BEER TASTING TERMS

Beer Tasting Terms
Amber: Describes medium intensity colored beers, ranging between pale and dark.
Balance: Describes how a beer exhibits a perfect balance of ingredients, bouquet, texture and aroma.
Bitterness: Generally the higher the hop content, the more bitter the beer.
“Big” Beer: Refers to the richness or fullness of flavor derived from the malt.
Body: As with wine, refers to the “mouthfeel,” the impact and texture of the beer on the palate.
Bouquet: Another wine tasting term, describes the beer’s complex aromas.
Caramel: Refers to a buttery, toffee-flavored aftertaste.
Clean: Refers to pure, crisp, fresh tasting beer, free of sediment.
Clove: Refers to wheat beers that resemble the taste of cloves.
Crisp: Refers to a beer’s acidity and refreshing qualities.
Depth: Denotes both the beer’s richness and its complexity of flavors.
Finish: Describes a beer’s aftertaste and your final impression of it.
Flowery: Refers to the flowery aroma hops give beer.
Full-bodied: Characterizes malty beers with complex flavors.
Haze: Caused by yeast or protein suspension, refers to a cloudy appearance and slightly musty taste.
Hoppy: Refers to a beer with a high hop content.
Malty: The term for sweet, smoky, earthy flavored beers that have undertones of caramel or molasses.
Smooth: Characterizes easy drinking beers with great mouthfeel.
Spicy: Refers to a distinctly hoppy flavor or the aroma of herbs.
Thin: Refers to a watery, one-dimensional beer that lacks body or character.