Protocol for one-style beer tastings

When I do something similar, I don't do it blind or in a group, but I'll add my two cents. I think it's great that you are wrestling with making it better, but keep in mind you might never be truly satisfied - there is always going to be compromise in the setup. It comes with the territory. When I try a set of beers together, I go back and forth between the beers and I make sure to vary the tasting order and serving sizes. At one point, I will have just a little taste, and at another point, I will pour something substantial. I make it so that I don't always have beer Y follow beer X. I do this because I think volume and order matter. I am not sure how applicable this would be to your blind setup with a group. I think that the larger the group, and the larger the beer count, the more ridiculous the situation becomes and it turns into pure fun rather than a "tasting" (which is fine for what it is).

 

When I do blind taste tests, we stick to a single style. Typically, we don't like doing tastings of IPA's, as even after a couple of samples, our palates can't pick up any subtleties. In regards to portions, it totally depends on the ABV, the group size, and the amount of that beer we have. For the higher ABV, more aggressive, and bigger group tastings go with smaller pours (i.e. 3-4oz oz). Another factor to consider is how many varieties of the style you bring, which equates to more beer to consume.

General guidelines for when I hold a tasting:

- one style of beer
- each person brings one unique bomber or two 12 oz bottles (of the same beer)
- depending on the variables discussed above, limit pours to around 3-4 oz's
- Follow an established rating system (we prefer BA's type of scale)

These are general, but in most cases they apply.

 

If I go beyond 4 I find that I tend to lose focus, so I keep them around that number when ever I do it. Than again, I'm usually doing top examples so maybe that requires a lot more fine nitpicking .

 

I used to do tastings with some friends that went by the BJCP styles catagories, so it wasn't exactly one style, but one family (for instance, stouts one of us would bring a dry stout, someone else an oatmeal, and so on)
We would do fairly small samples for the first round, maybe 2 - 3 oz each. We'd read off the style descriptor, try the sample, and talk about it a bit. We would have plenty of snacks and water around to get the next one with a fresh palate (or as fresh as can be helped)
Once we went through, it would be open season on what was left and whatever else people would bring or the host would bring from the cellar.

 

You can go here: http://www.bjcp.org/
They have score sheets, style guidelines, and advice. Print out the guideline for the style you are judging. Have pieces of bread or innocuous crackers for cleansing your palate. You can probably handle 4 to 6 4 oz pours depending on the strength of the beer. Have food after.

 

I like this...i think tasting blind is fun and when the score cards and comments are in, everyone can just have at what's left. Also fun to throw in a few curve balls (like a home brew or something oxidized) to really tune up the palates. 6-8 people is a good number.

 

^so much this and if you take good notes you can go through the guidelines after you do your first observations on each category. This part is the geeking out. Or just use Ba scoring method and do your own mental calculation I mean it's a tasting . For side by sides you can really compare color and other things you can't do when there is nothing to contrast or stand beside. I would end on a beer in the next style. Not the same style.

 

Keep it simple and don't go overboard with bringing everything you can because your shop has an amazing selection of singles and bombers. And do expect to spend 5 - 10 minutes with each one of them if you want to get everything you can out of the tasting.
Also: Don't become that thread bragging about how you got together 15 - 20 "amazing" DIPA's or BA's for a single tasting with some of your buddies. Honestly, and truthfully. Beyond the third or fourth one, you're drinking for the sake of drinking and whatever subtle fine details you imagine yourself picking out, are pretty much shot.

 

Our tastings always go through different styles. We try around 6 beers, one 12oz bottle of each beer per every 3 persons (4 oz each). From weakest style to strongest.

Then if we are still in the mood for more beer we just buy extra stuff we already like and drink socially (no more tasting).