So tasting a style before brewing might be a good idea

I got obsessed with what types of things I could brew in warmer temperatures, just using a swamp cooler and an ice cooler for temperature control. Read about different lawnmower style things that are light and tasty for summer. Thought about Kolsch. Wheat and Blonde Ales. Decided on one of the types, researched recipes, tried to figure out how to convert an all grain version to partial mash. Worried about meeting color, OG, FG and bitterness targets. Messed around with recipes in a software app.

Then I decided I should probably actually, like, you know, TASTE it. Waddaya know.. I'm not sure I like that particular style all that much. Might just be the first bottle. I may like it better by the 6th. But I would have been bummed making 5 gallons, or 48 bottles worth without actually knowing what it should taste like, without knowing if I came close to the style, and without knowing if I actually would like to drink 48 bottles of it.

So? I think I'll pick up a wheat, a blonde, a kolsch - taste all three side by side. Then decide what I want to brew next. I know I love Pales and Bitters and Special Bitters and Lagers and Ambers and Brown Ales. I'm not sure if I like California Common - so should probably pick one up and taste it as well. (it's been a LONG time since I had an Anchor Steam - like at least 14 years)

Georgia guys - any recommendations for a brewpup near Marietta? It would be silly to buy 3 six packs just for a taste test. But I think I will taste before brewing styles I'm not familiar with. Or maybe a beer shop with a wide selection of singles? A pick 'n chose kinda place?

I will say I made the same choice I won't call it a mistake bc it got a 34.5 from judges but I made a honey stout without tasting a stout... Comes out they aren't my favorite And this one is bottled in my 22 so those are big bottles

Whole lot of beer styles I don't care for. That pretty much means I don't brew them. Nothing wrong with that.

I love doing research.

World Market lets you build your own 6-pack. Their selection is a bit middle of the road craft, but not bad.

A black IPA seemed appealing to me and I was going to brew one, then realized I've never (and still haven't) actually tried one. I'm right there with you: try a commercial example (a good one at that) before committing to brewing to 5 or more gallons of potential disappointment. It just makes sense.

callmebruce said:

Georgia guys - any recommendations for a brewpup near Marietta? It would be silly to buy 3 six packs just for a taste test. But I think I will taste before brewing styles I'm not familiar with. Or maybe a beer shop with a wide selection of singles? A pick 'n chose kinda place?

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You're close enough you should just visit the Brick Store in Decatur. It's consistently one of the top 10 beer bars in the world. Much to my chagrin, I've never been - it's tough to convince your buds who don't care about beer to venture out to Decatur to drink when you're in Atlanta once every other year.

I did the exact same thing with my very first brew. Brewed up a stout, then, after drinking some realized I wasn't a huge fan of stouts. It was good, and in style. Just not for me. I got into craft beer and home brewing at the same time so every where I go I look for brew pubs and am stopping in liquor stores trying different things.

Several of the Kroger grocery stores around here have build your own six pack too, they usually have a rather nice selection to choose from and I think it's $7.99 no matter what's in it.

You mean part of your research ISN'T involving actually tasting the style you are learning about?

That's usually the FIRST step for me, sitting down with a beer and drinking it, usually while reading the BJCP style guidlines and beeradvocate reviews and whatever else I can find. And often with as many commercial versions of the beer as I can lay my hands on.

I have started down a path to brew every one of the 80 styles from brewing classic styles.

Unfortunately, sampling every style is rather cost restrictive, as the local bottle shop charges on average $25 for a mixed bottle sixer.

It's about the same price for me to brew a batch per the recipe in the book.

However, when I sample, I sit down with the bjcp guidelines and compare what I'm tasting/seeing/feeling/smelling to the style guidelines.

Revvy said:

You mean part of your research ISN'T involving actually tasting the style you are learning about?

That's usually the FIRST step for me, sitting down with a beer and drinking it, usually while reading the BJCP style guidlines and beeradvocate reviews and whatever else I can find. And often with as many commercial versions of the beer as I can lay my hands on.

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Revvy,

Sometimes there aren't commercial examples of beers I'm interested in brewing. In fact, that is the primary reason I brew still...I can't find the beers I want in the marketplace.

Take English Mild for example. There are nearly no imported or domestic examples, partially because it is so perishable. I made Orfy's Mild Mannered Mild recipe so I could try the style. It was pretty much the only way I could try it.

I do try anything available when I'm contemplating or scaling a recipe, though.

Now that I have a two-year-old boy who thinks he's a dinosaur, I'm focusing exclusively on session beers (2.7-3.9 ABV). These beers are a major gap in the current "bigger, badder, imperial, double, tripple" marketplace. I like dark beer with lots of flavor, but I also want to be able to drive to the emergency room if necessary (see dinosaur, above) after I've had a pint.

Add orange zest very late in the boil. 5 minutes remaining would be my preference.

For a commercial example of what you are brewing, try shock top from AB. It sounds like your recipe might be hoppier, though. Sunshine Wheat from New Belgium is another, and far superior to the AB offering.

unionrdr said:

She picked out their Summer Ale kit,with wheat & pilsen DME with pilsen LME as well. Not to mention,dried bitter orange zest/lemon zest in a small bag,along with 8oz carapils,& 3 hop packets. Tough to me to find a commercial example of something like that.

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Sam Adams Summer Ale?

Scratch my original post. I LOVE Kolsch! It took me a few bottles to get it (a very different style for me). Still glad I bought some to try out before brewing a batch.

So, for summer Ales - I like Kolsch, I like Cream Ales, I like Wheat Ales. Might as well start brewing, lol. I guess it takes a bit to expand your tastes.

Tetley's is like a lot of dark beers; if it is too cold you detract from the delicious malt flavors. Let it warm up and you'll find a much more enjoyable beer. When in a pub I like to order a stout and a pale ale. I drink the pale while waiting for the stout to warm up.

Rockape66 said:

Tetley's is like a lot of dark beers; if it is too cold you detract from the delicious malt flavors. Let it warm up and you'll find a much more enjoyable beer. When in a pub I like to order a stout and a pale ale. I drink the pale while waiting for the stout to warm up.

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A lot of good beer is like that. My local Chilli's has a bad habit of serving Stone Pale Ale in a frozen mug. I hate that. If I didn't want to taste the beer I would have ordered a BMC Light.

I have kept a running spreadsheet of what I thought of every different beer I have had, broken down by type, for the last 8 years. I am up to 475 different beers on the thing now, but it's a useful tool because I can see which styles have the highest average ranking.

So, statistically, I can tell you my favorite beers are Belgian Quadruples. But practically I would say IPA.

So I won't be brewing any of the styles where I have tried 3 or more beers and disliked all of them.