How to Become a Beer Connoisseur

I looked up the definition of connoisseur today. Webster's online dictionary defines a connoisseur as someone who understands the techniques, details or principles of an art and is competent to act as a critical judge. And this brings me to the first thing it takes to be a beer connoisseur. You have to be able to view brewing beer as an art.

When I refer to brewing beer as an art, I'm not talking about mainstream North American lagers. There's a reason most beer snobs snub them. They're pale, fizzily over carbonated and almost completely lacking in any redeeming value. These beers have no head retention, barely any flavor and hardly any aroma. They're not much more than vaguely beer flavored soda pop.

Let's go back to Webster's definition of a connoisseur for a minute. Remember where it defined connoisseur as someone who understands techniques, details of principles of an art? Well, that's the next big rule of becoming a beer snob. Learn about beer. Read about the different styles. Pick up any book you can find on the subject. Personally, I'd recommend "Michael Jackson's Beer Companion" by beer author, the late Michael Jackson. You might also want to try "At The Brew master's Table" by Garrett Oliver of Brooklyn Brewing.

Both of these books describe the different styles of beef from around the world. From ales and lagers to stouts, barleywine and French biere de garde. Garrett Oliver's book takes this one step further for the budding enthusiast. In addition to describing beer styles from around the world, Garrett's book describe which beers go best with what food. He describe what the beer styles taste like and why those flavors go with the foods he recommends. Garrett then recommends some of his favorite producers of those styles.

Reading these books is only the first step. Having the taste and aroma of beer described to you will only take you so far. At some point you're going to have to start trying these beers for yourself. Find yourself a bar with a decent beer list and go have a pint. Pick a time when it's slow so you can chat with your bartender about the beers they serve. If you're not in the mood to go out, visit the beer store instead. Talk to the staff for a while. In short, find knowledgeable people who can help guide you in picking and purchasing good beers.

The next rule for the budding beer connoisseur is to remember to treat good beer the same way you'd treat a nice bottle of wine. First, don't chug your beer straight out of the bottle. Serve it in a glass so you can see the beer, smell it and get the full flavor. You can't get beer's full flavor out of a bottle or can because there's no way for beer's subtle aromas to get up to your nose as you take a drink. Also, serve it at approximately the right temperature. Ales get served at the same temperature as red wine. Cool, but not ice cold. When you want to store your beer for a while before you drink it, store it like you would a bottle of wine. Not on its side, but standing up and at around 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Lagers, you can serve cold because they get fermented at colder temperatures and those temperatures will best bring out a lager's flavor. But remember, that still doesn't mean ice cold.

To sum up, the only thing you need to become a beer connoisseur is knowledge and experience. Go to your local library and pick up a couple of books. Stop by your nearest newsstand and pick up a good magazine. "All About Beer" and "Beers of the World" are two of my favorites. They're concise, informative and entertaining. When you've had enough book learnin' go have a pint. Before you know it, you'll be as knowledgeable as any beer snob you know. Above all, just relax and have fun and you'll do just fine.