Fully appreciating a beer is more than just drinking it. Follow these steps to taste your favorite locally-made craft beers like a pro –  from the comfort of your home. 

All you need is a Buffalocal brew, and a glass, and you can get tasting.

Start with sight

If you can eat with your eyes, then you can drink with them, too. Before you take your first sip, get a good look at your brew. Hold it up to the light and notice the color, head and consistency. 

Notice the nose 

If you’ve ever heard someone talking about the “nose” of a beer, they’re referring to its aroma. You can appreciate the aroma of a beer by doing three separate sniffs. 

• Long sniff – hold your beer near your belly button and inhale through your nose. 
• Short sniff – hold the rim of the glass level with your chin.
• Covered sniff – create a cover around your nose and the top of the glass with your hand. 

You can release the aromatics by giving your glass a swirl before each sniff. After each exercise, take a moment to pause and think about the aromas.

Focus on flavor

Flavor is a combination of aroma and taste. In order to fully appreciate the flavor of a brew take a sip and let the beer linger on your palate. Think about what flavors you’re picking up. Notice the mouthfeel – is it full-bodied or light? How carbonated is it? 

Now, take another sip and do it again. You may notice flavor differences on the second sip because the beer has already had a chance to coat your palate. If you need help describing the flavor, look at these beer style guidelines.

Buy Buffalocal

Your favorite craft beer bars in Buffalo may be closed, but you can still drink your favorite Buffalo craft beers. You can pick up Buffalocal beer at bottle shops like Consumers, and grocery stores like Wegmans and Tops.