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Message |
    
John Ferens
Member
Username: John_ferens
Post Number: 230
Registered: 05-2003
Posted From: 192.104.24.222
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 06, 2008 - 07:23 pm: | 
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It’s time for our third annual Beer Tasting Open House and I’ve a record ten brews on tap this year . Most people won’t try them all, but I’d like to attempt an arrangement that makes the most sense, taste-wise, for those who might (and also to learn a bit myself). I’ve heard guidelines such as malty to hoppy and least intense to most, but, not having gone through the BJCP or anything similar, I would trust many of your opinions over my own when it comes to deciding upon the best order. Here’s a rundown of the order I was thinking of by style and by my perception of taste intensity, from first to last:
Bavarian Hefe
Belgian Pale Ale
Robust Porter (variant of St. Chucks)
Strong Scotch Ale (variant of Scott’s Traquir House Clone)
APA
IPA (similar to Bell’s Two Hearted IPA but smoother and with great aroma)
Trippel
Russian Imperial Stout
Imperial India Pale Ale (Pliney the Elder clone)
Barley Wine (Old Ruffian clone)
A more complete description of each (from the invite) is attached.
Any input would be much appreciated. Oh, and if any of you are in the Pittsburgh, PA area (South Hills), you are more than welcome to join us – drop me a line and I’ll send you the details.
Thanks - and cheers!
John.
(Attachment in message below - thanks for the catch Kevin)
(Message edited by john_ferens on February 06, 2008) |
Kevin Kowalczyk
Member
Username: Itsfunbrewingbeer
Post Number: 113
Registered: 10-2007
Posted From: 12.165.82.136
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 06, 2008 - 07:55 pm: |
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Looks like you got your OGs and FGs mixed up on that menu. |
John Ferens
Member
Username: John_ferens
Post Number: 231
Registered: 05-2003
Posted From: 192.104.24.222
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 06, 2008 - 08:07 pm: |
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That's what I get for trying to cram too much into too short a time. Thanks for catching that Kevin, I'll post an update.
John. |
John Ferens
Member
Username: John_ferens
Post Number: 232
Registered: 05-2003
Posted From: 192.104.24.222
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 06, 2008 - 08:14 pm: |
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Updated menu:
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John Ferens
Member
Username: John_ferens
Post Number: 233
Registered: 05-2003
Posted From: 208.19.19.34
| | Posted on Thursday, February 07, 2008 - 03:49 pm: |
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Hmmm... Might there be any general advice anyone can offer regarding in what order one should sample several brews in one sitting - for example, even while at a brew pub taking a sampler tray?
Thanks,
John. |
Pete O
New Member
Username: Peteo
Post Number: 20
Registered: 10-2007
Posted From: 208.116.131.196
| | Posted on Thursday, February 07, 2008 - 04:12 pm: |
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I don't have nearly the experience of most posters on this site, so take my opinion on this with many extra grains of salt . . .
My own preference when tasting a lot of beers is to do the darker grains stuff separate from (and after) the lighter grains stuff, as much as possible. I find that flavors associated with darker and/or roasted malts carry over, and can dominate a lighter beer had afterwards. E.g., I worry that if I had the Robust Porter and the Strong Scotch Ale, the APA would not shine through very well right afterwards. BUt that may be entirely a function of my personal tastes.
One other general approach I personally like is to try to drink the general family members together when possible. Mostly for edification. E.g., I personally would move the Belgian Pale Ale to right before the Trippel, to help people get a better sense of Belgians in general.
So, for example, one possibility is to do three larger groupings (with palatte cleansers between each beer if possible, but certainly between each group), something like:
Bavarian Hefe [the banana/clove thing would probably work well with the Belgians I'd guess]
Belgian Pale Ale
Trippel
APA
IPA
Imperial India Pale Ale (Pliney the Elder clone)
Barley Wine (Old Ruffian clone)
Robust Porter (variant of St. Chucks)
Strong Scotch Ale (variant of Scott’s Traquir House Clone)
Russian Imperial Stout
Though again, just my opinion. |
Bill Pierce
Moderator
Username: Billpierce
Post Number: 8484
Registered: 01-2002
Posted From: 24.57.225.170
| | Posted on Thursday, February 07, 2008 - 05:53 pm: |
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There are some very general guidelines, and they involve (in order of priority) going from less to more bitter, lower to higher gravity, and lighter to darker in color. Consequently you would start with the light lager (or other "training beer") and finish with the imperial stout. |
John Ferens
Member
Username: John_ferens
Post Number: 234
Registered: 05-2003
Posted From: 72.77.85.242
| | Posted on Thursday, February 07, 2008 - 06:32 pm: |
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Thanks Bill, those general guidelines do help. I've heard them stated separately at times before, but not together. The particular groupings I have for this year kind of make it difficult to follow these closely, without contradicting one "rule" or another, but I'm trying :-).
Pete, those are very good suggestions and might help me with my indecision - thank you for the thought put into them. I like the "family" idea. The IIPA and BW are somewhat experimental on our group brew system in that we were having trouble getting hoppiness through, made several adjustments and then overshot by quite a bit, resulting in, to me, out of balance (on the hop side) brews. Trying anything after these brews probably wouldn't work, but I have time to do some "research" and see what might work best.
Thanks again, and if anyone has other ideas, I'm still interested in hearing them.
Cheers!
John. |
Chumley
Senior Member
Username: Chumley
Post Number: 5284
Registered: 02-2003
Posted From: 63.118.227.254
| | Posted on Thursday, February 07, 2008 - 06:39 pm: |
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What Pete said. Makes the most sense to me. |
Steve Jones
Intermediate Member
Username: Stevej
Post Number: 441
Registered: 08-2001
Posted From: 199.190.8.12
| | Posted on Thursday, February 07, 2008 - 08:34 pm: |
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Tho Pete said he doesn't have near as much experience as others here, he exhibits great insight with his thoughts and recommendations.
The only thing i MIGHT change would be to put the barleywine in the last grouping right after the strong scotch ale. |
Brews and Views Archive 2008 
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