A few months ago I participated in a beer-tasting at a friend's house. In spite of my general proximity to beer -- what with the carboys in the closet that hang out and ferment and sometimes spit up on my jacket -- you'd think I'd know a lot more about how it's supposed to taste and the proper terminology used to describe said taste. But the technical language -- the top notes and bottom notes, the acidity and astringency, and even the comparisons to other familiar substances like grass, flowers, and grains -- doesn't help fill in any of the blanks for me.
So I have developed my own language for talking about beer, one that I think is more evocative and also more fun, if somewhat less scientific. Below are my tasting notes from that night.
1. Dry, bitter. Pale ale? Like being stuck in a conversation with someone you don't want to talk to at a party.
2. Bright, edgy, toothy. Like biting your tongue in the same spot twice.
3. Vaguely sour, fruity, round. Like hanging out in your best friend's basement on a rainy Sunday afternoon.
4. Light, sweet, bubbly. Like wearing a sundress.
5. Light, plain, simple. Like someone you don't want your friends to meet.
6. Yuck. Bready, bunrt. Like wearing a coat that's too warm.
7. Bitter, full, real, honest. Like making a great point.
8. Gingerbread! Like a fake smile.
9. Strong, dark, syrupy. Like getting caught in a storm.
10. Soda-pop. Like wearing a skirt that flies from your hips out when you spin.
11. Strong, spicy, saucy. Like slapping someone across the face, playfully.
My notes indicate that #7 was my favorite...now, if only I could figure out which beer that corresponds to...
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