Palate Frustration

I've been brewing for 7+ years, and have tried to drink as many different commercial examples as humanly (and geographically) possible. In order to help my palate I even quit smoking about a year ago.

It seems as time goes on, I can smell less and less in beer and wonder if I've over saturated myself. Sort of like, I run a pizza shop, and can't smell the pizza anymore.

Is it possible that by drinking beer everyday I ruined my smeller and I need to reset my palate by not drinking for awhile? that would be unfortunate...

out of all the good reasons to quit smoking, you did so so you could drink more beer, lol!

j/k, i have nothing of value to add really.

motobrewer said:

out of all the good reasons to quit smoking, you did so so you could drink more beer, lol!
.

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one of the best reasons to quit smoking i've ever heard

You’re on the right track by tasting as much beer as possible but maybe you need to broaden your smell and taste sensory vocabulary. Beer contains many flavors, a lot of every day stuff and some odd and uncommon ones as well. My best advise is to understand these flavors outside of beer then incorporate them into whatever it is you’re drinking.

Additionally, the BJCP style guidelines have a lot to offer as far as flavors you should be finding.

I’d also recommend doing a vertical tasting of 3 or 4 beers in the same style and try to identify what subtleties make them different.

Ohhh!...congrats giving up smoking for such a noteworthy cause.

Good luck

Can you please define "vertical tasting?" I do have the BJCP guidelines printed and handy when I drink a new beer (or my beer).

What really prompted me was I entered two comps this year (first time ever), and they both commented "strong diacetyl aroma", and I couldn't pick it up. So I started wondering what else am I missing? Do my other beers have diacetyl that I don't notice? I do have a pilsner that screams diacetyl, so I know the taste (failed diacetyl rest). I just don't seem to be able to pick it or other aromas in more subtle levels.

curlyfat said:

Can you please define "vertical tasting?" I do have the BJCP guidelines printed and handy when I drink a new beer (or my beer).

What really prompted me was I entered two comps this year (first time ever), and they both commented "strong diacetyl aroma", and I couldn't pick it up. So I started wondering what else am I missing? Do my other beers have diacetyl that I don't notice? I do have a pilsner that screams diacetyl, so I know the taste (failed diacetyl rest). I just don't seem to be able to pick it or other aromas in more subtle levels.

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I think he means "horizontal" tasting which would be tasting similar beers.

A vertical tasting is tasting the same beer but from different years. So 1998-2005 bottles of Bigfoot would make for a vertical tasting.

Some people don't get diacetyl at all. You can buy diacetyl as imitation butter extract and dose beer samples at different levels.

curlyfat said:

Can you please define "vertical tasting?" I do have the BJCP guidelines printed and handy when I drink a new beer (or my beer).

What really prompted me was I entered two comps this year (first time ever), and they both commented "strong diacetyl aroma", and I couldn't pick it up. So I started wondering what else am I missing? Do my other beers have diacetyl that I don't notice? I do have a pilsner that screams diacetyl, so I know the taste (failed diacetyl rest). I just don't seem to be able to pick it or other aromas in more subtle levels.

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I can't really detect diacetyl either. I had a beer at this year's NHC that had it but I didn't notice it...even AFTER reading the scoresheets as I drank one. Funny thing is that I can't stand the smell of microwave popcorn (edit: 'buttered' that is) but I think that's so intense that nobody could miss it.

I'll bet you can smell cigarette smoke better now!

I just don't seem to be able to pick it or other aromas in more subtle levels.

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I took an 'off-taste' seminar and discovered there were several common problems that I can't detect.

Maybe focusing on a specific style for a week would help.

david_42 said:

I took an 'off-taste' seminar and discovered there were several common problems that I can't detect.

Maybe focusing on a specific style for a week would help.

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Just curious David, did these flavors come across as "something ain't right but I can't put my finger on it" or just as completely non-detectable and did not detract from the beers?

I can't smell at all without washing my nose out with ocean (saltwater spray). Your nose works by having wet membranes for the odors to stick to. So, before I judge I give the nose a good washing and I can then pick up the subtle odors.

yodalegomaster said:

I can't smell at all without washing my nose out with ocean (saltwater spray). Your nose works by having wet membranes for the odors to stick to. So, before I judge I give the nose a good washing and I can then pick up the subtle odors.

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Do you just use a standard nasal saline spray? I might try that tonight. Very interesting..

curlyfat said:

Can you please define "vertical tasting?" I do have the BJCP guidelines printed and handy when I drink a new beer (or my beer).

What really prompted me was I entered two comps this year (first time ever), and they both commented "strong diacetyl aroma", and I couldn't pick it up. So I started wondering what else am I missing? Do my other beers have diacetyl that I don't notice? I do have a pilsner that screams diacetyl, so I know the taste (failed diacetyl rest). I just don't seem to be able to pick it or other aromas in more subtle levels.

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Diacetyl is one of the aromas that some people just can't detect. I've also done an off flavor workshop. We spiked a light lager with 3x perceptible amount. The kit came with a ton of chemicals that corresponded to all kinds of flavors in beer. The 2 I couldn't detect were acedylhyde and diacetyl. Everyone was literally choking from the buttered popcorn aroma while I was shoving my sniffer in the cup trying to get anything. One thing you will notice with this flavor is a weird slickness and almost sweetness on the back of your tongue.

What might help too is getting together with a buddy or group of people and tasting beer. I find that I am a little worse at tasting alone than with someone. It takes experience to actually put into words all of the different things you are smelling and tasting. Having someone to bounce your ideas off of makes it a little easier.