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While craft beer has been enjoying increasing popularity in the last few years, not everyone is confident enough to stride into that new beer hall down the street and roll a beer order right off their tongue like a beer sommelier fresh from beer sommelier school. Even if you’re not steeped in hops lore, there are a few things you can learn about ordering something you won’t hate, and not feeling like a total n00b when you do.
The Atlantic’s CityLab has a great guide for non-beer snobs to bring them through the maze of craft beers on menus these days and come out with a tasty selection on the other side. A few of our favorite lessons learned are below, with step-by-step guidance over at CityLab.
1. Come prepared with examples you know you like: Whether it’s a brand name or a memory of a taste, knowing what tastes good to you will help bartenders make a recommendation. Love Guinness, hate Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and only drink Budweiser when you’re desperate? That information can come in useful.
2. Study up on a few flavors common in the industry: Engert has developed categories he says are used at places like Whole Foods, and are likely similar to terms used in many beer establishments — Crisp, Malt, Hop, Roast, Smoke, Fruit and Spice, and Tart and Funky. These flavors can vary, but can provide a good starting point when talking with bartenders. CityLab has a great chart with more information in its guide.
3. Not all beers are served the same (so play it cool): Maybe you’re used to seeing beer served in a tall, frosty glass, or a pint glass. But don’t be surprised if you get 10 ounces of an IPA instead a 16-ounce pint, as ABVs vary by brew and can be more costly when there’s more of it poured. In general: lighter beers are surved colder in straight-sided glasses, while heavier beers come warmer in curved glasses, like a Chimay in a goblet.
For more, check out CityLab’s guide and stop getting so worked up the next time you’re faced with a confusing list of pilsners, lagers, Hefeweizens and stouts. It’s all going to be okay.
The Non-Beer Snob’s Guide to Ordering at a Craft Beer Bar [CityLab]
by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist
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