A little push for a great procrastinator…
Hello! Today I’m going to tell you a bit about the beer course I’m taking. I haven’t mentioned it here yet, but the idea of becoming a beer judge had been on my mind for quite some time. The first time I considered it was by suggestion of a friend who also brews beer. At the time, with work and day-to-day obligations, it seemed like a lot, but in truth, it was just my procrastinator side protecting its procrastination time very well.
Being a beer judge isn’t a profession, and all beer judges balance their professions with judging activities. There was no reason it should be different for me, but fate had other plans, since I’m unemployed and can dedicate all my time to this (though I end up not doing so, but that’s beside the point). With a touch of self-awareness, I know I’m a natural procrastinator, so I decided to invest in a beer course to help with my studies to become a judge. Yes, I’m one of those people whose determination and focus increase considerably once there’s a financial investment.
In terms of judging, what I most need to develop are my sensory skills. This isn’t just about learning to detect aromas and flavors but, obviously, also learning to describe them. Considering that a Beer Sommelier course is a bit out of my budget and current level of commitment, I think I’ve found a course with a good cost-benefit ratio that also provides some support for learning itself. Plus, it’s a certified course, which could be helpful if I really want to enter the beer industry.
I chose the 'Level 2 Award in Beer' from the 'Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET).' I opted for the online version as it’s more affordable and allows me to do it at my own pace without any physical travel. At the time of this post, we’re entering the third week of the course, and I’m quite satisfied. Although these first weeks are pretty basic in terms of theoretical content, the beer tasting exercises are very interesting for developing sensory skills.
For example, the first exercise consisted of tasting a British Brown Ale, an American IPA, and a Weissbier. Each of these styles has one of the beer ingredients as a dominant sensory characteristic: malt, hops, and yeast, respectively. Yes, that’s right. A British Brown Ale has a very particular selection of malt grains that not only gives this beer its characteristic color but also fills its aroma and flavor with malt-related properties. In American IPAs, hop aromas and flavors are predominant, while in Weissbier, yeast aromas and flavors are more evident. With this simple exercise, we start to differentiate the origins of the aromas and flavors present in beer, which also helps us understand how it was made.
For those interested in developing their sensory skills, this ia already a suggestion for an exercise. Just be careful in selecting the samples you’ll use. A beer can be labeled as a Brown Ale and still have a very pronounced hop character, which is typical of the American style. So, try to look for either the commercial examples described in the BJCP guide or labels that emphasize a focus on the traditional style, which is British. Avoid innovative labels that mention the use of ingredients other than malt, hops, yeast, and water, as these can affect the final result and confuse your sensory perception.
The best part of the course is that whenever I have questions, the tutor’s response is to try more beers 😂. The availability of a tutor was also a key factor in choosing this course. It’s the truly win-win situation for anyone who loves beer. If you have any questions, remember: the answer is probably in comparing at least more two beer samples, tough life, right?! Cheers!
