What do you taste?

[C-Rider]

The below is from BeerSmith describing a Scottish Export. How many of you out there can taste even half of what they are talking about? Me I generally have no idea what all those tastes/flavors are. I brewed one a month ago, a first for me and WOW I really liked it. All I can say about it is that it's really a GOOD beer and reminds me of a "good" stout. Maybe it's just that my 77 year old taste bud don't work any more. But then they haven't really worked well for the past 10 years of brewing. I can tell there are differences between beer types, but basically to me the beer is ether GOOD or JUNK.

Aroma: Low to medium maltiness, often with flavors of toasted breadcrumbs, lady fingers, and English biscuits. Low to medium caramel and low butterscotch is allowable. Light pome fruitiness in best examples. May have low traditional English hop aroma (earthy, floral, orange-citrus, spicy, etc.). Peat smoke is inappropriate. Flavor: Entirely malt-focused, with flavors ranging from pale, bready malt with caramel overtones to rich-toasty malt with roasted accents (but never roasty) or a combination thereof. Fruity esters are not required but add depth yet are never high. Finish ranges from rich and malty to dry and grainy. A subtle butterscotch character is acceptable; however, burnt sugars are not. The malt-hop balance tilts toward malt. Peat smoke is inappropriate.

 

[MMP126]

I think there is a lot of things that play into this...

While taste is pretty subjective (we all get slightly different things when we taste certain things, like some people love Anise, but I REALLY hate it). And I think this rings true for beer also. We all taste/smell/feel different things. That is kind of the fun in all of this too...Discussing flavors and aromas with people is a good time, and make you a better brewer/taster.

Another point, our pallete is only as good as items we have tasted in the past. Like, I have read that people taste Loquat in an IPA. I have never even heard of a Loquat before this, so how can I know what one tastes like? Or if I get that flavor in a beer? Same thing here with the breadcrumbs and lady fingers. If you never had one, how do you know?

Beyond that, I think that there must be something in your head that is telling you that something is "good". Some flavor, aroma and mouthfeel sensations must trigger something in you to be like, "OH, this is good (or junk)!". Maybe you haven't explored that yet, or tasted beer with the intent of finding these "breadcrumbs, lady fingers, or English biscuits" nuanced flavors. It worth a shot, and its fun. Or maybe you do not care, haha!

It almost always boils down to, if the beer is good, we drink it! And sometimes if its bad, we drink it anyways!

 

[NitrogenWidget]

i brew an awesome session IPA in the summer with Ekuanot hops.
the finish on the beer is a hint of green pepper when dry hopped.
I know what it is because I read about it and expected it.
but nobody else has figured it out because it blends with the rest of the hop flavor.

they just know there is a finish on the beer that makes their tastebuds perk and they like it.
I'm not telling anyone what it is because I want to see if someone else figures it out.

 

[RM-MN]

When I read all those flavors/aromas description I just figure that the writer has a good imagination and gets paid for his writing by the word.

 

[gunhaus]

The below is from BeerSmith describing a Scottish Export. How many of you out there can taste even half of what they are talking about? Me I generally have no idea what all those tastes/flavors are. I brewed one a month ago, a first for me and WOW I really liked it. All I can say about it is that it's really a GOOD beer and reminds me of a "good" stout. Maybe it's just that my 77 year old taste bud don't work any more. But then they haven't really worked well for the past 10 years of brewing. I can tell there are differences between beer types, but basically to me the beer is ether GOOD or JUNK.

Aroma: Low to medium maltiness, often with flavors of toasted breadcrumbs, lady fingers, and English biscuits. Low to medium caramel and low butterscotch is allowable. Light pome fruitiness in best examples. May have low traditional English hop aroma (earthy, floral, orange-citrus, spicy, etc.). Peat smoke is inappropriate. Flavor: Entirely malt-focused, with flavors ranging from pale, bready malt with caramel overtones to rich-toasty malt with roasted accents (but never roasty) or a combination thereof. Fruity esters are not required but add depth yet are never high. Finish ranges from rich and malty to dry and grainy. A subtle butterscotch character is acceptable; however, burnt sugars are not. The malt-hop balance tilts toward malt. Peat smoke is inappropriate.

Have you tried extending your pinkie finger on your drinking hand, with your nose slightly tilted up, and with a smug knowing look in your eye? It is supposed to unleash the full potential of the olfactory/taste sensory system! It worked for the pretentious wine crowd for decades till it was absconded by the beer enlightenment movement. I'm with you an the GOOD or JUNK method!

 

[NitrogenWidget]

Have you tried extending your pinkie finger on your drinking hand, with your nose slightly tilted up, and with a smug knowing look in your eye? It is supposed to unleash the full potential of the olfactory/taste sensory system! It worked for the pretentious wine crowd for decades till it was absconded by the beer enlightenment movement. I'm with you an the GOOD or JUNK method!

Imagine someone doing this with a NEIPA.

 

[C-Rider]

When I read all those flavors/aromas description I just figure that the writer has a good imagination and gets paid for his writing by the word.

Yea and I get the same impression when I read reviews on cigars.