Taking tiny sips will ruin your beer-drinking experience! Here's your guide to tasting beer, direct from Dublin's Guinness Storehouse.

Most people would agree that fully enjoying a glass of wine requires a few tried-and-true techniques, but what about beer? To ensure you get the most out of your favourite brew, follow these easy steps.

Step 1: The experts at Guinness Storehouse recommend taking your beer out of the fridge and letting it sit for a few minutes. When drinking beer, a temperature of about 8ËšC is ideal—rather than the average fridge temperature of 1.6ËšC.

Step 2: Once your beer has warmed a few degrees, pour it into a glass.

Step 3: Swirl the glass around to generate a bit of froth, or head, on top. It will also help aerate the beer and bring out the aromas in the beer.

Step 4: Take a deep breath from the glass.

Step 5: Now use the “Retro Nasal Breathing” technique used when Guinness’ quality panel tests beer. Take another deep breath, then sip a generous mouthful, swirling it around the mouth to coat your palate entirely. Swallow the beer to taste it at the back of your throat, then breathe out gently from your nose.

Step 6: Take at least three full mouthfuls before judging the taste.

When pairing beer with food, be sure to sip the beer before your first bite.

Guinness has a few food pairing recommendations for their beers, as made available during tastings in Guinness Storehouse’s private tasting bar:




Joshua Cornell

1. Guinness Extra Stout: This beer has a dry, roasted bitterness and more carbonation than other Guinness varieties. Pair it with seafood, such as the seafood chowder pictured.


Joshua Cornell

2. Guinness Foreign Extra Stout: This beer has the flavours of burnt caramel, roasted treacle, molasses and licorice. It complements braised beef and can be used in beef stew or in teriyaki sauce and marinades.


Joshua Cornell

3. Guinness Draft: The variety of Guinness best known in North America, Guinness Draft has a chocolate and coffee taste. Pair it with chocolate mousse, as pictured. The two sweet items are a match made in heaven.
 

Slideshow

prev next 1 of 8

Replay slideshow

Cooking with beer: 8 delicious recipes

Smoky Grilled Cheese With Ale Onions

An oozy grilled cheese Get the recipe: Smoky Grilled Cheese With Ale Onions

Image by: Canadian Living By: Amanda Barnier and The Canadian Living Test Kitchen Source: Ryan Brook

Cooking with beer: 8 delicious recipes

Stout-Glazed Beef Ribs

Beer and ribs are such a match that you'll have everyone asking for more. Pork ribs would make a delicious alternative – just cut them into two-rib portions and add one hour to the braising time. Get the recipe: Stout-Glazed Beef Ribs

Image by: Canadian Living By: Amanda Barnier and The Canadian Living Test Kitchen Source: Ryan Brook

Cooking with beer: 8 delicious recipes

Beer and Cheese Fondue Dip

Perfect for a cold evening, this beer and cheese fondue is a fun dish to share at any get-together. Get the recipe: Beer and Cheese Fondue Dip

Image by: Canadian Living By: Annabelle Waugh, Irene Fong and The Canadian Living Test Kitchen Source: John Cullen

Cooking with beer: 8 delicious recipes

Beef and Mushroom Pie

Although this meat lover's pie filling, simmered with ale and beef broth, would make an endlessly satisfying meal on its own, mounding it between two flaky pie crusts brings it to a new level of deliciousness. Get the recipe: Beef and Mushroom Pie

Image by: Canadian Living By: Jennifer Bartoli and The Canadian Living Test Kitchen Source: Jeff Coulson

Cooking with beer: 8 delicious recipes

Slow Cooker Carbonnade Beef Pot Roast

This roast, inspired by a classic Belgian stew, is juicy and tender over mashed potatoes, and the leftovers make the ultimate hot sandwich. Cook the bacon and onion mixture the night before so it's ready to add to the slow cooker in the morning without a lot of fuss. Get the recipe: Slow Cooker Carbonnade Beef Pot Roast

Image by: Canadian Living By: Amanda Barnier and The Canadian Living Test Kitchen Source: Jeff Coulson

Cooking with beer: 8 delicious recipes

Beer-Battered Corn Dogs

A little beer gives these corn dogs a light, crispy and flavourful coating. Get the recipe: Beer-Battered Corn Dogs

Image by: Canadian Living By: Amanda Barnier and The Canadian Living Test Kitchen Source: Ryan Brook

Cooking with beer: 8 delicious recipes

Jalapeño Green Onion Ale Corn Bread

This sweet and spicy corn bread is the perfect companion to grilled food. If you love heat, add another jalapeño pepper. Get the recipe: Jalapeño Green Onion Ale Corn Bread

Image by: Canadian Living By: Amanda Barnier and The Canadian Living Test Kitchen Source: Ryan Brook

Cooking with beer: 8 delicious recipes

Lambic Cherry Ice Cream Sundaes

Beer takes on a new role in this sweet sauce served over rich ice cream. This sauce calls for kriek (a Dutch word for cherries) lambic beer. Get the recipe: Lambic Cherry Ice Cream Sundaes

Image by: Canadian Living By: Amanda Barnier and The Canadian Living Test Kitchen Source: Jeff Coulson

Share

Share X

Cooking with beer: 8 delicious recipes

Share