All about beer tasting: from preparation to evaluation
Quality beer is always a noble beverage that reveals a multitude of flavor and aromatic nuances. But it is practically impossible to feel each of them during ordinary consumption. But a competent tasting can reveal all the shades of flavor. But how to prepare for it, and most importantly, how to conduct it correctly? If you want to feel like a beer sommelier, this article is for you.
How to prepare for beer tasting
The first rule is to take a break between the last meal and the beginning of the tasting. It should be at least an hour — during this time the taste buds are fully activated. The process itself should take place in a quiet and comfortable place — without bright lights, loud music and extraneous odors.
Drinks should be served in the right glasses. For example, for ale usually use flutes, and for lager — narrow glass glasses. In this way, the drinks reveal their flavor as brightly as possible. It is also important to choose in advance the dishes that will accompany the tasting. They should not distract attention from the taste of the beer itself. Often hard cheeses are used for this purpose.
And the last thing is to choose the varieties that will participate in the tasting. Experts do not recommend evaluating light and dark beer at the same time. It is also not worth tasting too many varieties at a time — five is quite enough.
How to do a tasting
The optimal temperature of the beverage for tasting is 10-12%, regardless of the variety. For each sample, 0.1 liter of beer is enough. You should start with lighter beers, gradually moving to stronger ones.
Then — to the tasting itself. It is necessary to start with visual assessment of the drink: to study its color, transparency, presence of sediment, color and thickness of the foam cap. Each variety has different characteristics, so there are no universal tips.
After that it is necessary to assess the flavor of beer. It is necessary to unwind the glass in your hand so that a slight whirlpool is formed inside. Then immediately bring it to your nose and inhale with a full chest.
The last stage is to evaluate the taste. Take a big sip of the drink so that the beer fills your mouth, spreads across the palate and tongue. Unlike wines and some types of spirits, which are usually sipped at a tasting, beer is sipped to taste all the flavor nuances.
Evaluation parameters
When evaluating a fragrance, it is important to focus on the first impression, as the sense of smell is dulled with each inhalation. Professionals usually use a special table for making a verdict, where about a hundred shades are collected. Amateurs are hardly able to immediately catch anything but the dominant notes. It can be flowers, fruits, caramel, chocolate, burnt sugar, spices, citrus.
The flavor is easier, as there can be only four variants — sweet, sour, salty and bitter. In many varieties, bitterness and sweetness are the most pronounced: the former is from hops, the latter from malt. It is also worth paying attention to the other notes — they can be different depending on the drink.
And remember that tasting is a subjective process, as your own emotions and experience are of great importance. And if you want to taste beer in a good company, come to any beer restaurant of Lambic chain — we have a lot of interesting varieties, proper serving and cozy atmosphere. We are waiting for you!
Jeju Beer Company: legendary craft from South Korea
When talking about good beer, Belgium, Germany, the Czech Republic and other European countries are most often mentioned. And the reason for this is not that other parts of the globe do not make high-quality foam, it is simply that many varieties simply do not reach Russia. It is about such a case — the famous South Korean beer of Jeju Beer Company — that we will talk today. History of the brewery Jeju Beer Company was founded in 2015 on the largest Korean island of Jeju. The company, whose main mission is to create a new beer culture in the country, became the first global craft brewery in Korea, and in a short period of time — also the most popular. According to analytics, one bottle of Jeju Beer is purchased every three seconds in the country. In 2017, the company introduced a series of new wheat beers, including the already sensational Jeju Wit Ale, Jeju Pellong Ale and Jeju Slice. The highlight of these brews is the composition: the unique flavor of the beer is given by the rind of gamgyul, a citrus plant native to Jeju. Now Jeju Beer Company’s beer is exported to Taiwan, Thailand, India, Hong Kong, Singapore, China and other countries of the world. The global distribution network of the Korean brewery is ensured by partnership with Brooklyn Brewery. Jeju Beer Company is a winner of many festivals, in particular, the winner of silver medals of Australian International Beer Awards and Korea Liquor Awards 2019 in the category of craft beer. Best brews One of the most popular brews is Jeju Wit Ale. It is a luxurious wheat beer with the addition of the aforementioned Jeju Island citrus and coriander. The drink has a delicate floral aroma and a pleasant taste dominated by citrus notes. The beer recipe was developed in collaboration with Garrett Oliver, brewmaster of Brooklyn Brewery and winner of the James Beard Award, which is called the «Oscars» for chefs in the beer industry. Special attention should be paid to Jeju Pellong Ale. This is an American Pale Ale style beer with a citrusy aroma dominated by tones of apricot. The flavor has the sweetness of the tropics. The aftertaste is dry, with a pleasant citrus bitterness. There is also Jeju Geomeong Ale, a dark beer made with local black barley and chocolate malt. The drink has a rich flavor that reveals tones of coffee and dark chocolate. The same notes, as well as malt sweetness, can be felt in the taste of the drink. You don’t have to go to South Korea to try Jeju Beer Company beer. Come to Lambic! Our beer restaurants have hundreds of high quality beers from all over the world. We also have delicious food, excellent service and always cozy atmosphere. We are waiting for you!
23 January 2025
Belgian waffles: history of origin and interesting facts
If you ask anyone what Belgium is associated with, most people will name three things — a sculpture of a boy in Brussels, beer and, of course, waffles. Flavorful, airy and crispy, they have long ceased to be just a dish on restaurant menus and have become a real culinary landmark of the country. Back in the past Surprisingly, the history of the most famous waffles originates not in Belgium, but in the United States. During the 1962 World’s Fair in Seattle, Belgian pastry chef Walter Clement introduced his unique dish to the Americans. The waffles, served with strawberries and whipped cream, were so well liked by the local population that they soon spread throughout America. It is said that in the first four months after the «premiere» more than half a million waffles were sold in the United States. It is believed that the name «Belgian» was established because not all Americans knew where Brussels was located. In their homeland, Belgium, the famous waffles are called only Brussels waffles. Did you know that... Brussels waffles are made from yeast dough in cast iron waffle makers, which makes them soft on the outside and crispy on the inside. Some pastry chefs add a secret ingredient to it, but what it is they don’t reveal. There is speculation that it could be one of the beers, but there is no proof for this theory. Brussels waffles are often confused with Liege waffles, which are also made in Belgium, in the city of Liege. But these are different dishes: Liege waffles are drier, more like buns, and their dough contains bits of caramelized sugar. Classic Belgian waffles are sweet, served with coffee or tea. But there are also unsweetened waffles with different fillings. Where to try Of course, it is better to taste any national dish at home, but if you can’t go to Belgium yet — come to Lambic! Our Belgian beer restaurants have everything to feel the real taste of this wonderful country: dozens of varieties of beer, national cuisine and cozy atmosphere. And for Belgian waffles we have allocated a whole section with sweet classics with strawberries and ice cream, and unsweetened potato positions with fish, meat and other fillings. Come — it will be delicious!
23 January 2025