Flavor standards are a key element in learning to taste beer and improving your beer sensory skills, particularly for identifying off-flavors. However, not all flavor standards are created equal when preparing them. Understanding how to prepare different flavor standards properly will ensure that you are achieving the correct concentration.

Using random 3-digit numbers for your beer sensory panels or beer tasting exam practice means that you’re not unconsciously biasing yourself or others. Random 3-digit codes allow for impartial evaluation.

The Jen Blur Method is a great beer sensory exercise that not only builds your beer style discrimination skills but also helps you become a more confident blind beer taster. The Jen Blur Method can be adapted to varying skill levels, from those looking to train their palates for beer tasting to those preparing for beer exams such as the Cicerone or BJCP tasting exams.

The jelly bean test is a quick and simple sensory exercise designed to demonstrate the difference between orthonasal and retronasal olfaction. Understanding how orthonasal and retronasal olfaction are different is a foundational key to becoming a better beer taster.

Tell the story of beer, piece by piece.

The beer style exploder is a sensory exercise designed to give you a deeper understanding of the flavors of individual beer ingredients and how those ingredients come together in the finished beer.

Cups are a necessary part of almost every sensory exercise. However, you can’t just grab any cup from the store, taproom, or cabinet. Selecting the proper cups for your sensory exercises is an often neglected element that can have a huge impact on sensory.

Believe me when I tell you that doing the preliminary work of making, printing, and affixing labels to cups and other things is the difference between a well-organized beer sensory session and a confusing mess.

Every glass, every time. Properly cleaned glassware enables properly poured beers. A hallmark of a great beer program is a team that consistently creates and fills beer-clean glasses.

The hop tea method is useful to assess the potential dry-hop aroma potential of hops. For those studying for beer exams with a tasting component, such as Cicerone, BJCP, or WSET, hop teas are a great way to learn more about hop aromas and distinguish among hop varieties.

Everyone loves to rub hops. They’re quick, easy, and messy. Experience beer’s ingredients in as many different forms as possible.

The hop grind method is a simple, quick, and repeatable sensory exercise for evaluating hop aroma.

The hot steep method for the sensory evaluation of malt and other grains is the best way to learn more about how malt contributes to the finished beer.