BeerBorg

I think it's fair to say that once you start drinking more beer your tastes change over time. I'm not talking about the simple shifts like the fact that 2 years ago I didn't like IPAs and now I do, I'm talking more about things you can pick up on now that maybe you couldn't before.

Can you tell which yeast strain a beer uses by taste alone? Are you able to perceive the difference between Pale Malt and 2-row? C40 versus C60?

For me, I've developed a sensitivity to diacytel and oxidation and have a very low threshold for them at this point. Last night I picked up a couple of beers from the store that I haven't had in a while (Moose Drool and Lagunitas Censored). I couldn't drink either of them. Both of them were just "off" to the point that I couldn't swallow more than the first sip. I've been out to bars with friends and sent beers back because of this when a friend took a sip and couldn't taste anything wrong so clearly it's just how my palette is developing.

Mind you, I never claim to have a great palette and often I can't tell what's in food/drink other than "I like it" or "I don't like it" but this area seems to have become something that I can pick up on. On the flipside I don't think I pick up on fusels very much. I know Beer-lord sent me a few beers over the past 6 months that he thought were fusel-bombs and I couldn't detect that at all.

Just musing today as I think back at how disappointed I was last night in having to pour not one, but two of my favorite beers down the sink.

Someday I'd like to be in a setting where someone has all of these things in front of me, and presents them one at a time to help me learn and see if I can tell the differences.

I'm very much in the "I like it" or "I don't like it" level of sophistication. Maybe someday...

My Palate has been wrecked LONG before Green Flash came out with Palate Wrecker. It started about 6-7 years ago when a friend was trying different beers. They were 'hoppy' but nothing like today. Then I went to Racer 5 and thought, that was it but I've since found that Stone, Green Flash and others made beer that I wanted all the time.

Yes, my taste has changed but it also may ruin my future ability to enjoy other beers so I make sure that I drink a hefe now and then, enough porters and stouts to help and whatever else I think I may like that's NOT overly hopped.

RickBeer wrote:Someday I'd like to be in a setting where someone has all of these things in front of me, and presents them one at a time to help me learn and see if I can tell the differences.

I'm very much in the "I like it" or "I don't like it" level of sophistication. Maybe someday...

I agree, that would be great. A tasting of off flavors would be incredibly helpful to homebrewers and I would sign up for that in a heartbeat.

I don't know if I'm more sensitive. Certainly more educated. I know what I want now, and what I taste. But I still get my wife to sample all my brews for off flavors. The benefit of marrying a princess!

I've been brewing for almost 2 years now and as far as discerning different ingredients, nah, I still can't do that.
Unless it's hefe yeast, or something that far off the norm, I can't tell that either.
I guess that's why I have such a hard time with making clone beers. Not enough time or experience.

The only hops I can readily distinguish are the one I use myself on a regular basis.
And, as far a lot of the popular IPAs go, they are so hoppy, they taste like "mosh" to me, no clarity
of any one flavor at all.

I do know what I like though!

I used to prefer balanced beers, maintaining that I didn't like stouts and didn't like IPAs.

I still prefer balanced beers, but I'm also leaning a lot more toward IPAs, and will often prefer one if I'm in the mood, or I think it's going to pair well with my food. I'm also appreciating the various grain subtleties in darker beers.

I guess what I'm saying is that my palate has changed to the extent that I'm tasting beer and not just drinking it.

FedoraDave wrote:I guess what I'm saying is that my palate has changed to the extent that I'm tasting beer and not just drinking it.

I like that statement, Dave. Wraps up my palate difference since beginning to brew from just "drinking" beer.

I use to not like stouts or porters. Now I have an appreciation for them and like to brew them as well. The different grains I can taste in them now, where as I use to stay away from them at all costs. Not my favourite beers right now, though I have learned to enjoy them from before.

I'm still a pretty middle of the road guy when it comes to my favorites (balanced to slightly hoppy), but now I can enjoy just about any style. I completely agree with FD that I appreciate the different flavors of beer now. I tend to find myself treating the first few sips more like a tasting event, trying to recognize the hops. That gets a few strange looks from time to time, but that doesn't bother me. SWMBO calls me a beer snob every once in a while...

teutonic terror wrote: Unless it's hefe yeast, or something that far off the norm...

Ooh, ooh...I can tell hef yeast, too!!

It has changed. I preferred balanced or sweeter beers. Then it was IPA's, for awhile Belgiums, now it is pretty much open. Tend to be preferring variety now. No one style being a favorite. So I came to appreciate all beer styles not just one. Still can't stand that stuff the big boys try and sell us as beer!!

haerbob3 wrote:It has changed. I preferred balanced or sweeter beers. Then it was IPA's, for awhile Belgiums, now it is pretty much open. Tend to be preferring variety now. No one style being a favorite.

But can you pick out more details than you could previously?

Kealia wrote: A tasting of off flavors would be incredibly helpful to homebrewers and I would sign up for that in a heartbeat.

Ron have you seen BJCP falvor kits. It's not the cheapest thing, but if you get some friends or a brew club to join in and split the cost. Also it's cheaper if to are a BJCP.

That's cool. But at the end of the long list of flavors listed, most if which are 'off flavors' - there's "hefeweizen". What the heck?!?!

You mean that's not an off flavor?