James Lallande holds the rare title of Grand Master in the beer judge certification program administered by the nonprofit BJCP. This week, he’s preparing to judge for the 30th annual Bluebonnet Brew-off. The homebrew competition (the largest single site contest of its kind in the world) is held each year in North Texas. This year, around 800 participants are registered, and 1,400 beers have been entered to compete at Irving Convention Center in Los Colinas.
During the judging rounds this weekend, Lallande and his colleagues will be ranking beers based on several factors including appearance, aroma, taste, and mouthfeel. For microbrew fans looking to expand their beer vocabulary and enhance their brew drinking experience, he offers the following insight.
“Everyone tastes beer basically the same way,” Lallande said. “The difference for a beer judge who has become certified is they know how to put vocabulary to what they’re sensing.”
The first thing you should notice about a beer is its appearance, he said. Many people overlook the head (foamy top) of a beer, but a tight head with small bubbles and good retention that lasts for 30 to 40 seconds is a sign of a well made beer. Beyond that, note the color and how clear the beer is.
Next comes the aroma. Make sure to pour your brew into a pint glass to allow the aromatics to release freely.
“Belgium beers may showcase the yeasts that give it a banana or bubblegum smell,” he said. “Stouts like Guinness smell like chocolate and coffee. All the IPAs that are a big craze smell of hops. Hops can come in several many different varieties and can have citrus, floral, or melon notes.”
A well made beer balances smell and taste, he said. For example, if a beer has a strong grapefruit smell, it should have something contrasting in the flavor. Otherwise, it’ll just come off tasting like a grapefruit.
Taste and mouthfeel are sensed at the same time. Mouthfeel (or body) refers to the texture of the suds.
“Body is traditionally described as thick like milk or thin like water,” he said. “Most beers across the board will fall in the medium or medium-light range, although you may get one that is extremely viscous, almost chewy like.”
When describing taste, Lallande says stick to the vocabulary you’re familiar with. Noting flavors isn’t a scientific endeavor. Taste is based on perception, and everyone’s perception is different. Some good words to start with, he added, are caramel, chocolate, roasty, coffee, nutty.
“Things like Oktoberfest may have a very toasty, bready characteristic,” he said. “And then the bitterness. Some beers are very highly bitter. Some are very sweet.”
If you are a craft beer notice, Lallande is an advocate of the “just grab something” method.
“But take notes on what you liked or didn’t,” he added.
UNTAPPD and BeerAdvocate are two popular apps/websites that can help you track your favorite suds while reading what others think of it. Don’t discriminate. Just because a beer is dark doesn’t mean it will taste like coffee.
“Ask the bartender questions,” he said. “Talk to the person next to you. Find out what people are tasting in that beer. Then you’ll start to understand what you enjoy.”
On Tap this Week:
Rahr & Sons Brewing
For the first time, Rahr beers are available at restaurants and retail stores north of the Red River. Sooners can now savor Fort Worth brews like Ugly Pug, Stormcloud, and Iron Thistle. Congratulations to the Rahr team for 12 years of great beer and community involvement.
Believe it or not, it’s still technically winter. Whether Mother Nature agrees, this is a good time to enjoy some Rahr seasonals that are now on the shelves.
From the Rahr website: A continual fan favorite, Snowmageddon is a rich, bold beer that has semi-sweet chocolate flavors with a creamy body and semi-dry finish. It won gold medals in both the 2015 Beverage Tasting Institute and the 2014 World Beer Championships. Last year, it was named one of the 10 best “snow” beers by Huffington Post. Rahr & Sons will also release a limited amount of Snowmageddon aged in bourbon barrels in March.
Iron Thistle will be in stores and on tap around Dallas and Fort Worth. As Rahr & Sons’ first National Grand Champion at the United States Beer Tasting Championship in 2009, Iron Thistle has a bold taste dominated by a smooth, sweet maltiness and caramel flavors. It also won gold medals in the San Diego International Beer Competition and Beverage Tasting Institute in 2015, as well as a silver medal at the 2012 Great American Beer Festival.
