Now that St. Patrick’s day is past us, it’s time to move on from the copious amounts of watery green beer just consumed & on to something a little more grown up. A beer tasting is the perfect way for your & your buddies to get acquainted with the rapidly expanding arsenal of craft beers being made available to the average consumer. Not so long ago, a man’s choices were limited to a product from the big three – SAB-Miller, Anheuser-Busch, & Molson Coors Brewing Co. – which to be polite, are a step above rainwater in terms of flavour.

Some industrious people realized this & took to task making some of the most exciting & delicious beers ever to hit the market; beers that are more accessible than ever. So with that in mind, we’ve assembled a list of 5 things that will help you host your very own beer tasting party. Check them out below!

1) Give Beer Time to Warm Up

For most people that have grown up on a steady diet of beer advertising, this may seem counter-intuitive: beer is supposed to be ice-cold, one step south of frozen, right? Not the case. Generally speaking, the colder the beer, the less you can actually taste as your mouth is shocked by the temperature. Flavors & nuances in a beer become more pronounced as its temperature rises, so make sure to pull the beers out 15-20 minutes before they will be tasted.

2)Start Light

Always serve your beers lightest to darkest, keeping in mind that high alcohol content beers (7% or more) should come later because they will disturb the palate more. Also, minimize the number of these high alcohol Bocks or Stouts to no more than two unless you want someone to wear a lampshade on their head.

3)Get Glassed-Up

A clean glass is required for each person & every beer they taste, which adds up to a lot of glasses. Try calling a party-planning service that rents glasses out on a single occasion basis. A classic 8 Ounce glass will suffice for most beers, while high alcohol or darker beers can benefit from wine glasses or snifters that will open up the aromas more & allow the beer to warm up as well.

4)Be Cheesy

Cheese is a near perfect pairing for beer, with both flavors & textures working to compliment each other. Still, hold off on eating cheeses until after the main tasting, since it will affect how flavors are perceived.

5)Where to Start

Here are a few of our favorite craft beers that span the spectrum of flavor & style. Remember to have fun exploring different styles & regional offerings unique to your area. Enjoy!
– Anchor Brewing Liberty Ale: A wonderfully harmonious blend of a rich, malty body, floral hops, and a tangy, bright finish.
– Breckenridge 471 IPA: The 471 IPA (India pale ale) is double-hopped, double-malted, and about as subtle as a kick in the face from an angry Colorado mule
– Sprecher Black Bavarian Style Lager: This Sprecher Brewing standby (it’s almost 40 years old) is an unusual beer in that its opaque black color belies its light flavor profil