The Citizen’s Guide to Seattle Beer

PICK THE RIGHT VESSEL
You want a red wine glass, 
maybe a brandy snifter. Something with a stem so your hands don’t warm up the beer and a bubble shape to help you fully appreciate its aromas.

LEER AT YOUR BEER 

Hold your glass up to the light. How clear or cloudy (“turbid,” in beer-nerd-speak) is the beer? 
Is the head (froth) lacy?

GET AGITATED
Don’t be shy about swirling 
before you evaluate a beer’s nose. Agitation will reveal much 
about its aromas, carbonation, and consistency.

WHIFF IT
Stick your nose down into the glass and take several short sniffs. Generally a hoppy beer will smell of citrus, grass, and flowers. Toasty, sweet, and caramel notes indicate accentuated malt. (Smell skunk? That’s the unfortunate result of hops that have been exposed to light. Hope you saved your receipt.)

OKAY, HAVE A SIP
But wait one sec! Before you drink, take a moment to think about your tongue. At the 
front tip are the taste buds that sense sweetness; way in the back 
are those that identify bitter. In between you’ve got the salty zone—just behind the sweet 
spot on either side—and behind 
that, the sour/acid region.

GOT THAT?

Now, take a swig and let it roll around in your mouth and 
travel across your tongue. Think about mouthfeel and flavors. Is the body light, medium, or full? Does it taste more sweet than sour, more bitter than sweet? Savor the moment when the sweetness from the malt gives way to hoppy bitterness.

SWALLOW YOUR BEER, AND REPEAT
You are now drinking like a pro.