Beer Tasting Notes
March 3, 2010
Beer Tasting Notes? What’s this about? (Post spoiler. You can get a free copy of this book if you read on. There’s only 5 so shhhhh.) (Post Update! Prizes have all been claimed! Thanks to all who participated!)
We’ve been reviewing beer here on The Brew Club for almost two years now, and for the most part my beer reviewing methodology was seat-of-the pants, immediate feedback from mouth to keyboard, (and by that I don’t mean I type with my tongue.)
I typically do my beer reviews ‘on the fly’ in real time as I’m enjoying the beer.
Anybody else do that?
While my palate is improving, and I’m learning more about the flavors of beers, there’s only so much brainpower I’m willing to expend on such an endeavor, and I kind of like the spontaneous beer review. Still, I’m always looking for ways to improve my reviewing ability both for myself, and you the cherished visitor!
Recently while reviewing the Southern Tier Porter, I did something that I’ve never done before. I jotted down some beer tasting notes! I had my Southern Tier Porter, and I wrote down my impressions of the beer in my Beer Tasting Notes book.
After I finished my notes, I began to put the review into blog format, and fleshed it out a bit as I was able to open bottle #2 (for verification purposes of course) and I found that it was actually a little easier to get my words and ideas onto the electronic page after having written them on the paper page first.
Seems like an extra step (it is), but I felt that having my thoughts written out beforehand in some sort of logical order made the actual review a little bit easier to do. I was even able to stop the beer review, run a few errands and pick up where I left off which would have been difficult otherwise.
So what brought about this new beer reviewing method? Well, fellow beer-blogger Nate over at Brewery Reviewery sent me some free copies of his Beer Tasting Notes books as a VERY generous thank you gift for some assistance I gave him with his website. (I didn’t do anything really.)
Still, Nate insisted on sending me some of his books to try with my beer reviews, and perhaps give some copies away for others to try. (Which I will if you read on!)
The book itself is quite simple. In the front it has a table of contents where you can list your beer reviews in an easy to access place. Then, you have 75 pages for your beer review notes which has places for you to put all the information about your beer from the price and style, to taste and mouthfeel notes.
This beer review business is an odd thing, but I’ll admit that it’s interesting to compare beers, even when there is no comparison! Still, a book like this might help someone who doesn’t run a big fancy beer blog like this 
to keep track of their own beer adventures. Actually, that’s why The Brew Club got started in the first place, as a way to keep track of beers we exchanged, but in reality, having a book handy like the Brewery Reviewery Beer Tasting Notes book is a lot easier!
So I mentioned something about giving away some copies. If you’ve read this far you should have slim competition! I have 5 copies of Nate’s Beer Tasting Notes to give away so I wanted to make it easy, but still make it a little challenging as well. Why bother? Well, as I mentioned I think its a neat tool for the beer geek, and also the Beer Tasting Notes
All you have to do to get a free copy of Beer Tasting Notes is this….
- Must live in the 49 48 contiguous United States. Sorry Alaska and Hawaii people. While I love you I’m just not going to mail stuff to you!
- Be one of the first five people to Tweet about this post on Twitter.
- In the Tweet, mention this post however you want, but you MUST include a link to either this post or http://thebrewclub.com (makes sense, so people can find it) and you MUST include me in the Tweet @TheBrewClub so I can keep track of the first 5 people to do it!
- Sorry, re-tweets of someone else’s entry doesn’t count!
Seems simple enough right? So, if you are one of the first 5 people to tweet about this post, include a link and @thebrewclub, I’ll mail out a free copy of Beer Tasting Notes. I’ll mention the winners here and on Twitter!
If you miss out or are not on Twitter, you can still pick up a copy of Beer Tasting Notes
We have our 5 winners already! (Faster than I thought!) Congratulations to @Chillman2 @Brewerman @BeerPoet @BeerandWhisky (Don) and @BillyBroas. I’ll be in touch!
Posted in Other Stuff
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March 3rd, 2010 at 10:38 am
I think I checked my feed reader at just the right time. Did I win!?!?
Billy Broas´s last blog ..How to Make a Black and Tan
March 3rd, 2010 at 11:48 am
@Billy Broas is our first winner! Thanks Billy! 4 left! Early bird gets the worm and all that!
Scott-TheBrewClub´s last blog ..Beer Review -Yards Extra Special Ale (ESA)
March 3rd, 2010 at 12:34 pm
Scott, I also write my reviews in real time in my “pre-formatted” layout. It works for me. I’m not a silver tongued wordsmith, so I need a formula/format. I used to write notes and translate, but that became to time consuming. If I’m at a tasting or bar and want to take notes, I use my iPhone to take notes so I can download them. After writing reviews for a year and half, this work flow works well for me. Besides I can’t read my own handwriting.
Peter at Simply Beer´s last blog ..Preview – Beer Brawl 31 – Cellar RAID!
March 3rd, 2010 at 1:07 pm
Got it out there Scott! Do I win one too? Sorry, it isn’t Jim, Don all the way in Idaho! Believe it or not it is one of the contiguous states! I know, I know…I didn’t believe it at first either!
Don´s last blog ..I’m In Way Over My Head – This’ll Be FUN!
March 3rd, 2010 at 1:25 pm
Pssst. Scott. There are 48 contiguous states.
But I too use to write my reviews while tasting but have gotten away from that and actually take notes down.
Mike – MikeLovesBeer.com´s last blog ..Eel River I.P.A.
March 3rd, 2010 at 1:37 pm
@Mike I put that in to see who was paying attention
Good catch and yeah I messed up there! I think Canada is the 49th State, isn’t it? 
@Don, yup – you’re good to go!
@Peter – Working on the computer and typing everything has pretty much destroyed my ability to write. Seriously, my handwriting is atrocious so I agree, but I found that its a good way to get back to putting pen to paper which I really need to do more of!
Anyway, we have our 5 winners! Congrats to @Chillman2 @Brewerman @BeerPoet @BeerandWhisky (Don) and @BillyBroas I’ll be in touch!
Scott-TheBrewClub´s last blog ..Southern Tier Porter
March 3rd, 2010 at 1:45 pm
Scott:
@BeerPoet and I both work in Boise, so if it saves you a little postage you can send me his and I’ll get it to him for you. No Joke, I actually will give it to him…Really!
Don´s last blog ..I’m In Way Over My Head – This’ll Be FUN!
March 3rd, 2010 at 1:49 pm
BTW, Thanks! That is really cool that you did this, and it might just improve my beer reviews!
Don´s last blog ..I’m In Way Over My Head – This’ll Be FUN!
March 3rd, 2010 at 2:25 pm
@Don – Thanks for participating! This is our first little contest, and I think it went off quite well!
I’d like to thank Nate from BreweryReviewery.com again for being so generous and creating such a cool product. If my beer reviews don’t get better as a result, hopefully my penmanship will!
Scott-TheBrewClub´s last blog ..Jah-Va Coffee Stout – Southern Tier Brewing Company
March 3rd, 2010 at 3:38 pm
Great idea, Scott. I’m thinking about giving away a bottle of my huge, massive, super-strong beer when it’s finally done but haven’t figured out a format, yet.
Michael Reinhardt´s last blog ..Murphy’s Irish Stout
March 3rd, 2010 at 3:41 pm
Thanks Scott. And thanks to Nate also. This was a great idea. I’ll send you my address right now.
Billy Broas´s last blog ..How to Make a Black and Tan
March 3rd, 2010 at 3:44 pm
Oh man… unfair to us Brits!
However, I have the All Beer Experience.
Bob the Brit´s last blog ..Pancake Day
March 3rd, 2010 at 4:12 pm
@Michael – Thanks. It was fun and went off very well I thought. I wish I had some more prizes! Don’t forget I’m still up for trying out some of your home brew(s)!
@BillyBroas – got it! Sending it out this week for you!
@Bob – The All Beer Experience is a bit more comprehensive from what I remember, but it sounded like something Brit beer nerds would find very useful!
Scott-TheBrewClub´s last blog ..Heavy Seas Winter Storm Beer
March 3rd, 2010 at 7:13 pm
I always jot down notes, mostly because if I reviewed every beer as I tasted it, I’d write a handful of reviews on Friday night, another batch on Saturday night, and a few more on Sunday if it’s football season. I still have a bunch I haven’t blogged yet, which is always good to have in a pinch.
@Mike The format is easy – send it to me!
@Don – Nothing can improve your beer reviews. There just that awesome. Thought I was going to go the other way, didn’t cha bro?
March 3rd, 2010 at 8:06 pm
I don’t usually do standard reviews but I like to take notes when I’m tasting. If I don’t, I forget the details. I really like to read your reviews and those at my other favorite beer blogs. It’s neat to hear how you do it!
Rachel´s last blog ..Bell’s Cherry Stout
March 4th, 2010 at 12:20 am
@Jim – I have to say I love the banter between you and Don. Good stuff no matter where you guys go!
@Rachel – Thanks, I think you write some excellent reviews yourself. Sometimes a ‘guide’ can box you in, but sometimes it helps to focus, and as Jim mentioned its something to go back to. I just find reviewing in real time is easiest, but the notes help.
Eventually I get one of those speech recognition software things and peak my reviews and we can all see what slurred words come out!
Scott-TheBrewClub´s last blog ..George Washington – Beer Lover
March 4th, 2010 at 9:43 am
My beer tasting book is actually a pacific life freebie notepad. i struggle using it, because I always misplace it. Organization is not my gift! I do know a tool like this would be helpful. What I loved about about this post was yours and nate’s reciprocal generosity. I see a lot of it in the beer community and it is reassuring to see goodness in the world…i know that sounds corny, but true. (i see the winners were chosen already, just wanted to leave some affirmation!)
nate´s last blog ..Craft Beer, A Real Bargain
March 4th, 2010 at 12:05 pm
@Nate – Agreed. I think that Nates in general are pretty cool people!
It was no small cost for Nate to provide those notebooks, but he did and I appreciate that. I think it worked out well for everyone involved, and I hope that as a result people are more aware of it and buy some from him too. Its a good product.
The craft beer community is proving to be a nice thing to be a part of.
Scott-TheBrewClub´s last blog ..Gelande Amber Lager – Uinta Brewing
March 4th, 2010 at 12:53 pm
It really wasn’t too big of a deal, just a big thank you to Scott for helping me out with my site. Hopefully we can do something like this again soon.
Nate´s last blog ..Win a copy of Beer Tasting Notes
March 4th, 2010 at 4:26 pm
Duly noted, Scott. I will get some out to you at some point. I have an oatmeal stout that I’m very fond of at the moment.
Michael Reinhardt´s last blog ..Sip with us Saturday: Anything Jolly Pumpkin