to distinguish them on your own.
I like this. You can use previous reviews as a baseline. Almost every beer has a "shared baseline" of flavors across all reviews. See if you can pick these up in the aroma or the taste. It will start to train you on aroma and flavors that you can expect in each style. On the same note, don't fret if you aren't picking up every single subtlety that people have out there. Just because someone can taste black licorice in a certain stout, might not mean you share the same profile.
No idea where you live, but find the best beer bar in your area, that's first. Ask for help and ideas. If they offer flights of 4-5 beer in 3- 4 oz sizes, that's where you start. You can do this twice and sample 8-10 beers and not drink more than two regular pints give or take. It's faster, easier, and cost effective to sample this way. In a weekend you get put a good dent in any really decent bar, and at least get an idea on what you might like and which styles are a definite no.
I often found people telling me about certain flavors and aromas helped me distinguish them myself. Maybe try some Pale Ales or Porters. That is when you will really start to pick up bitter, fruitiness from hops and roastiness from the malts. good luck!
Reingold in CA? I was thinking maybe NY, or the NE in general. If he's in CA you can literally drown in world class IPA's and such.
Would also not switch beer styles or even particular brands too quickly. Get your palate used to say, a week of Stone IPA, (1-2 bottles a day)..once you're used to that, switch to an entirely different style, like a Saison, or a Stout, or an even hoppier IPA (like Green Flash Palate Wrecker, or Stone Ruination). As fun as it is to sample all the colors of the Craft Beer Rainbow in one sitting, I found that once you get your tastebuds used to one beer (which takes time)..you're better able to detect larger as well as more subtle differences in a new beer!
Yeah man, I'd say if you're somewhere near a brewpub get a flight or a few 4-6oz samples and make sure they tell you which beer is which. Then you can start to tell the difference between a different styles. (its better to go light to dark- but whatever) Think big picture first, then worry about the nuance of different styles a bit later. If you're feeling particularly studious, download the BCJP app on your phone (provided you have a smartphone) and read the descriptions as you taste the different beers.
Yup, developing your ability to distinguish flavors just takes time. It's a skill that, like all other skills, just needs time to hone.
Thanks for all the help guys! I'm from San Diego, CA btw. I was able to try Rheingold 'cause my dad ordered a case online, he's a NY guy but we're here out in SoCal. I'm going to the Karl Strauss Brewery here in San Diego sometime soon to try out all their craft beers, I'm excited to see what I can find!
Good point lol. I was just thinking about Red Trolly as I'm almost certain it's only in Southern Ca. We've got a noob trader here!
Their Amber Lager really helped me start getting into beer as well as Stone IPA. Check out Urge in RB because we can order a ton of tasters on the cheap.
You may want to try reading about the different styles of beer - there is a significant body of written work. When you go to the brewery try to pick out some very different styles. Don't focus on how much you like a particular style as taste will evolve over time. Some people are gifted super tasters - they are born that way and can distinguish flavors that the rest of us will never match. From your self description, you don't seem to fall into that category. But, you, like many of us, can still enjoy the taste sensations offered by craft beer. The Karl Stauss Brewery offers quite a range of styles. Pick out a few very contrasting styles to sample. Read what others say about the particular offering. When you sample them, no more than four, see what different tastes you can detect. While the two beers you sampled should not taste the same, as a person brand new to beer, your taste may be overwhelmed by the few things they share in common, rather than the stark differences between them. BTW, neither were particularly good beers.
