favorite beer & sensory resources

No one is born with beer knowledge - it all comes from somewhere. Below find some of my favorite resources.

Books

Head to my Under the Jenfluence Bookshop.org shop to see my recommended resources for everything from getting started in beer to sensory to history.

Note: this is an affiliate account, which means a portion of your purchases get donated to independent bookstores and I receive a small commission as well. Give your money to us and not billionaires.

Newsletters

The Share by Stephanie Grant: The Share is a weekly chat with your friend who’s really obsessed with beer and food. Like really obsessed. Food and beer—all have something in common; they give us a reason to gather. It’s how we celebrate and commiserate. And since the early days of this country, Black people have had an integral part in shaping how we eat and drink. This newsletter is about celebrating my ancestors while sharing my thoughts and adventures in food and beer. As a free or paid subscriber, you will receive weekly issues focused on beer pairings, musings about the industry, recipes, news, recommendations, and everything you would talk about over drinks with a friend.

Prohibitchin’ by Beth Demmon: Prohibitchin’ seeks to amplify the voices of people working in and around craft beer, spirits, wine, and other beverage alcohol segments who may not get the recognition they deserve.

Boak & Bailey by Jessica Boak and Ray Bailey (pen names): We’re geeks in general, but especially about beer and pubs. We write under the names Jessica Boak and Ray Bailey. We live in Bristol in the UK. We’ve been blogging about beer since 2007.

For every thirst, a beer. Welcome to Under the Jenfluence!

Beer and brewing are fascinating and the opportunities to learn more about them are endless. Those opportunities should be accessible to everyone wanting to learn more about beer as well as fun, approachable, and respectful.

On the Under the Jenfluence website, you can find information on

About Jen blair

Jen Blair is the founder and curator of Under the Jenfluence. Jen is an Master Cicerone® and National BJCP Beer Judge. Jen is the co-host of the beer and brewing podcast False-Bottomed Girls. Jen is also a member of the Craft Maltsters Guild Technical Projects Working Group and the Master Brewers Association of the Americas Podcast Working Group.

Jen currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband, Tom, and Central Asian Shepherd siblings, Boris and Natasha.

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beer & Sensory

Taste the Funk with me! I’ll be conducting a guided tasting of mixed fermentation flavors at the @gacraftbrewersguild conference on Monday. Don’t dilly dally, though, because attendance is limited to the first 50 attendees! If you don&rs
Understanding how to evaluate resources is critical! Read more about how popularity does not equal expertise in this month’s newsletter. Also find out why we think some seasons have a distinct smell! 🍁🍂🍁
How effective are programs such as Ask for Angela and Angel shots for the craft beer industry? Read this month’s newsletter to learn why they may not be as effective as you think. Link in bio!
Today is the day! I’ll be presenting at @barrelandflow this afternoon and would love if you joined me! It will be a great opportunity to improve your descriptive vocabulary! @cicerone
What if it does work out? My August newsletter is out now and talks about starting ugly and what I’ve learned from starting ugly. Link in bio!
THIS WEEK! Learn how to build your own beer recipes during my @craftedforaction virtual session! Registration link in bio.
Are you bitter? Or are you not being listened to? May’s newsletter is out now and discusses this characterizing someone as bitter derails the message. It also covers our taste of bitterness and how you can find out your taster status. Link in
Let’s talk pay transparency!💰 Including the salary range in job postings is becoming more and more common and some states even require it. Pay transparency has a plethora of benefits for employers and job candidates alike. You can read more a
My March newsletter just hit inboxes! We talk about status quo bias and the Echo Chamber of Sainted White Men in the beer industry as well as how a beer’s position in a flight influences our perceptions of it. Read and subscribe via the link in
Stereotypes are one way our brains interpret information we receive, but when we categorize, we can also polarize. My newest newsletter is available now at the link in my bio.
Czech Republic photo dump part 1! 1. The @lukr.cz Perfect Pour Academy was an incredible educational experience and I highly recommend it 2. In the cellars at @pilsnerurquell 3. Tmave! 4. THEE Pilsen town hall where the city’s brewers dumpe
Update your resume before you have to. Read more about the braided river model of development and some very Good News about updated sensory language in my January newsletter. Plus, I share my list of top 10 books I read last year!
I DID IT!
I had an amazing week in Chile last week judging beer and making new friends! Thank you for the invite @copacervezas 🍻🇨🇱🍻
What unpaid emotional and mental labor are you expected to perform at your job? Read more about the impact unpaid emotional and mental labor has on the beer industry in my November newsletter, which hit inboxes this morning. Please subscribe if you
My October newsletter is hitting inboxes today! I talk about the break I’m mostly taking and share my tips for keeping your nose and mouth in top sensory shape. Subscribe via the link in my bio!
The Bevs do Bozeman. 10/10 would recommend, otherwise good. #goodvipesonly
When is it mansplaining and when is it explaining while being a man? Some handy guidance plus a reminder that imposter syndrome does not exist - all in my August newsletter! 📷by @samtemp1e
July's newsletter is now live and covers how to deal with devil's advocates and thought-terminating cliches. Plus, the three sensory phrases I want you to stop using! Read & subscribe at link in bio.