Are you a swirler?

After going to numerous beer tastings and events I have come to the realization that people generally fall into two categories. There are those who swirl their beers and those who don't.

On one side of the fence people will say that swirling releases aroma from the beer and enhances the sensory experience.

On the other side of the fence brewers will say not to swirl beer because it will oxidize rapidly and reduce the freshness of the beer.

Beer is not going to oxidize in the 30 minutes it takes to drink a pint.

I swirl, but mostly dark beers. It releases aroma, reduces carbonation and helps warm it, which for me is preferable in most dark beers.

Lighter beers I really do not swirl.

I'm just more likely to spill my beer.

I swirl my wine but not my beer. But I have, more than once, put my nose so far in a glass that I snorted beer.

How do you swirl beer with a head on it with out sending foam everywhere?

My side of the fence says give it a good whiff after pouring while there's still some head. Then drink it. No swirling for me. Sometimes I'll dip a fork in and stir to make some head if I waited so long the head subsided, but that's rare. I don't swirl wine either, but will sometimes use an aerator.

Some beers that smell interesting or great will cause me to frequently stick my nose in the glass for another whiff, but still no swirl.

Rockn_M said:

I'm just more likely to spill my beer.

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I agree. I have spilt wine while swirling. Maybe I am too clumsy to swirl...

Swirlage is a habit of the affected......
If you can't grasp the hop makeup from a snort in the glass and a good gulp, you probably should not be critiquing beers...
OTOH... it makes for a good first date bullsh*t play....

Beernik said:

I swirl my wine but not my beer. But I have, more than once, put my nose so far in a glass that I snorted beer.

How do you swirl beer with a head on it with out sending foam everywhere?

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I have a nose bigger than most, so I feel the pain when sniffing the beer.

I swirl certain beers. Usually only a beer I'm drinking in a tulip or glassware similar. I'll give a beer I've never had, or one I don't normally consume, a few good sniffs though

A slight swirl in a tulip or brandy glass for any barrel aged or sours. No where near the same extent as a bold red wine but enough to where it bring back a little more head and release some of the delicate aromatics; typically one or two swirls will do. I never swirl IPAs.

Maybe I am being the dork I typically am, but even the BJCP recommends swirling, why would you not want to release as many aromas as possible when enjoying a beer?

I drink at home in tulips all the time so I can maximize aroma enjoyment.

Cyclman said:

Maybe I am being the dork I typically am, but even the BJCP recommends swirling, why would you not want to release as many aromas as possible when enjoying a beer?

I drink at home in tulips all the time so I can maximize aroma enjoyment.

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I knew it! you are Dar!

I take it a step further and set off fire crackers in my beer.

Yeah, I swirl and sniff, especially in stemmed glasses.

SEndorf said:

Swirlage is a habit of the affected......

If you can't grasp the hop makeup from a snort in the glass and a good gulp, you probably should not be critiquing beers...

OTOH... it makes for a good first date bullsh*t play....

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Who said anything about critiquing beers?

And if someone were to swirl a beer and smell it on a first date, they'd look like a right twat.

The BJCP class I took recommended swirling the beer when judging and evaluating a beer. We were also recommended to really try and get a good sniff in when the beer is first opened and poured as a lot of the aromas, especially hop aromas are extremely volatile and are only present for a short period. Swirling the beer causes some co2 to come out of solution and carry with it aroma compounds, so this might be beneficial. Another technique that is taught is to exhale through your nose as you swallow the beer, this takes a little practice to get the timing right, but you can pick up aromas you don't otherwise get by doing this. Again, this is all techniques taught in a class I took.

All that being said, I'm not sitting down at every bar I go to and filling out a score sheet and spending 3-5 minutes evaluating 3oz of beer. In fact 90% of the time I don't do any of this. I order a pint, I take a quick sniff and enjoy. If I am sitting around with some beer buddies and we are pouring sours or high end, complex beers into snifters or tulip glasses I am taking the time to evaluate and enjoy all the labors of the brewer. I tend to go through this process with my own home brews to pick out flaws and successes and take note. This does involve some swirling and I have never sat down and had a beer oxidize in front of my eyes, or overnight. You know that beer that doesn't quite get drunk before you fall asleep on the couch -- take a sip when you wake up. It might be flat and warm, but surely its not oxidized. Oxidation take some time.

I do it during BJCP judging, especially if the beer is being served too cold for style. Cup it in my hand to help warm it a few seconds, give it a swirl to put a little head on it and get some aromatics into the air, then jam your nose in there. Drinking an imperial stout or say a dubbel under 40F is way too cold and isn't going to put off a lot of aroma when it's first poured anyway.

I swirl my wine,

I gulp beer!

I find that once you pour the beer into the funnel, it swirls plenty.

You guys bong all your beers right?

Psylocide said:

I find that once you pour the beer into the funnel, it swirls plenty.

You guys bong all your beers right?

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Im more of a "Flabongo" kind of guy now...

I like to take a big sip, look down and then suck air in so it sounds like you are taking a hit off a bong filled with tobacco... it draws attention. Then when I realize people are looking at me like, "WTF was that?" I make a really pensive, stupid looking face and stroke my chin as though I had a long, gorgeous beard. Then I clock out for the day and go home. Work is stupid anyway.

Sometimes I swirl, sometimes I don't. But it does seem to work to some extent. I just don't always think of it really. But color, head, carbonation, flavor, initial aroma do all come into play. It's part of enjoying the fruits of my labors. Or others for that matter.

I'm a swirler...just to rouse up some CO2 and put a head back on the beer. Hate drinking a headless beer.

My technique for tasting beer is as follows:

1. Drink beer

2. Look for more

In a snifter or a tulip I will swirl like a yuppy. But if its in a pint glass, not so much.

I usually only swirl if I'm trying to warm it up a bit.

SEndorf said:

Swirlage is a habit of the affected......
If you can't grasp the hop makeup from a snort in the glass and a good gulp, you probably should not be critiquing beers...
OTOH... it makes for a good first date bullsh*t play....

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If you pulled that BS out on a first date I'd go home and watch reruns of Tosh.0.


FWIW, I am, without a doubt, not a swirler no matter my skills.

Big sniff, no swirl, maybe a little pause on the first mouthful. I'm more of a quick look at clarity and observe carbonation guy.

I find that if an APA or IPA is too cold and/or has an aroma that is more subdued than expected, I will swirl it and immediately get a nose on to try and determine if the compounds just need to be released or if they were not in the beer at all. Only in a tulip.

I swirl beers I really want to "taste" because it seems to knock out some of the carbonation..... and most beers seem overcarbonated and all you taste is the "bite" of CO2. Aroma too, I guess, but mainly the CO2.

I swirl, all the time. I swirled a natty light in the can in front of my Dad and almost got kicked.

myelo said:

My technique for tasting beer is as follows:

1. Drink beer

2. Look for more

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OP: The beer swirls down into my belly, does that count?

I had to vote no because most of the time I do not swirl my beer. The only time I do is if it's in a tulip/snifter glass and there's only 1 gulp left and it's an IPA. Then maaaaaaybe, I might, give it a swirl. No real reason why either. I guess I just like watching it bubble up before I down the rest of it.

Hello said:

If you pulled that BS out on a first date I'd go home and watch reruns of Tosh.0.
.

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I forgot the sarcasm icon......

Braufessor said:

I swirl beers I really want to "taste" because it seems to knock out some of the carbonation..... and most beers seem overcarbonated and all you taste is the "bite" of CO2. Aroma too, I guess, but mainly the CO2.

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This too, a lot of commercial American beers are way too carbed

Nah, can't be bothered with swirling....ain't nobody got time for that shat...at least intentional swirling...I might unconciously swirl the glass a bit while talking to my lady, but not for any reason other than I dunno what

I guess I'm a swhirler. Of course when trying to give an honest opinion of a sample. But mostly to warm it up.

I have done a lot of wine tasting over the years. I have learned that you swirl red wine to add oxygen. Same reason you decant it or use an aeration device to pour, it very rapidly impacts the wine "aging" it in moments. As white wine doesn't benefit from aging you don't swirl it, so swirling has nothing to do with nosing, that is where proper glassware steps into play. Knowing how dramatic oxygenating red wine impacts the character and how sensitive beer is to oxygen I see swirling it as detrimental. No swirling for me, just a long deep draw on the nose and then I taste like Richard Patterson tastes Scotch... "Hello." "How are you?" "Quite well, thank you very much."

Sensory Analysis course from Siebel also suggests swirling to release aromas, not just BJCP.

I personally don't care if you do or don't, some of the apparently strong opinions I've read crack me up. Go figure, interwebz.

Oxidizing your beer isn't going to happen from swirling it, and if it does someone needs to get you a nipple for that thing because you're taking too many hours to drink it.

I volatize the esters when drinking wine but don't swirl a beer glass.

I swirl.

1) I like the way the bubbles look.

2) It's a way to get the lacing off the side of the glass and back into the liquid. I'm not going to waste beer by leaving it stuck to the side of the glass.

3) It makes SWMBO think I'm going to spill it, and it is fun to mess with her sometimes.

I only swirl the last swig or two which is only a nervous tick in anticipation of getting another one.

jbaysurfer said:

I personally don't care if you do or don't, some of the apparently strong opinions I've read crack me up. Go figure, interwebz.

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Frankly, while interesting...I didn't think the question warranted much of a serious reply.