How to Pick Beer for a Tasting Party

Though wine usually gets all of the attention when it comes to tasting parties, beer can be just as palate-pleasing and diverse to sample. It's easy to pick beer for a tasting party; just follow these simple steps.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Decide on the number of beers to serve in order to narrow down your choices. Typically, a beer-tasting party includes 8 to 12 different varieties.
2. Choose your selections by brewing style—such as pilsner, port, bock or cider—to ensure there's a selection each of your guests will enjoy. This way, you'll have a wide variety of tastes for all palates.
3. Select beers from varying geographical areas. Even the same style of beer will taste different depending on where it was brewed. Consider including local microbrews as well if they are available in your area.
4. Include both light and dark beers, though pay particular attention to the flavors and alcohol content. Color is not always an indication of taste or consistency. Serve beers with varying alcohol content and hop levels.
5. Research the brewing styles, origins and flavors of your selections and provide your guests with this information. The staff at most large liquor stores can help you with this, and many brewers have websites with additional information. Aside from providing a general overview of your selections, having this information ensures you can help novice beer-tasters identify flavors.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider throwing a themed beer-tasting party such as "Beers from Germany" or "American Microbrews" to help you pick beers to serve.
• Take note of the proper temperature to serve each of your selections—not all beer is best served cold.

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