Train yourself to taste ingredients?

I'm having some trouble figuring out the best way to train myself to taste the different ingredients in different beers. What's the best way to do this?

Eat a couple different types of hop pelets, it will help. I have tasted just about all raw products in home brewing.

Each time I'm at my LHBS I ask if I can taste a few grains. They don't mind because they know I will be buying product. I've seen people make tea from hops and drink it, sniff it to learn the flavors. I'd rather do this than eat the pellets. Smell everything as you brew, taste at each step when things are added and when brews are racked or sampled. Keep notes of tastings with each brew. Beer Smith has a great note section for each recipe you brew.

Just like cooking it can take a while to train yourself to identify ingredients by taste.

Ther are a lot of beers out there that feature a single hop. You can pick some of those up and get to know what certain hops taste like.

With the grains you can taste them. Go to your LHBS and ask them if you can taste some of the grains. That will give you a pretty good idea of the flavors.

Each time you brew take notes of what ingredients were in the recipe and then tasting notes after the brew is finished. You will eventually get a pretty good idea what each grain adds to the flavor.

You can even brew a few SMAsh recipes. Single malt, single hop.

It will take some time but e research is fun.

Thanks for the help guys.