I didn't see a beer 2023 thread (shame!) so I'll just post here.
The cicerone certification program is hosting a "tasting defaults" class at Hardywood (Richmond) this upcoming MON (14 AUG), in which you taste/identify six common defects in beer, and I'll be there. If anyone else is taking the class (or signs up for it, $55), shout out and we can coordinate.
I have my level 1 (certified beer server) and work twice a week at a brewery in Falls Church; beer is a hobby that turned into a side hustle and social outlet for me, but I'm getting sucked more and more into the technical aspects of it.
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"can you taste the issue with that one?"
"Nope, must have missed it. Lemme try another pint and see if I can identify it"
Quality control is the best part of the job
Yeah, that's not the way this will be done.
They'll take a neutral beer, something akin to miller light and add the chemical that actually is the off flavor/aroma and give you a small sample. Give a short description and tech talk on the formation and cause.
For example. add a a drop of butyric acid to a beer and give you a couple ounces to demonstrate the activity of anaerobic bacteria Clostridium .
None of these will taste good.
I have held one of these classes myself.
edit: speelink
Cool idea, I may go
"This one tastes like the beers got into an onion patch"
I have made some stuff that had more than six defects.
I have done one of these because someone had an extra ticket. Its a decent intro. The AHA offers courses to be certified to judge, they are usually one a week over several weeks and do a very thorough job of covering styles, how they get their characteristics, as well as defects and their causes.
Some of those off flavor kit vials are fucking gross, I don't recommend smelling them before adding to beer. Definitely do not taste pre-mix
Did you enjoy a huff of butyric acid or isovaleric acid?
I would have been right on this if still drinking. Sounds fun. Reminds me of the beer school Busch used to do.
This sort of thing is a great opportunity to learn typical off flavors that you'll come across in beer and what they mean about the brewery/process. These are some of the most common off flavors/faults you'll see experience in craft beer.
futrbechbum: this type pf class is really good and a wonderful tie in to the next level of certification.