Looking for the perfect excuse to gather friends and enjoy a few drinks this summer? With the bank holiday weekend just around the corner, why not host a craft beer tasting party at home? It’s a awesome way to explore new brews, enjoy great company, and expand some craft beer knowledge. Whether you’re the go-to guy about beer or just want to know what the fuss is about, this guide will help you plan an great night (hopefully). We’ll cover everything from setup ideas to tasting guides and recommended beer selections.
1. Planning Your Craft Beer Tasting Party
While the idea of “planning” a party might seem not very “party”, but a little preparation can make the evening more relaxed, allowing you to fully enjoy the time with your friends.
Choose a Theme: A theme can add focus and fun to your tasting party. Consider these ideas:
- Regional: Explore beers from a specific region, like Belgian ales or Classic American IPAs.
- Style: Focus on one style, such as stouts, IPAs, or sours.
- Seasonal: Highlight seasonal brews, perfect for the summer vibes.
Guest List: Invite a small group of friends who appreciate craft beer. Ideally, 6-10 people—enough to keep it lively without overwhelming your space.
Date and Time: With the bank holiday giving everyone a bit more freedom, its a perfect excuse to host your party on the Saturday or Sunday evening. This way, you can relax and enjoy without the worry of work the next day… or the Monday as it’s a short week anyway what’s one day with a hangover
2. Setting Up the Tasting
Glassware: Provide enough glasses for each guest. If possible, use beer tasting glasses or small tulip glasses to capture the aroma and flavor of the beers. But unless you really are a beer fanatic this might not be feasible, so just ensure you rinse the glasses between tastings to prevent flavor contamination (and remember who’s is who’s).
Tasting Notes: Offer a basic guide on what to look for, including appearance, aroma, taste, mouthfeel, and overall impression. Tailor the depth of these notes to your crowd’s experience level you don’t have to go overboard but always good to get a general idea.
Water and Snacks: Keep water on hand for palate cleansing between tastings. Light snacks like crackers, bread, and cheese complement the beer and keep everyone satisfied.
3. Choosing the Beers
Variety: Select a range of beers to showcase different styles and flavors. Aim for 4-6 different beers. Here are some ideas:
- IPA: A classic choice with a range of hop flavors.
- Stout: Rich and creamy, perfect for dark beer lovers.
- Saison: A refreshing farmhouse ale with fruity and spicy notes.
- Sour: For those who enjoy tart and tangy flavors.
- Lager: A clean and crisp option that appeals to a wide audience.
- Special Release: Include a limited-edition or rare beer for excitement.
Quantity: Make sure you have enough beer for everyone to sample. Typically, a 330ml – 440ml can or bottle between 2-3 guests is enough.
You could suggest that each person contributes a set amount of money, which you then use to buy the beers. Or, if you’re feeling generous, purchase all the beers yourself and ask your guests to bring a wild card selection to share. The options are endless; the main thing is to have enough beer for everyone to enjoy.
4. Tasting Guide
Order of Tasting: Start with lighter beers and progress to heavier, more intense ones. This order will help your guests fully appreciate each beer:
- Lager
- Saison
- IPA
- Sour
- Stout
- Special Release
Tasting Process:
- Look: Examine the color, clarity, and head of the beer.
- Smell: Swirl the beer gently and take in the aromas.
- Taste: Take a sip and let it coat your palate. Note the initial flavors, the mid-palate, and the finish.
- Discuss: Share your thoughts with the group.
5. Recommended Beer Selections from Eight Arch Brewery
To make your tasting party a local affair, could always consider a full Eight Arch session with some of our standout brews:
- Little Dragon (4.5% Kölsch): A refreshing lager/ale style with clean, bready malt flavors, subtle fruity aromas, and just enough bitterness to balance it all out. Perfect as a starter.
- Square Logic (4.2% Pale Ale): Our signature pale ale featuring a blend of our favorite fruit-filled hops on a base of Pale, Vienna, and flaked oats. Super fruity, ripe, juicy, and incredibly crushable.
- Quarterjack (4.8% Porter): A rich and velvety porter brewed with multiple malts for a mouth-filling experience of chocolate-coated biscuits with a hint of coffee.
- Two Plus Two Equals (5.2% Pale Ale): Soft and fluffy pale ale hopped with Strata, Amarillo & Galaxy bringing juicy fruit aromas. No calculators were hurt in the making of this beer.
- Sunrise (4% Session IPA): Our gluten-free Session IPA, bursting with hoppy aromas of ripe stone fruit and a refreshing, balanced bitterness.
- Corbel (5.5% IPA): Back by popular demand, our award-winning IPA filled with tropical fruit aromas and flavors like peach, passionfruit, pineapple, and mango, finishing with a perfect bitterness.
6. Next Steps
Hosting a craft beer tasting party over the bank holiday weekend is a great way to spend time with friends and discover new beers. So a little planning, a variety of beers, and great mates, your bank holiday is sorted! Cheers to good times and great beer!
Hopefully with these tips, you’ll not only have a great party but might even convert some of your not-so-beery friends into craft beer lovers (or at least Eight Arch). Enjoy your bank holiday tasting party!