It started off as it always does as a silly idea. A few hours ago a mate rang up and in mid-conversation I said ”why not come around for a beer”. Then another mate rang. And then BeerSweden Trev.

Suddenly we had the makings of an impromptu beer tasting, which tonight is going by the name Noobs (that’s them) v Nerd (that’s me).

The format is breathtakingly simple (with this lot it has to be….). I’ve just done a ‘smash n grab’ at the local Systembolaget – rapidly throwing a weird selection of beers into my grey shopping basket. We’ll go through the lot in no particular order, tasting each beer and writing one sentence about it right here – updating this post as we go along. There will be no spitting. There will be arguments. I will win them.

The three Noob tasters are:

Simon Toots: A gentle giant from the Streets of London, Simon has ‘been around a bit’. His tastes in beer are typically English, which in other means lots. A keen skier, father of three, stickler for detail and looks rather fetching in a chicken suit

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Christian Ericsson: Does the best Brooklyn accent I’ve ever heard (and I’m counting with Garrett Oliver too). Can only really do it while drunk though. Is a level 80 Tauen Shaman in World of World Craft – whatever that means. Clearly needs to get out more and taste some beer.

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BeerSweden Trev: This time next year we’ll be millionaires!

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BeerSweden Darren: the Nerd (with no eyes).

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The first beer out is Trashy Blonde – more to follow:

Brewdog Trashy Blonde – 4.1ABV%

Simon: soooo bitter – grapefruits! – leaves the mouth dry and wanting another chirp – surprised it is only 4,1%!

Christian: I have had better tasting blondes (Ed Note: Oh really?)

BeerSweden Trev: It’s alright!

BeerSweden Darren: Tastes all peachy and lemons. Like licking the fingers of a hairdresser while they are dying someone’s hair.

Red October – Gotlands Bryggeri – 6% ABV

Simon: Perched in your favourite chair with this beer by the open fire on a crimble day would suit you sir but no more than a couple.

Christian: Not bad but I liked the movie way more.

BeerSweden Trev: It’s alright!

BeerSweden Darren: A little ‘sub’ par (get it?) for a Marzen. Pleasant marzipan malt aroma but about as refreshing as a run upstairs.

Avery Seventeen Black Lager – 8.7%ABV

Simon: There’s a lot going on in this number – sweeet sweeet with a clean dry finish.

Christian: I loved this ALOT ! Seventeen of these and I would give Tony Soprano a run for his money.

BeerSweden Trev: Oh God! Who wants to finish that off for me!!

BeerSweden Darren: Oh yes, now we’re talking. Like a cup of fierce Italian coffee. Creamy vanilla, bitter chocolate, bottom of a boat and liquorice. Fantastic!!

Slottskällans Imperial Stout 2010 – 9% ABV

Simon: Too much sweet sweet and not enough tea bag – sticks in the back of the throat – not good for a swallow

Christian: This flavour is somehow oddly familiar, I am getting undertones of jockstraps but the strongest taste by far is that of feet.

BeerSweden Trev: I like this!

BeerSweden Darren:If the last beer was espresso this is all Nescafe coffee granules. Coca-cola sweet front end, raisin juice middle and an OK drying finish. Thin and a bit disappointing.

Traquair 2010 – 10%ABV

Simon: Nutty nougat!

Christian: Brown sugar is the shit !IMHO it’s sublime I would go as far as saying awesome sauce.

BeerSweden Trev: This ain’t not nufink like an ale…it’s a porter innit?

BeerSweden Darren:Stunning dark mahogany colour. Smells like the runny caramel sweet in a box of Alladin chocolates. Melted brown sugar and suggestions of a heavy tannic Bordeaux wine. Treat this like a port and introduce it to a lump of rough Stilton. A masterpiece!

St Eriks Dubh – 10.7% ABV

Simon: Great beer for a hangover – if you’re a fan of depth charging.

Christian: I don’t like whisky but I really like Irish coffee though and this tastes like a cold Irish coffee, me gusto mucho !

BeerSweden Trev: Jag fjällvandrade en gång och man fick smeta in något äckligt för att bekämpa myggen. Det här smakar som det där äckliga medlet luktade!!! Tror det kallades för bäckolja.

BeerSweden Darren: I’m not a huge fan of transferred alcohol flavours in my beer but there’s something about this one that intrigues me. Nice level of peaty, smoke-fired malts and a smooth semi-sweet body. Lots of fireside notes. Great in small doses. A sophisticated sipper!

Bulldog Stong Ale (Courage) – 6.3%ABV – FROM 1993!

Simon: Finished the tasting session on a bottle of courage, flat honey. time for the pub!

Christian: I have a very vague memory of what an 18 year old tasted like. This really brings back memories.

BeerSweden Trev: Awful!

BeerSweden Darren:WOW! Raw unfiltered honey and splash of soy sauce.  Old wooden cask and huge honey sweetness. This bulldog has lost its bite in the middle and the hops gave up years ago. Having said that this is still very drinkable after 17 years. Fun experience!

Well that’s it. We’re off down the pub!

Cheers and Beers!

Found this very interesting article about a National Geographic-organised tasting of Scandinavian beers held in Washington DC last week by possibly the nicest gentleman in craft brewing, Garrett Oliver – Brewmaster of Brooklyn Brewery.

Now if I’m being perfectly honest the first thing that struck me was the fact that the National Geographic Society organises beer tastings. And here was I thinking NG was all about stunning photography and documentaries about rare and endangered species of tigers. I will be renewing my subscription without delay!

The fact that this tasting of Scandinavian beers took place at all and the extremely positive words of Mr Oliver about the beer scene in this part of the world are testimony to what I and other beer writers/bloggers been saying for some time now. Sweden and our Nordic neighbours really are producing some of the most interesting beers on the planet!

So now you don’t just have to take my word for it. If National Geographic says it’s true it’s true and that’s all there is to it.

(Footnote: It’s worth mentioning that Sweden only had one beer in the tasting, Nils Oscar’s highly rated barley wine. This is largely due to the fact that all the beers appear to have come from the same US beer importer who only represent Nils Oscar and Oppigårds to date – although admittedly that’s one hell of a start! The star of the show is undoubtedly Nøgne-Ø, which are rapidly earning a well deserved reputation as the most adventurous and export-friendly Scandinavian brewery there is. I’d suggest more micros in this country could learn a lot from what they are doing to win over new markets).

If you’ve never had a beer tasting before there are a few very simple steps that can improve your experience and help you on the way to becoming a better beer taster.

But before we begin getting up close and personal with the beers there’s a few things you need to think about before you start:

Where is the tasting taking place?

Tasting beer is both a physical and a psychological experience, so the environment in which you sample beers can have a bearing on your appreciation of them. Try to avoid tasting beers in a noisy, crowded or smoky room. It’s much better to be somewhere comfortable where you can relax and try some great beers surrounded by great people.

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What temperature should you serve the beer?

If a beer’s poured too cold it can numb your tastebuds and dumb down the subtleties of the brew. Too warm and certain unwanted tastes and smells will be amplified and the carbonation will quickly fade, making the beer go flat. As a general rule aim for: 7 °C/45 °F for ”light” beers (pale lagers); 8 °C/46 °F for Berliner Weisse and other wheat beers, 9 °C/48 °F for all dark lagers, altbier and German wheat beers; 13 °C/55 °F for regular British ale, stout and most Belgian specialities and 15.5 °C/59.9 °F for strong dark ales (especially trappist beer) and barley wine.

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How many beers should I try at one tasting?

I’d suggest you taste a maximum of six beers at any one time. This is because unlike when you taste wine you shouldn’t spit the beer out (if you do you’ll miss out on the bitter bite of most beers)  which means the effects of alcohol will inevitably blunt your tasting ‘tools of the trade’ the longer the tasting goes on. It’s best to taste a few beers on several separate occasions rather than lots of beer all at one time

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What type of glasses should I use?

Many types of beer come with their own unique glasses which have been specifically designed to capture and heighten the experience of a specific beer. However not many people have these glasses at home so I’d recommend a standard red wine glass or brandy snifter, as their ‘balloon’ shape holds in aromas and makes it easier for you to swirl the beer without spilling it down your front!

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Should I serve food with my tasting?

Unless you’re planning to host a beer and food dinner I don’t recommend you serve food during your tasting.  You want to give your tastebuds a bit of room to do their thing without confusing them with strong flavours and smells from crisps, peanuts, cheeses or other snacks. However it’s always a good idea to have some cold water on hand to cleanse the palate and if you’ve really can’t resist munching then some unsalted crackers can also help ‘reset’ your tastebuds (and get a bit of food in your stomach to help absorb some of that alcohol too!)

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I’m worried I’ll taste raspberries but my friends will taste strawberries. Who’s right and who’s wrong?

The answer is no-one! One of the great things about beer tasting is that you can never be wrong – tasting beers is very subjective and everyone translates taste according to references from their own personal experiences. There are some objective characteristics of beers that are roughly measurable and experienced by the majority of people in the same way (for example if a beer is flat or fizzy, sweet or bitter). The rest is open to interpretation – your interpretation.

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So now you’re ready to begin your tasting. You’ve got your beers, you’ve invited you friends (or you’re keeping your beers all to yourself) and you’re wondering what’s next?

Now all you have to do is  learn the 4 steps to becoming an expert beer taster!