Answers.Body: <p>You want a mildly flavored, low hop beer for something like this. I would suggest a Kolsch or Helles Lager or a Mild. Pilsners can be heavily hopped. I have done a lot of this with wines when I taught winemaking classes at a community college near here. We used very low aroma wines like a warm climate sauvignon blanc. You want the same for this since you don't want anything to get in the way of your samples. Also keep a small cup of coffee beans and water nearby to "reset" your nose and mouth between smelling and tasting. I wouldn't do two different beers it will muddy things. Good luck!</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2018-02-01T20:50:46.387Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2018-05-16T22:08:30.757Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2018-05-16T22:08:30.757Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: farmersteve
Answers.Body: <p>You should definitely all use the same beer as the base, and you want a beer that has a good balance of hops and malt. The less flavor the beer has, the more the "spiked" flavors and aromas will stand out. Too much aromatic hops (e.g., an IPA) will mask the aromas. Too much malt will mask the flavors. A lighter, neutral beer is the way to go for an educational tasting.</p>
  
  <p>I agree with everything farmersteve said except for the part about the coffee beans. That's an extremely strong flavor and aroma that will taint the beer tasting. As one who dislikes coffee, I can say that smelling coffee beans would ruin whatever beer sample I next tasted.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2018-05-16T22:11:43.553Z
Answers.Text: It's common in the perfume and wine industry to smell unground coffee beans between samples to relieve olfactory fatigue https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olfactory_fatigue
Answers.UserDisplayName: farmersteve
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Answers.LastActivityDate: 2018-05-16T01:39:57.010Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Gary R.
Answers.Body: <p>I would choose Coors. It's easy to get, always tastes the same so it makes for a good control. Also, it is light in flavor so it won't mask anything. </p>
  
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Answers.CreationDate: 2018-05-16T22:25:12.310Z
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Answers.UserDisplayName: Aedonis
Body: <p>I recently ordered a sensory training kit from Siebel Institute. In short, glass vials of liquid isolating flavors (including off-flavors and contamination) commonly found in beer.</p>
  
  <p>The instructions explain how to spike samples of beer, but say nothing about how to select a suitable beer:</p>
  
  <p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/d8WFw.jpg" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/d8WFw.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>
  
  <p>I'll be hosting a party of six, and our tastes vary wildly: from craft drinkers to macro drinkers, and an enologist (winemaker).</p>
  
  <p><strong>How should I select the base beer(s) to help us get the most out of this experience?</strong></p>
  
  <ul>
  <li><p>Should we all have the same beer? If so, a macro, even though some dislike them? Or should I pick something like a pilsner?</p></li>
  <li><p>Or should I have two tiers, a macro and something else? (What kind of ale would be appropriate?)</p></li>
  </ul>
  
Tags: <taste><flavor><lager><craft-beers>
Title: What's a good (neutral) sample beer to spike with a sensory training kit?
UserDisplayName: Andrew Cheong
ThreadText: # What's a good (neutral) sample beer to spike with a sensory training kit?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2018-02-01)
  
  I recently ordered a sensory training kit from Siebel Institute. In short, glass vials of liquid isolating flavors (including off-flavors and contamination) commonly found in beer.
  
  The instructions explain how to spike samples of beer, but say nothing about how to select a suitable beer:
  
  [![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/d8WFw.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/d8WFw.jpg)
  
  I'll be hosting a party of six, and our tastes vary wildly: from craft drinkers to macro drinkers, and an enologist (winemaker).
  
  **How should I select the base beer(s) to help us get the most out of this experience?**
  
  * Should we all have the same beer? If so, a macro, even though some dislike them? Or should I pick something like a pilsner?
  * Or should I have two tiers, a macro and something else? (What kind of ale would be appropriate?)
  
  **Tags:** taste, flavor, lager, craft-beers
  
  
  ---
  
  ## 3 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2018-02-01. Score: 7 | Accepted answer
  
  You want a mildly flavored, low hop beer for something like this. I would suggest a Kolsch or Helles Lager or a Mild. Pilsners can be heavily hopped. I have done a lot of this with wines when I taught winemaking classes at a community college near here. We used very low aroma wines like a warm climate sauvignon blanc. You want the same for this since you don't want anything to get in the way of your samples. Also keep a small cup of coffee beans and water nearby to "reset" your nose and mouth between smelling and tasting. I wouldn't do two different beers it will muddy things. Good luck!
  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_2 on 2018-05-16. Score: 4
  
  You should definitely all use the same beer as the base, and you want a beer that has a good balance of hops and malt. The less flavor the beer has, the more the "spiked" flavors and aromas will stand out. Too much aromatic hops (e.g., an IPA) will mask the aromas. Too much malt will mask the flavors. A lighter, neutral beer is the way to go for an educational tasting.
  
  I agree with everything username_1 said except for the part about the coffee beans. That's an extremely strong flavor and aroma that will taint the beer tasting. As one who dislikes coffee, I can say that smelling coffee beans would ruin whatever beer sample I next tasted.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: It's common in the perfume and wine industry to smell unground coffee beans between samples to relieve olfactory fatigue https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olfactory_fatigue  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_3 on 2018-05-16. Score: 2
  
  I would choose Coors. It's easy to get, always tastes the same so it makes for a good control. Also, it is light in flavor so it won't mask anything.
  
  
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