Blind Beer Tasting

I go to a bar, I order a Bud Light.  If they do not have Bud Light, I am confused...oh crap, what to get. Sometimes a Stella, sometimes a Coors, sometimes a water.  But lately, I get my Bud Light and drink half of it.  For some reason, I'm just not feeling it.  Is it my mood? I thought so, but then this happened three times in a month; so I guess not.  Is it the Beer?  Maybe.

But what would I order?  I don't know enough about alcohol.  I do not drink a lot of mixed drinks, I do not know half of the liquor names or what they taste like.  So, I got to thinking...I don't want to waste $6 on a beer I do not like so why not hold a beer tasting - but make it more official, and not pre-judge what you drink tricking yourself into liking something because of the name.

I went to the gas station and picked up a few bottles of beer they sold by the can/bottle.  Gas stations are among the only place you can get individual beers in my area.  I went into a beer distributor and they only had 4 kinds by the bottle because they sold them off if one bottle broke in a 6 pack or whatever. So I grabbed another 3 there.  I called my sisters to see if they had any beer in the house.  I got one bottle at each.   Then my last stop was a beverage center.  They had a lot of individual beer - but I never heard of half of it.  I picked up 2 individuals there and 2 six packs of more common beer found in a bar.

I sent out word I was going to preform this taste test and hoped a few people would join me.  Then I took out wrapping paper and wrapped all the bottles and put them in the fridge to chill until the 'party'.

The next day at work I spent some time designing a score sheet.  Where the tasters would look at different factors.  Overall grade (1-10). Description.  What they thought it was (Oh right, I asked everyone prior to coming over what their favorite beer was).  I then got extra creative and set up my spread sheet to make graphs.

The Participants:
6 people attended:
Me - single  Favorite assumed beer: Bud light
Vicki - married & mother of two, psychometrician.  Favorite assumed beer: Bud light
Alyson - single.  Library worker.  Favorite assumed beer: Miller Light
Leah - engaged. Teacher.  Favorite assumed beer:  Stella
Patty - single.  Dentist.  Favorite assumed beer: Cape Cod IPA
Jaime - married & mother of one. Stay at home mom. Favorite assumed beer: Bud light or Michelob Ultra

How it all played out:

Days before the tasting, I wrapped all the bottles and cans in wrapping paper, ensuring to cover the whole bottle and cap.  I mixed them all up and stored in the refrigerator for several days.  At the tasting, we randomly selected one bottle to open at a time.  Labeled it A - T.  Poured about 3 oz into cups and labeled the cups too (in case you needed to go back and re-taste something).  Everyone tasted and wrote down on the score sheet what they thought of the beer.

I had put out some snack foods and water/iced tea.  Those came in handy while trying to get the taste out of your mouth.  We also ordered pizza and ate it towards the end of the tasting.

The results:
Sample          Actual Beer            Average Points

Beer A          Weinenhaner           3.333

Beer B          Molson                   5.333

Beer C        Becks                     0.833   Least Favored

Beer D         Asahi                       5.167
Beer E         Sam Adams              2
Beer F        Amber Ale                2.167
Beer G        Bud Light                  6
Beer H        Fosters                      6

Beer I         Coors Light                5.167

Beer J         Corona                      4

Beer K       Miller Lite               7   Most Favored

Beer L       Yuengling                    5.833

Beer M      Budweiser                  5

Beer N       Keystone                   6

Beer O       Heineken                   5.167

Beer P       Michelob Ultra           6.667  
Beer Q       Bud Light Lime          6.333

Beer R        Stella                         3

Beer S        Natural Ice                6.167
Beer T        Modelo                     5.5


My Score Sheet

A closer look at some beers:

Beer C Becks:  Lowest Scoring Beer

Taster            Points              Description            Guess
Taster 1             1                 Smells and. Gross.
Taster 2             1                 Yuck                    Budweiser
Taster 3             1                Skunky                German Beer
Taster 4             0                                            Firestone Ice
Taster 5             0                Skunky Smell       Firestone Ice
Taster 6             2                Bad Beer              Fosters

Beer G Bud Light: Common Assumed Favorite Beer

Taster    Points                Description              Guess    
Taster 1     8                        Lite                   Bud Light
Taster 2    1 0                                               Bud Light
Taster 3     8                                               Coors Light
Taster 4     3                                               Coors Light
Taster 5     9                   Yummy                Coors Light
Taster 6     7                 Refreshing                Bud Light

Beer J Corona

Taster     Points         Description                    Guess
Taster 1    4               After taste is strong      Natural Ice
Taster 2    5                                                    Heineken
Taster 3    3               Stinky
Taster 4    5                                                    Heinekin
Taster 5    4               Smelly                           Heineken
Taster 6    3               Gross                              Corona


Beer K Miller Lite: Most Favored Beer


Taster      Points         Description                 Guess
Taster 1      7             Super lite                  Miller Lite
Taster 2      5                                             Natural Ice
Taster 3      8                                             Miller Lite
Taster 4      5                                             Bud Light
Taster 5      9         Good. Drank it all         Miller Lite
Taster 6     8          Good                           Miller Lite

Beer N Keystone

Taster           Points      Description                     Guess
Taster 1          9             Good
Taster 2          9                                                Budlight
Taster 3         7                                                Budweiser
Taster 4         5                                             Michelob Ultra
Taster 5         5             Wateryish                 Michelob Ultra
Taster 6        1               Watery                       Budweiser

Beer P Michelob Ultra 

Taster        Points           Description                    Guess
Taster 1        9                                                 Sam Adams
Taster 2        6
Taster 3        5                                                       Asahi
Taster 4        5                                                        Stella
Taster 5       10              Good!                          Budweiser
Taster 6        5                                               Michelob Ultra

*Bud Light Lime was the only beer that all six participants were able to correctly guess.  Very distinct flavor.

**notes: not all participants were as through as me when it came to rating the beer. Some left overall score blank, in which case I entered a 5 (middle) to not greatly effect the score.


 
                    Number Correct     Percent Correct

Participant 1            3                         15%    

Participant 2            2                         10%

Participant 3            2                         10%

Participant 4            3                         15%

Participant 5            3                         15%

Participant 6            7                         35%

What it REALLY comes down to:
              Favorite Assumed Beer        Actual Favorite Beer (from tasting)
Me                   Bud light                           Michelob Ultra / Keystone Light
Vicki                Bud light                              Budweiser
Alyson            Miller Light                            Yuengling
Leah                  Stella                                    Fosters

Patty         Cape Cod IPA (not in test)        Bud light lime                     

Jaime      Bud light/ Michelob Light            Keystone Light