11 Top Tips For Enjoying Craft Beer

NEIPA’s and DIPA’s and SIPA’s, Oh My!

The world of craft beer can be a scary place for a beginner.

Styles of IPA alone hit double figures, that’s before even considering hop varieties and combinations.

To get the most out of craft beer, it is a good idea to remove the idea of beer being ‘a quick pint, down the pub’ or ‘a few tinnies whilst watching the match’. It’s perhaps more appropriate to compare it to enjoying a really nice bottle of wine. The ABV’s are often higher, the ingredients more flavoursome and conditions can play a big part.

We have decided to put together a basic guide for beginners to get the most out of their craft beer journey, from purchase through to trying to reduce the next day suffering.

• Buy from a reputable retailer! A good retailer will not only have stored the beer correctly, but will also be able to help you decide what to buy. We tend to be a friendly bunch who are only too happy to help. Click Here for a great option to get you started.

• Store Beer Properly. It is important that craft beer is stored in a cool environment, fridge is great, but failing that somewhere that is rarely warmer than 13°C. If it isn’t possible for you to do this, do not fear, simply prioritise. Hoppy beers will certainly suffer not being kept in a cool place more than stouts. Keep them in the fridge, and find the coolest place in the house that you can for the other stuff. Keep stock levels low, so that you don’t need to keep anything out of the fridge for long periods of time. It’s also a good idea to keep fruitier beers chilled. If there was any residual, fermentable sugar left in a brew, warmth provides the ideal conditions for a second fermentation to happen, sometimes resulting in cans popping their tops.

• Eat First. Drinking on an empty stomach is just a bad idea. The joy of craft beer is to enjoy the vast array of flavours on offer. Being drunk affects your ability to both smell and taste (explains those terrible late night food choices, right?). One way to reduce the speed at which you get tipsy is to ensure you drink on a full stomach.

• Don’t Ignore Your Nose. You know how you can almost taste your favourite meal just by smelling it’s aroma whilst it’s cooking away in the kitchen? Well, beer works the same way. One method to really get the most out of the smell is to exhale through the nose whilst swallowing your beverage. This sends the aromas up the back of your throat and into your nose. Try to keep the environment around you as neutral smelling as possible, avoid wearing strong perfumes or aftershaves. LIsten! We’re not talking non scents!

• Choose the Right Glassware. It may sound pretentious but the choice of glass can actually make a fair bit of difference. Do not misunderstand us, a beer can be enjoyed out of almost any receptacle, but if we’re going to do this properly then glassware needs to be considered. The right glassware can enhance the visuals, the aromas, the mouthfeel and even the taste of a beer. We will be offering a comprehensive write up in the very near future.

• Don’t Necessarily Trust Your First Sip. Taste buds can be funny things, it’s very unlikely that your first taste of a beer will really give you the full flavour profile of that particular brew. Even if you think you don’t like it, go back and have one more sip. Don’t be afraid to let it roll around in your mouth a bit either, different taste buds pick out different flavours.

• Cleanse Your Pallet. Craft beer can have some very strong flavours and they can affect how you taste other things. It is always a good idea to have a pallet cleanser between beers, especially when doing a tasting. Water can work well, although it is not too great at refreshing your taste buds after having something bitter. Water biscuits/crackers however, are said to work very well across the board. Click here to see one option for these crackers.

• Keep an Eye on The ABV %. When new to craft beer, it can be very easy to underestimate the strength of some of the beers you may find yourself drinking. Many craft beers are a lot stronger to mainstream products which you may be used to. Treat them with respect and be prepared to allow a beer to last a while.

• Don’t Be Afraid To Try Previously Discarded Styles. Your craft beer journey will likely be a long one. Not only are many beers of the same style very differently flavoured, but styles can also be very interchangeable. For example, you might see a dark beer and be surprised to taste minimal roasted malt notes and find it extremely hoppy, like an IPA, yes, Black IPA’s are a thing!

• Have Fun and Drink Responsibly. This is the most important part. Drinking craft beer with friends adds to the experience, especially if you can share your experiences and reviews with one another, this can often lead you to noticing new flavours that you’d initially missed. Know when to call it a night, understand your limits and don’t drink too much, not only are your senses of taste and smell affected when drunk, it’s much easier to make a complete fool of yourself too!