What Does Beer Taste Like To First-time Drinkers?

Beer appeared thousands of years ago. However, some have never tried this drink. Therefore, they might ask themselves – what does beer taste like? or Do You Need An Electric Beer Cooler?

This is probably a difficult question to answer. There are thousands of types of beer, so the taste of beer is varied. To disentangle your question, we will show you the basic beer flavor so that you won’t be shocked for the first time drinking.

What Does Beer Taste Like? 

As we mentioned at the beginning of this article, it is quite hard to tell the exact taste of beer. The brew flavor spectrum depends on the ingredients, storage process, or beer types.

However, overall, beer can have a sweet, sour, or even bitter taste. Below we will present the most common tastes of beer and explain why it tastes like that.

Sour

A majority of beers also have a sour taste. After the initial fermentation and brewing process has finished, the manufacturer will add the strains of yeast and acid to the beer. The purpose of this addition is to enhance the delicious flavoring of the brew.

However, some kinds of beers do not have a sour taste at first. If you open a can of beer for a while without drinking, it will get acrid. Therefore, you should pay attention to know how to distinguish this flavor of the beer.

Bitter

Most beers have the bitter taste. That’s because beer contains alcohol and substances called hops. Cones of hops contain Humulus lupulus, which enhances the bitter taste of beer.

Sweet

Some beers possess the sweet flavor because they are made of sugary substances like yeast. Then, they are fermented into alcohol. The sweet taste of beer depends on the levels of other elements combined and the producers’ brewing process.

Fruity

A wide range of beers is also fruity. That’s because brewers add juice or fresh fruit to the compound throughout the fermentation process. This addition aims to reduce the feeling of bitterness for first-time drinkers.

What Types Of Beer & What They Taste Like?

Basically, types of beer are diverse based on ingredients, storage process, or beer brand. In this article, we introduce to you some of the most popular beer brands.

American Lager

American Lager is considered one of the most famous light bottled and canned beer sorts. Like beers of the same class such as Melvin Brewing, Budweiser, or Coors, this kind has a mild taste. This means it is not too bitter or sweet and has a light color.

Amber American Lager

This variety is composed of both mild and medium hops qualities and malt. Thus, it holds a strong malt essence along with a signature caramel scent, which brings you a surprisingly smooth feeling for first-time drinking. Besides, the brand flavors a slightly sweet sense, so it is quite suitable for drinking with cheese.

Vienna Lager

Many people love Vienna Lager for its sweet taste. Due to its moderate hops amount, this brew tends to own a more substantial sugar content and a darker color than other classes.

American Pale Ale

Unlike some darker brewskies, American Pale Ale possesses a numerous hops quality and light brown color. This beer brand has not too heavy a taste, which is compatible for you to enjoy with the seafood flavoring.

English Brown Ale

This is a caramel-flavored stout loved by its strong essence and rich malt. This type of beer contains somewhat more alcohol than Vienna Lager, so it is perfect for enjoying together with cheese and meat.

What Factors Influence Beer Taste?

After searching, we would say that there are three main factors affecting beer taste – yeast, hops, and malt.

Yeast 

Yeast is an indispensable element that facilitates the fermentation process. Hence, without yeast, there would be no beer. It helps to convert sugary substances into alcohol.

Also, depending on the brewery and the brewing process, the amount of added yeast varies flexibly. Nonetheless, the common purpose of this substance is to promote beer fermentation and give it a sugary taste.

Hops 

The hops used in the production of beer are female flowers. They are used to add a bitter taste to the brewskies. The more hops in brewing, the more bitter the beer is.

In addition to the main function, hops are also used to balance beer’s flavor and give a more subtle taste.

Barley

Barley is converted into beer malt by soaking in hot water. As a result, the grain produces enzymes that convert proteins and starch into fermentable sugars. The yeast will be used to make alcohol later on.

To flavor beer, brewers often mix lead-grain barley with a variety of fermentable grains like rye or wheat.

The Bottom Line

What does beer taste like to first-time drinkers? In nature, beer has bitter, sour, sweet, and fruity in general. However, not all brews include all of the flavors mentioned above. Some are only sour and fruity, while others have a bitter and sour taste. This depends on the elements that brewers choose to create their own brand.

Thanks for reading, and see you in the next post!