Taste testing beer isn’t too shabby of a job and it’s all in a day’s work for a few lucky experts at ShopSmart and Consumer Reports. One of our beer tasters (we have to keep his identity under wraps for confidentiality reasons) shared a few insider tips with me on what it’s like to sip and critique beer, which he’s been doing for us since 1997:
Q: The first question that comes to everyone’s mind when they hear beer and taste test: do you swallow the beer?
A: No, we spit it out, just like in wine taste tests.
Q: Football fans are probably on calorie-overload during the Super Bowl. Would you sip a light beer?
A: Some of the better light beers (check out our most recent report on light beers to find our top picks) really capture the flavor without the calories—it might not be your first choice since it’s the lighter version, but you can appreciate the balance of flavors and you may not want that full feeling you get from a regular beer during such a busy day of Buffalo wing and nacho munching.
Q: Beer commercials are a big part of Sunday’s game—in fact, more people tune in for the commercials than the game, according to a survey by The Nielsen Company. Do you have a favorite beer commercial?
A: I don’t remember the brand of beer, but I loved the commercial where a guy takes his girlfriend on a romantic sleigh ride. (Editor’s note: don’t watch the clip during lunchtime!)
Q: Your friends don’t know that you work for us, but they do know you’re a pro when it comes to beer. What do they ask you most often at parties?
A: They want to know what’s new and what’s hot, but we never know what we’re tasting since our tests are blind (the labels are completely covered up)!
Consider getting a keg if you have a lot of people coming over to watch the game since our past tests found that the beer tasted fresher than beer in a bottle or can.
If you buy bottled beer, keep in mind when it comes to freshness that dark glass is better than clear, and brown is better than green. And don’t try to use that expired beer from last year’s Super Bowl party—check the expiration dates. Old beer won't make you sick, but your taste buds will not be happy with you!
Check out our Super Bowl guide for our top picks in everything from the best HDTVs to snack dips to slow cookers for that game day chili.Subscribe to ShopSmart today!
