Know Exactly What to Change in Your Next Batch
Weekly sensory training you can use immediately.
Created by Master Cicerone™ and Master BJCP Beer Judge, Jen Blair.
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Sensory Exercise: Jelly Bean Test
The jelly bean test is a quick, simple sensory exercise that demonstrates the difference between orthonasal and retronasal olfaction. It is also a great way to demonstrate the difference between our sense of taste and our sense of smell.
Humans have two distinct pathways for perceiving aromas…
Turn Tasting Into a Tool for Better Brewing
Most homebrewers focus on process, ingredients, and technique.
But if you can’t confidently evaluate what is in your glass, it’s hard to know what to change next.
Sensory as Strategy gives you a repeatable way to taste, analyze, and apply what you learn - so that every batch gets better.
What You’ll Get Each Week
Each newsletter is built to be used, not only read.
A step-by-step guide for homebrew sensory exercises, from ingredient deep dives to palate building
Specific ways to apply what you learn to your own brewing
A format you can use solo or with your homebrew club
Prompts for discussion and giving better feedback
What This Helps You Do
✓ Figure out why a batch tastes "off"
✓ Give useful feedback at club meetings
✓ Spot flaws before entering competitions
✓ Know what to change in your recipe
✓ Build confidence tasting your own beer
Featured Posts
Never Wonder What to Do at Club Meetings Again
Each newsletter can double as a ready-made sensory exercise for your next homebrew club meeting.
No guessing what to focus on - receive a clear structure your group can follow.
Built-in sensory exercises
Guided group discussion prompts
A consistent format members can learn from over time.
A Different Kind of Beer Education
Without Sensory as Strategy
“Something seems off”
Random tasting
General feedback
Guess what to fix
With Sensory as Strategy
“The roasted malt is stale”
Structured tasting
Actionable brewing changes
Know what to adjust
Still Wondering If This Is for You?
Why subscribe instead of just buying a book?
Books are great for learning concepts, but they can't guide your tasting week after week.
Sensory as Strategy gives you a new, structured sensory exercise every week, helping you build tasting skills through regular practice. Instead of reading about sensory science once, you'll continually apply it to your own beer and brewing. In many cases, you won’t find these structured sensory exercises anywhere else.
Can I cancel anytime?
Absolutely.
Sensory as Strategy is a month-to-month subscription with no long-term commitment. Stay as long as it's helping you brew better, and cancel whenever you'd like.
How long does each exercise take?
Most exercises take 15–30 minutes, though you're welcome to spend more time exploring if you'd like.
Each edition is designed to fit into real life—whether you're evaluating a single beer after work or leading a discussion at your homebrew club.
Do I need special equipment?
Usually, no.
Most exercises use beers you already have and common household items. Occasionally, I may recommend simple brewing ingredients or beer styles for comparison, but you won't need a laboratory or an expensive sensory kit to participate.
Is this worthwhile if I’ve been brewing for years?
Probably even more so.
Experience teaches you what has happened in your beer. Sensory training helps you understand why it happened and how to evaluate it consistently.
Many experienced brewers discover blind spots in their tasting process—not because they lack brewing knowledge, but because they've never had structured sensory training.
Can my whole homebrew club use one subscription?
Yes—with a few limits.
A single subscription works well if one member is leading the discussion or organizing the meeting. Each issue includes exercises and discussion prompts that can easily be adapted for a group.
If your club would like every member to receive their own copy, I'd love to discuss a club subscription or group licensing option. Please get in touch.
Do I have to follow the exercises every week?
Not at all.
Each issue stands on its own, so you can complete the exercises whenever they fit your schedule. Whether you work through every edition or save them for future brew days or club meetings, you'll build a growing library of practical sensory exercises you can return to again and again.
We perceive bitterness chemically through our sense of taste. We perceive astringency physically through our trigeminal sense. While understanding that two different systems are working to detect bitterness and astringency is helpful in theory, the reality is that these sensations are still happening in one small area at the same time - our palates, namely our tongues.
It’s kind of like saying a snake is venomous, not poisonous. Nice to know, but that doesn’t really help you when you’re staring at a snake that looks like it wants to hurt you in one way or another.