Beer Analysis Guide

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Beer Analysis Guide

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In the whole brewing game (not that you need to be a rocket scientist to come up with this one!) the most important and enjoyable process is of course the Drinking. As such the golden rule to drinking ones own brew is: - If you’re happy with what you’re brewing then don’t change it! However some people are just not sure what they should be looking out for when they do want to “break down” a beer, maybe planning on entering it into a competition or just a discussion amongst friends.

This guide will outlay a basic step by step process involved to allow you to take a good look at that brew.

APPEARANCE

Take a good look at your beer. Check off the following in your head.

Colour - Straw, Gold, Amber, Brown, Black in colour.
Clarity - Bright, Clear, Hazy, Cloudy, Opaque.
Carbonation - Flat, Low, Medium, High, Excessive.
Head Retention - Poor, Reasonable, Good, Excellent.

BOUQUET / AROMA

Breath in deeply, get a good whiff of the beer, first impressions are important. What should this beer be like?

Malt - Malty, Sweet, Caramel, Roasty.
Hops- Fragrant, Grassy, Floral, Herbal, Spicy.

FLAVOUR

The best bit, taste the beer, let it run over you tongue and best of all. Swallow it! Unlike wine, Beer gets to enjoy the full ride; there are taste receptors on the back of the tongue that help you to define the bitterness of a beer, so down she goes. Oh NO!

Malt - Malty, Sweet, Caramel, Roasty.
Hops- Bitter (Low / Med / High), Grassy.
Carbonation- Low / Med / High, Creamy.
Finish- Dry, Bitter, Sweet, Sour, Alcoholic.
Balance- Bitter, Sweet, Well balanced

BODY

This is the feel of the beer on the palate.

Full – Medium – Thin – Watery.

To help you identify problems you may experience with beers from time to time, listed below are flavours you should be aware of when tasting a beer for the first time. In most cases if there is an extremely strong flavours which can be found below. It’s quite possible that the beer you are tasting is infected.

Acetaldehyde

Green apple-like aroma and flavour

Alcoholic

The aroma, flavour, and warm effect of ethanol & higher alcohols.

Astringent

Puckering, harshness and /or dryness in the finish /aftertaste

Diacetyl

Artificial butterscotch, or toffee aroma and flavours. - Sometime perceived as being slick on the tongue

DMS (Dimethyl sulphide)

At low levels a sweet, corn-like aroma and flavour. At higher levels may be perceived as cooked, canned, or rotten vegetables.

Estery

Aroma or flavour of any esters. - Reminiscent of various fruits, or roses.

Light Struck

Characterised by a catty urine or tomato leaf aroma.

Metallic

Tinny, coin, blood-like

Oxidized / Stale (Any one or combination)

Of winey, cardboard, papery, or sherry-like.

Phenolic

Medicinal, plastic, smoky, bandaid, or clove-like aromas & flavours.
(Can be desirable in certain styles of wheat beers however)

Solvent

Aroma and flavours found in higher alcohols (fusel alcohols) - Acetone or lacquer thinner aromas.

Sour/Acidic

Tartness in aroma and flavour. Usually sharp, clean and vinegar like – Acetic acid or lemony (citric acid).

Sulphur (Hydrogen sulphide)

The aroma of rotten eggs or burning matches.

Vegetal

Cooked, canned, or rotten vegetable aroma and flavour

Worty

High residual sugar level. High levels of unfermented sugars or incomplete fermentation

Good Luck - The Country Brewer

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