By the conditional age of 30+, beer lovers already have a couple of preferred varieties that they trust. Coming to the pub in the evening or shopping in the supermarket, we already know which beer to choose and do not want to experiment with unfamiliar brands and tastes. In part, this reluctance to try something new is dictated by the fear of making a mistake: what if the purchased drink turns out to be of poor quality and (or) tasteless? Not only is it a pity for the money spent, but also the evening will be hopelessly ruined.
However, it is enough to remember a few simple and very logical rules so that the choice of a new type of beer does not present the slightest difficulty.
General Tips
Manufacturer. Traditionally, Belgian or German beer is better than Russian or, say, Polish. This does not mean that domestic brands are all completely bad – you just need to understand this, and by default we assume a situation in which none of the proposed varieties is familiar to the buyer.
Temperature. Cold beer is not only tastier than warm beer, but also healthier, so all other things being equal, choose a bottle from the fridge, not from the shelf.
Grade. This is a topic for a separate article, but in short the basics sound like this:
- Lager – light lager beer;
- Ale is a strong and thick beer with a rich aroma;
- Lambic is a fruity Belgian beer;
- Porter is the strongest and darkest beer.
In a specialized bar, you can also treat yourself to “live” unfiltered beer, but you should be very careful: this variety is stored for no more than 2-3 days, so order only a freshly brewed drink.
Shop selection
Tara. Contrary to popular belief, neither the size nor the material of the container today affect the taste. You can safely choose beer in a bottle, can, plastic jug – the characteristics of the drink will depend solely on the composition, technological features of production and storage.
Composition. Be sure to read the label. No, we are not talking about “hunting” for “E-100500” and other additives (although the fewer of them, the better, of course): it is important that the recipe contains 80% water, and the remaining 20% is malt and hops. The presence of fragrances and flavors is possible, but not required. If you see the term “malt additive” on the label, you know this is not beer.
Shelf life. If some fantastic shelf life of several years is indicated on the bottle, this is a bad sign: real beer does not lie that long, even pasteurized. For live (unpasteurized beer), the expiration date will usually expire after a few weeks.
Fortress. The percentages indicated on the label often indicate not the strength, but the density of the drink, do not confuse these two concepts. If you want to treat yourself to a strong beer, choose a variety with a density of 10% or more, then the degrees will be approximately two and a half times less. At the moment, most manufacturers separately indicate the alcohol content.
grade. To choose a good beer, it is not necessary to understand lambics, lagers and porters – you just need to determine for yourself which flavor you prefer (for example, fruity) and focus on it.
Order at the bar (pub)
Theoretically, you can always consult with the bartender so that he suggests a more pleasant option. But in practice, the bartender himself may turn out to be by no means a beer sommelier, in addition, it is possible that he has an instruction “from above” to quickly sell the stale leftovers. So pay attention to the following things.
Storage conditions. It is clear that visitors are not allowed into the back room, but if the beer kegs are not directly behind the counter, this is already good: it is likely that they are stored in a dark, cool and dry room, as expected.
Spill conditions. In order for the beer to retain its taste and aroma, it should be poured from clean taps into a damp glass (the bartender must pre-rinse the glass, but not wipe it).
The behavior of beer in a glass. Take a look at the neighboring tables: good beer leaves distinct foam rings inside the glass. If the dishes remain clean, the drink is diluted or does not meet the declared quality.
After the purchase
Before we talked about the signs that can be assessed without buying beer, now let’s move on to the immediate sensations when tasting.
The color of the drink should be clear and transparent, impurities and turbidity indicate a violation of technology.
The taste is supposed to be full, with a rich palette of nuances, but without sourness.
Hop bitterness should be clearly felt, but not cause discomfort.
The foam settles only a few minutes after the spill (the level of the beer itself should rise).