How To Make Beer Taste Better

How do you make beer taste better? This question has been asked since time immemorial.

Beer is one of the oldest alcoholic beverages known to man. The history of brewing dates back to ancient times.

Beer is a beverage produced from fermented malt or grain mash.

There are two main types of beers: ales and lagers. Both are brewed using malted barley, hops, yeast, water, and other ingredients.

There are several ways to improve the flavor of the beer.

Some of these include adding spices, herbs, fruits, vegetables, and even animal parts. Here are some tips on how you can make your beer taste better.

What Does Beer Taste Like?

Beer tastes like many things. It’s made up of four primary components – alcohol, carbon dioxide gas, bitterness, and aroma.

The alcoholic content ranges from 3% to 8%. Carbon dioxide makes up about half of the total volume in most beers.

Bitterness is what gives beer its bitter taste. Aroma refers to the smell of the beer.

The best way to describe the flavors that beer contains is to think of it as a combination of sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami (savory).

The sweetness comes from sugars such as glucose and fructose. These sugars give beer its sweetness. They also add body to the beer.

Sourness is caused by acids such as acetic acid and citric acid. Bitter flavors come from compounds called iso-alpha acids. Umami comes from amino acids.

How To Make Beer Taste Better When Brewing

These tips are mostly for when you are brewing your beer. When brewing and making homemade beer.

It’s easier to adjust the taste according to preferences, and you know you will be using only the finest and best ingredients, so why not give it a go!

Add Herbs And Spices

Herbs and spices add unique flavors to a beer.

They also help in masking bad tastes in beer such as off-flavors that may be caused by oxidation (the breakdown of sugars into alcohol) or poor storage conditions.

Herbs and spices used for flavoring beer include basil, bay leaves, black pepper, cardamom, chives, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin, dill, fennel, garlic, ginger, horseradish, juniper berries, lemon balm, marjoram, mint, nutmeg, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, savory, tarragon, thyme, turmeric, vanilla, and wintergreen.

Use Fresh Ingredients

Freshly picked ingredients give beer its best flavor. For example, fresh lemons and oranges are great additions to any type of beer.

You can also use citrus peels when making homemade beer.

Add Vegetables

Vegetables are another way to enhance the flavor of the beer.

Try adding carrots, celery, cucumber, green beans, lettuce, mushrooms, onions, peppers, radishes, spinach, squash, tomatoes, turnips, zucchini, and more.

This might seem a little unusual, but trust us, it works. 

Add Fruits

Fruits have an aroma and flavor all their own. Adding them to beer will not only improve the overall flavor but will also provide additional vitamins and minerals.

Try adding apples, apricots, blueberries, cherries, cranberries, grapes, mangoes, nectarines, pears, plums, raspberries, strawberries, and more.

Fruit-flavored beers are increasing in popularity and you will often find them on the menu at pubs, bars, and microbreweries.

Use Natural Flavorings

Natural flavorings like honey, molasses, maple syrup, brown sugar, and rice extract are good options to use instead of artificial additives.

These natural products do not contain harmful chemicals.

Use Yeast Extracts

Yeast extracts are made from brewer’s yeast. It contains enzymes that break down proteins and carbohydrates found in grains.

Using this product will not only improve the flavor of beer but will also increase the body and head retention properties of the finished brew.

Use Coffee Beans

Coffee beans are rich in caffeine which gives the beer a refreshing kick.

If you are not brewing your beer and want to try out coffee bean flavored beer, then look for brands that use roasted coffee beans rather than ground coffee.

Be Careful With Alcohol Content

Alcohol adds complexity to the beer. However, too much alcohol can cause problems with fermentation.

To avoid this problem, use no more than 5% ABV, and this should give you the best-tasting beer.

How To Make Brewed Beer Taste Better

If you’re not into home brewing, you might be wondering how to make beer taste better when you open a bottle at home or pop to the pub. Here are our top tips:

Make It A Shandy

Beer shandy is a mix between beer and lemonade. It’s easy to make and tastes delicious. Simply combine equal parts beer and lemonade.

If you don’t like lemonade, you could add any kind of light-colored soda. It gives the beer an extra touch of sweetness without neglecting the carbonation.

Get Your Hands On Some Lemon Juice

Lemon juice has a lot going for it. Not only does it add a nice tangy taste, but it helps prevent oxidation and improves the shelf life of beer.

Add Some Margarita

Margaritas are one of the most popular drinks around and they go perfectly well with beer.

Combine margarita mix with tequila and lime juice and you’ll get a tasty drink that goes well with almost any kind of beer.

Add Bitters

Bitters are used to balance the sweetness of the beer. They are usually made up of herbs, spices, roots, barks, flowers, fruits, and other ingredients. You can buy bitters online or in specialty stores if you want to have your stock at home.

Go For A Sweet Stout

Sweet stouts are dark, sweet, and smooth. They tend to be very complex and flavorful. Look for these styles if you want to try something new.

Add A Liqueur

Liqueurs can make beer taste better. No matter the type of beer you’re drinking, there’s a liqueur that can improve the taste.

Some liqueurs that are often added to beer are amaretto, vermouth, Cointreau, schnapps, curaçao, and triple sec. 

Drink It Cold

Cold beer is easier on the palate. This is because cold temperatures slow down the rate at which sugar is absorbed by the tongue.

So, it allows you to enjoy the flavors of the beer more fully.

Try Something New

There are so many different types of beers available today. Nothing is stopping you from trying something new.

Just keep an eye out for new varieties and experiment with them as much as you can. Try craft beers, try light and dark and see what flavors you like best!

Final Thoughts

We hope you enjoyed this article on how to make beer taste better.

The answer will depend on the style of beer you are drinking and personal preferences, but whether you are home brewing or popping to the pub for a pint.

There are ways to help make that beer go down smoothly if you are not fussed on the taste.

Beer is a great beverage to share with friends and family, so why not treat yourself once in a while? Who knows, the taste might grow on you!

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Andrew Carr

Hi, I’m Andrew Carr and I find beer fascinating. Not just drinking it (although that is a plus!) but everything about it. There is so much to learn - the fermenting process, the best glasses for each type, recipes to make at home… The list goes on!

I have been making my own beer for almost a decade now and I pride myself on my home setup. I’ve made sours, pale IPAs, stouts - you name it, I’ve probably made it in the comfort of my own home.

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