Tasting Tools - CraftBeer.com

Infographic: How to Choose the Right Beer Glass

Brian — Thu, 19 Oct 2017 13:45:31 +0000

Is there really such a thing as the right beer glass? It’s a puzzle that might intimidate newer beer lovers, but ask any beer expert, and they’ll overwhelmingly answer “Yes.”

There are a few ways choosing the right beer glass enhances your experience. Certain glass shapes can accentuate different parts of your beer, like the nose (a.k.a. how a beer smells). If you’re drinking a higher-alcohol beer, you’ll likely receive a smaller glass than if you were drinking a sessionable beer.

(LEARN: Beer 101 Online Course)

Check out our handy beer glass infographic. It’s a good primer on how you can keep it glassy the next time you order your favorite beer.

Download Craft Beer Glass Primer

A few more things you should know: Frosted glassware is bad for beer — and so is a dirty glass. See the signs that your glass is beer-clean in this CraftBeer.com video.

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Beer and Food Pairing Guide

craftbeer — Tue, 15 Nov 2016 03:42:54 +0000

The CraftBeer.com Beer and Food Pairing Guide approaches pairing by first looking at common individual food components and comparing them to the six main beer flavor categories:

Crisp and clean
Malty and sweet
Dark and roasty
Hoppy and bitter
Fruity and spicy
Sour, tart and funky

The potential interactions between the food and beer are outlined and an approachable dish is recommended.

Download Craft Beer & Food Guide

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Interactive Beer Tasting Worksheets

CraftBeer.com — Wed, 01 Jun 2016 06:00:00 +0000

These five beer tasting worksheets help you explore three pairing interactions: complement, contrast and cut. Your palate will react to the combination of food and craft beer by recognizing flavors that match each other (compliment), flavors that intensify each other (contrast), and flavors that cleanse the palate (cut).

You could argue that all three interactions happen to some extent with each bite and sip; they become more or less noticeable depending on the dominant characteristics of the food and craft beer in the pairing. Start with these simple pairings and hone your beer and food tasting skills!

Download Interactive Beer Tasting Worksheets

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Beer Tasting Mat

CraftBeer.com — Wed, 01 Jun 2016 06:00:00 +0000

This beer tasting mat comes in handy, particularly when you’re tasting as a group or tasting blind with samples that need to be kept in a particular order.

Tips for a Beer Tasting Session

Ensure your beer is stored in a cold and dark place until ready for tasting.
Make sure your beer is within the proper date range indicated on the packaging.
Don’t serve beer directly out of the refrigerator — let it warm slightly.

Beer Tasting Mat Sizes

8.5 x 11 (first button)
11 x 13 (second button)

Download 8.5 x 11

Download 11 x 13

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Beer Tasting Sheet

CraftBeer.com — Wed, 01 Jun 2016 06:00:00 +0000

Learning the vocabulary of beer is a huge factor in being able to communicate with others what you’re tasting and experiencing. This worksheet is perfect for everyone from beginners to those of us brushing up on the lingo. It’s full of vocabulary and prompts to help you know what to look for as you evaluate your beer.

Grab your favorite beer and get to tasting!

download beer tasting sheet

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What’s Wrong With My Beer?

CraftBeer.com — Wed, 01 Jun 2016 06:00:00 +0000

With the drastically increased popularity of craft beer in the marketplace, ensuring that bars and restaurants know how to handle these products requires constant attention and education.

Use this chart to get a better understanding of common beer service problems. Remember, if you decide to send a beer back, keep it positive. Tell them what you think is wrong with the beer in the nicest way possible.

Download what’s wrong with my beer?

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Beer and Cheese Please!

CraftBeer.com — Thu, 10 Jul 2014 18:53:02 +0000

CraftBeer.com’s Andy Sparhawk shares tips for pairing craft beer and cheese including matching intensities, pairing complementary and contrasting flavors and how to taste each component of a pairing.

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CraftBeer.com Flavor Triangle

CraftBeer.com — Tue, 08 Apr 2014 16:27:56 +0000

Craft beer and food pairings are arguably the most versatile and challenging pairing menus today. Where wine and spirits cannot go, craft beer paves the way to harmonious interactions on the palate.

Craft beer has no equivalent of the “white wine with delicate flavors, red wine with bold flavors” rule. Pairing craft beer to food simply comes down to tasting beer and then deciding which characteristics in the craft beer should best be highlighted by the food.

The CraftBeer.com Flavor Triangle helps you evaluate the characteristics of a beer and how they relate to one another to create your overall perception.

Download Craft Beer Flavor Triangle

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