Long gone are the days when choosing a beer meant picking bet ween Bud Light or Budweiser. A beer renaissance has occur red over the past decade, bringing endless varieties of microbrews, from light and refreshing to bitter and hoppy to dark and malty. To explore all that’s out there, why not host a beer-tasting party?
the decor
• Tie together barley and wheat with twine for a rustic centerpiece, and use German steins to hold flatware.
• Print out beer scoring cards so guests can make notes and remember their favorites.
the eats
• To go the easy route, serve a variety of classic biergarten eats, including cheese and sausage and soft pretzels with beer cheese dip. Offer traditional appetizers like popcorn, Swedish meatballs and veggies with hummus.
• For a more original tasting, do an appetizer pairing with each beer style. Craftbeer.com has a comprehensive beer-and-food pairing chart—for example, stout goes beautifully with chocolate, and IPA plays well with funky blue cheese. Plan it so most food can be made and assembled before guests arrive, and hand out each appetizer as the tasting progresses.
the drinks
• Select up to five categories of beer (crisp, hoppy, malty, roasty, smokey, funky, etc.) you would like to include, and either provide the beer as host or ask guests to pick a category and bring a few six packs. Those new to the beer world can get help at boutique stores such as The Wine & Cheese Place on Forsyth Boulevard in Clayton. Or you can make it easier by recommending a few brews for each category that are widely available around St. Louis.
• Take bottles out of the fridge about 10 minutes before serving—if the beer’s too cold, it’s hard to taste complex flavors. Arrange from lightest to darkest, and conduct an official tasting for each.
the extras
• If kids will be attending, purchase assorted root beers and let them have their own age-appropriate tasting. Fitz’s in the U. City Loop carries a diverse assortment of flavors—try 12 in a $35 variety pack.
• Send guests home with a tasting glass, a mountable bottle opener and a large bomber of beer. Purchase a few in each category so guests can take home their favorite.