Experiencing Beer

[vicratlhead51]

Before I got into homebrewing I pretty much always drank my beer straight from the bottle. Because I want to look for some of the visual qualities, head retention and avoid drinking the yeast at the bottom of the bottle I've started pouring all of my beers even the commercial ones. There's so much you miss when drinking from the bottle. The aroma, the color even some of the mouthfeel because of the difference in the way it comes out of the bottle vs. off the brim of a good beer glass. I'm drinking a Pete's Wicked Ale while writing this and I haven't bought this beer since I started homebrewing. It's got a great malty aroma, I mean it really smells like when I crush the chocolate malt for a beer of my own, the hop aroma is subdued but the bitterness is balanced. I always thought most of these beers I used to drink were just another beer, nothing special, but they all have these awesome qualities I never noticed before. I listen to the Sunday Session on the Brewing Network and the guys on there talk about how they don't look at beer the same as they did before brewing their own. They said that they sometimes feel too critical of beer, picking it apart and judging it, noticing all the componants, almost too critical like being beer judges has made it harder to just enjoy the beer as a whole. I'm actually happy to begin to notice these things. I really enjoy sipping a beer and knowing what went into it. It's stupid, I mean it's just beer right? But I love this hobby because of what it's opened my eyes to. I mean I can really truly enjoy beer now
(Does this make me an alchoholic? I mean I only drink 2 or 3 a day :cross

 

[Zamial]

I agree. I pour em all now myself. I love to mix a few of my HB with something I have never had from the store.

(Does this make me an alchoholic? I mean I only drink 2 or 3 a day :cross

IMO you are not an alcoholic unless alcohol disrupts your life...the midwest is full of "heavy/binge" drinkers. RDWHAHB!

 

[TheWeeb]

it is not stupid, the way your attitude has changed about beer.

There is beauty in beer, in the way it stimulates all five senses, in the way that it makes us feel, in the way that it causes us to contemplate the art and science (and love) that went into its creation.

To the perfect beer, even with its imperfections!

 

[boo boo]

it is not stupid, the way your attitude has changed about beer.

There is beauty in beer, in the way it stimulates all five senses, in the way that it makes us feel, in the way that it causes us to contemplate the art and science (and love) that went into its creation.

To the perfect beer, even with its imperfections!

Sniff, brought a tear to my eye.

 

[vicratlhead51]

IMO you are not an alcoholic unless alcohol disrupts your life...the midwest is full of "heavy/binge" drinkers. RDWHAHB!

LOL I've said the same thing myself. The exact same thing word for word no lie. I've had a few already so maybe i shoulda posted this in drunken ramblings but I thought general beer discussion was a better place for talking about really experiencing beer, not just drinking it. I like the responses though!

 

[Homercidal]

I rarely drink a beer from the bottle anymore. The stuff I drink nowadays just tastes better from a glass. The only time I drink from a bottle is when I'm drinking a light lager, then who cares?

A friend of mine drinks IPAs almost exclusively, and when we were brewing this weekend he was drinking right from the bottle. I never asked him why he doesn't drink from a glass. An IPA!! He did have a Founders Harvest Ale in a glass later and said it was one of the best beers he's ever had. Honestly, I think he's missing out on a LOT of the hp character by drinking from a bottle.

Glass is just better all around.

 

[LuckyRVA]

Honestly, I think he's missing out on a LOT of the hp character by drinking from a bottle.

Absolutely.

Unless I'm drinking a cheap lager I almost alwasy drink from a glass. It kicks the beer drinking experience up a notch IMO.

 

[devilishprune]

Now you have to step up your glassware collection! I used to only drink from pint glasses, but now I tend to enjoy my beers from stemmed glasses, and I feel that it adds to the experience as well.

My coming of legal age to drink and my beginning to brew beer came together at the same time. I think that as a result, I can appreciate beer in a way that I wouldn't be able to otherwise. Every time I drink a beer now, I just consider it research about what I want to brew next!

 

[Marko73]

I also have started to let my beer sit for a few and wait for it to warm up a bit and have some of the carbonation release. This allows me to taste a lot of flavors that I never did before. Really helps appreciate the different styles.

+1 on glassware too. I just ordered a thistle glass for Belgians and I can't wait to have one on hand.

 

[vicratlhead51]

Yeah! Swmbo has a thistle glass from rainforest cafe she got a hurricane in. Its perfect for a bottle of beer with a full head on it. It even looks great when full of beer.

 

[Wigglyscuds]

One of the main reasons why I got into this hobby was to experience better beer. I didn't know what that meant and I had almost no idea why I wanted to try different beers. My initial concept of beer was a light-golden drink that makes you pee and you get a buzz.

The entire idea changed when I started to think of different styles of beer. The idea that beer could have different flavors really was an enticing incentive to start home brewing. I thought "If beer can be like fine wine or gourmet food, well, sign me up." When I realized I could experience beer I was in love. Out of all the hobbies I can do in this life home brewing is one of the coolest.

I love pouring a glass and trying to pick apart the flavors and aromas. I find that it can be like a puzzle where you have to work backwards from the finished piece and find out how it went together. Lots of fun and delicious too.