7 replies to this topic

[Big Nake]

Have we talked about this before? The first sip of beer you take on any given day is unlike any of the sips that follow. Your mouth gets the full impact of the beer on that first taste because you haven't had a beer yet. The rest of the session is just fine but it's not like that first sip. Over the weekend it was warm and sunny here and I was doing a bunch of stuff. I brewed, cleaned up yard a little bit and did a bunch of projects around the house. At some point I went downstairs to grab a beer and this helles I have on tap right now seemed like just the ticket. That first sip was phenomenal. This particular beer [and style] have come a long way here and this keg happened to come up exceptionally well. But that first taste wakes up all of your buds at the same time and really gives you a feel for the flavor of the beer. I wish I had a reset button for my tastebuds. Take a great sip, hit the reset. Take another sip, hit the reset. Cheers Beerheads.

[HVB]

I know you will not go for this but I find a nice lambic in the middle of a drinking session cleans the palate up nicely.

[Poptop]

Ken, I couldn't agree more with your assessment. Highly quaffable homebrew is always awesome in the spirit crushing heat and humidity.

Edited by Steppedonapoptop, 13 April 2015 - 10:45 AM.

[ChicagoWaterGuy]

I could see that from an enjoyment standpoint, law of diminishing returns. In judging, it usually takes me a beer or two to get warmed up, where I can really start picking up the nuances. Contests used to start with a calibration beer but I haven't seen a comp do that in years. I think I need to start having a light lager before judging. Ken care to send me some Helles? 

I know you will not go for this but I find a nice lambic in the middle of a drinking session cleans the palate up nicely.

+1 I love a good sour to reset the palate.

[Big Nake]

I suppose this could change based on the style. A hoppy beer will get hoppier (to me) as the session goes on and I might pick up more hop notes but I might also end up with fatigued buds where I can't taste much. In this helles, there is a great, crisp snap to the beer (it's hopped a little more than a standard helles... 26 or 27 IBU) when you first drink it and all of the character from the grains, hops and yeast all come out at the same time and it's incredible. The hops are just FWH and a 60-minute addition so it's not like there are flavor or aroma additions but the FWH may be responsible for this character I'm getting. Anyway, I feel like the best reading I get from a beer is on the first sip.

[positiveContact]

it's called the thirst ken.  so thirsty!!!!

[neddles]

I suppose this could change based on the style. A hoppy beer will get hoppier (to me) as the session goes on and I might pick up more hop notes but I might also end up with fatigued buds where I can't taste much. In this helles, there is a great, crisp snap to the beer (it's hopped a little more than a standard helles... 26 or 27 IBU) when you first drink it and all of the character from the grains, hops and yeast all come out at the same time and it's incredible. The hops are just FWH and a 60-minute addition so it's not like there are flavor or aroma additions but the FWH may be responsible for this character I'm getting. Anyway, I feel like the best reading I get from a beer is on the first sip.

I've noticed this too. I have noticed the same thing with a good cup of coffee/espresso. To me, hoppy beers will always get hopper if they are served too cold at the outset.

[positiveContact]

I've noticed this too. I have noticed the same thing with a good cup of coffee/espresso. To me, hoppy beers will always get hopper if they are served too cold at the outset.

 

that may be true.  served at the right temp I find them most hoppy at the start though.