cleansing palate?

Sharkey 10

Im not sure whether this a relevant question but tonight ive bought a few different beers as i often do , but it just occurred to me for the first time that maybe after drinking one beer the next beers taste may be affected by the previous one.
Does anyone know whether this can happen or am i talking bs?

brianthebard

Well if you drink a seriously hoppy beer/ale the next beer will usually feel much less hoppy in comparison, and you might miss other aspects of the flavour so yeah I think it happens. I'm sure there are numerous examples but this is the most obvious one to me atm.

ciaran76

Took this from beer advocate...
"Cleanse the Palate: It’s highly recommended that you have some water as well as bread, crackers and even popcorn on hand to cleanse the palate between beers and to help stave off inebriation. Avoid salty foods or anything that could overpower the senses – you want to clean the palate, not destroy it"

Sharkey 10

ciaran76 wrote: »

Took this from beer advocate...
"Cleanse the Palate: It’s highly recommended that you have some water as well as bread, crackers and even popcorn on hand to cleanse the palate between beers and to help stave off inebriation. Avoid salty foods or anything that could overpower the senses – you want to clean the palate, not destroy it"

Thankfully i stick to one beer at a party.

BeerNut

If you're trying several different beers it's a good idea to put them in drinking order: leave the stronger and hoppier ones towards the end.

IrishWhiskeyCha

ciaran76 wrote: »

Took this from beer advocate...
"Cleanse the Palate: It’s highly recommended that you have some water as well as bread, crackers and even popcorn on hand to cleanse the palate between beers and to help stave off inebriation. Avoid salty foods or anything that could overpower the senses – you want to clean the palate, not destroy it"

+1 on the above. Not sure if it applies to beer but you can also eat dark chocolate 70% cocoa and above or black coffee too to clear previous tastes and then water to cleanse.

Molloys Clondalkin

Its a very good question the op raises,
In wine circles theres various books and online articles written about tasting etiqute but Ive never seen a pamphelep called the irishmans guide to world beer tasting!

maybe a small stickie for beer wine and spirits could be made for newcomers.

rubadub

ciaran76 wrote: »

bread, crackers

I have seen coffee judges use these.

Sharkey 10

BeerNut wrote: »

If you're trying several different beers it's a good idea to put them in drinking order: leave the stronger and hoppier ones towards the end.

Excuse me for my ignorance but when you say hoppy beer do you mean more bitter tasting beers?
I often hear people say that theres a strong taste of hops from a certain beer but im never sure which flavor there talking about . I alway thought that the more bitter beers were more hoppy.

the beer revolu

Yes, hops are used to bitter beers and are also used for aroma, depending on the variety and/or when in the process they are used.

BeerNut

Sharkey 10 wrote: »

Excuse me for my ignorance but when you say hoppy beer do you mean more bitter tasting beers?

Pretty much, yes. The acids in hops that cause bitterness are the ones that will affect your ability to taste other beers. Hop flavours, as thebeerrevolu says depending on variety, are usually a citric orange or grapefruit sort of taste.

blubloblu

Pine nuts