Beer Appreciation With Nicolas Coitino

Beer Appreciation Course – From grain to glass

The main goal of this course is to enhance your experience for the next time you are out for a beer or enjoying a well-deserved one at home.

From brewing theory and historical backgrounds to sensorial training and guided tastings.

Course Duration: 8 Weeks

Tines: 6:30 – 8:30pm (Wednesday evenings)

Starts: 18th September 2024

Note: First hour will take place in BFEI and then we will move to Blackrock Cellar for the tastings. There will be a small participatory charge each evening tor tastings (Approx. €4)

http://blackrockcellar.com

See below for an outline of what to expect. Please note the following is subject to change and is meant as a guideline only.

Week 1

What is beer? Brewing process, ingredients and how they affect the final product.
Creating fermentable sugars from cereals (malting, mashing)
Boiling and hop additions
Yeast and fermentation
Introduction to methodically assess a beer (simplified BJCP)
Tasting: malt forward beer, IPA, weissbier

Week 2

Malt!
Why and how, science behind it
Cooking with sugars and enzymes
Tastes that come from the malt
Tasting: stout, dunkel, doppelbock

Week 3

Hops!
What are they for, where to grow them
Different varieties
How to use them! Boiling additions, dry hopping techniques, etc
Flavour profiles
Tasting: neipa, west coast/classic American, New Zealand

Week 4

Yeast!
Strains and different purposes
Fermentation processes / off flavours
Lagering
Introduction to mixed fermentation
Tasting: blonde ale, lager, weissbier/roggenbier, mixed ferm

Week 5

Introduction to Irish beer scene
Big companies vs Independents
Big independents vs small independents
Best breweries in their own styles
Tasting: core range Irish beers

Week 6

Germany and macro lagers
Why German lagers are so good and macro lager so cheap
Different German styles and processes
How to assess a macro lager
Tasting: Munich Helles, Pils, Dunkel, Doppelbock, Heineken and Corona

Week 7

Belgian and Trappist beer
Historical background and fun facts
Typical ingredients and processes
Belgian culture
Tasting: saison, Belgian blond, dubbel, tripel and quad

Week 8

Possible field trip!