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And in a flash, summer is almost over. It’s September; kids everywhere will soon be swapping swimsuits for school uniforms, and parents will be bracing themselves for the chaos of school supply shopping and the return of the morning school run.

It’s the perfect time to savour the last few moments of the season… and what better way to do that than with a refreshing beverage? But to really enjoy it, we need to know how to appreciate the complexities of flavour, aroma and ‘mouth feel’ – if only there was a school for beer tasting…

Well there is, in fact there are loads! There are schools dedicated to making and tasting beer, where we volunteer to do everyone else’s homework!

BrewDog have one and it looks great - BrewDog do you do scholarships? We're ready to start this term!

The art of beer tasting isn’t just an informal hobby—it’s actually a science with its very own patents!

One such example, US 2009220651 A1 "METHODS FOR CHARACTERIZING FOODS AND DRINKS," is dedicated to improving how we characterise and communicate the flavours of drinks. The patent focuses on a method for describing beer’s flavour profile in a way that’s not just about complex jargon, but something that even a novice can appreciate.

?The goal here is to make flavour descriptions more accessible and less abstract. After all, a lot of current labelling systems leave us scratching our heads, wondering if “notes of oak and subtle hints of thyme” means it’s a fine brew or just a fancy way of saying “it tastes like wood.”

One of the standout features of this patent is Figure 3, which outlines a straightforward process for tasting beer like a pro. This process involves:

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Aroma (smell): Take a whiff and let those initial scents hit you.

First Sip (initial taste): Savour that first taste as it lands on your tongue.

Middle (swirl in mouth): Swirl the beer around to catch those mid-taste nuances.

Finish (after taste): Note how the flavours linger after you’ve taken a sip.

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The patent suggests that during the 'aroma' step, you might detect scents of molasses and toffee. As you take your first sip, you might taste chocolate or sweet malt. By the time you swirl the beer around in your mouth, you could catch hints of molasses and raisins, and finally, in the aftertaste, you might experience flavours like liquorice, honey, and hops.

Now, having not yet been admitted to Beer tasting school we gave this method a whirl with three different beers. Each step was a delightful adventure, but we're not sure if we were detecting “molasses” or just imagining that all beers taste, well, like beer!

If our experience taught us anything, it’s that beer can be “beerish” at every step, and that's perfectly okay.

So, as the kids head back to school and you find yourself with a little more time on your hands, why not explore the world of beer with a newfound perspective? Whether you’re a connoisseur or just a casual drinker, there’s always something new to learn and enjoy. Who knows, perhaps you'll find a beer that really does smell like molasses and taste like chocolate... if you do find one, let us know.

Wishing you a fantastic end of summer and a flavourful journey ahead!

Cheers!