by Josh Liddy

Introduce your guests to different suds. How to do that is deliciously flexible. Here are some tips to planning your Craft Beer Tasting. And remember, Celebrate Responsibly!

One ounce. That’s the de rigeur sample size in the world of craft beer tasting. More than one ounce per sample will quickly burn out your guests’ palates; and with the higher alcohol content of most craft beers, this will also quickly scramble their ability to discern the flavors and complexities of the beer. (It’s important to remember that your tasting isn’t designed to quaff but rather to query.)

For a Craft Beer Tasting you can feature beers from a particular region, like Belgium, or a particular style like Indian Pale Ale. We recommend selecting four to five types of beers to feature so your guests have a complete tasting experience.

For example, if you wanted to take a look at Arkansas made IPAs I would suggest Lost Forty Rock Hound, Ozark India Pale Ale, Flyway Early Bird, and New Province Philosopher King. Sticking to one style of beer will let you better compare the more subtle nuances in the hop selection and finished product from each brewery.

Pour the samples into tulip glasses, which will let your guests properly see, smell and taste the brew. We recommend cleansing the palate with a bite of cracker or bread between sips. You also need clean glassware for each sample and water.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

• Four to Five Beer Choices

• Four to Five Tulip Glasses

• Scorecards & Pencils for guests

• Bread or Crackers

• Water