Foods and habits to avoid on the morning of a beer tasting

Your palate is only as clear as your morning

Trained sensory panels have rules about the hour before a session: no eating, no smoking, no strong drinks other than water. The reason is simple. Strong flavours and smells linger in the mouth and nose, coat the tongue and dull your response to the next thing you taste.

A home tasting or a beer festival does not need lab rules. A little planning still helps, especially if you are tasting to learn, judging a competition or trying to spot faults in your own beer.

Toothpaste and mouthwash

The most common mistake is brushing your teeth right before a tasting. Many toothpastes contain sodium lauryl sulphate, a foaming agent known to change how things taste for a while afterwards. It is the reason orange juice tastes so bitter after brushing. Strong mint then adds its own cooling flavour on top.

Brush at least an hour before you taste, or rinse very well with plain water. Skip mint mouthwash and chewing gum entirely on the morning of a tasting.

Coffee, tea and spice

A strong filter coffee or a cup of masala chai leaves bitterness, roast and spice coating the mouth. Coffee is particularly tough on bitter perception, which is a problem when you are trying to judge hop bitterness. If you cannot skip your coffee, drink it early, at least an hour before the first beer. Follow it with water.

Spicy food is worse. Chilli heat comes from capsaicin, which irritates the mouth and lingers. A spicy breakfast can leave your tongue sensitised for some time. Garlic and raw onion carry through to the breath and the nose. Save the poha with green chilli and the masala omelette for another day.

Smoking, perfume and scented products

Smoking dulls both taste and smell. The effect lasts well past the cigarette. Panels usually ask people not to smoke for at least an hour before a session. If you smoke, a tasting morning is a good time to wait.

Perfume, aftershave, scented moisturiser and strongly perfumed hair products are the other big problem. They are not only in your nose. They fill the space around you and reach everyone else at the table. Go unscented on tasting days. Ask guests at a home tasting to do the same.

• Brush teeth at least an hour before.
• Finish coffee or tea at least an hour before.
• No spicy, garlicky or very sweet breakfast.
• No perfume, aftershave or scented lotion.
• No smoking for at least an hour.

What to eat instead

Do not taste hungry. An empty stomach makes alcohol hit harder and a hungry taster rushes. A plain, light breakfast an hour or two beforehand is ideal: plain toast, idli without chutney, plain rice, a banana or unsalted crackers. Keep salt and sugar modest so your tongue is not adjusted to either.

During the tasting, have plain water and plain crackers or bread on the table to reset between beers. Room temperature water is better than ice cold, which numbs the tongue. Our guide to setting up a beer tasting covers the rest of the table.

Plan the order of the session too

Preparation does not stop when you arrive. The order of the beers matters as much as your breakfast. Start with the lightest, least bitter and lowest alcohol beers. Move to hoppier, darker and stronger ones later. A 9% imperial stout early in the line-up will flatten everything after it.

Keep samples small, around 50 to 60 ml each, so you can taste a set of six or eight without your judgement fading. Leave a minute or two between beers with water and a plain cracker. If the tasting runs long, take a proper break halfway through and step outside for fresh air. Our guide to a simple tasting sheet gives you a way to record each beer before the next one arrives.

Your own health on the day

A blocked nose ruins a tasting faster than any breakfast. If you have a cold, hay fever or a sinus problem, your sense of smell may be badly reduced. Taste what you can, but do not trust your notes on aroma. Do not mark a beer as faulty or fault free that day.

Tiredness matters too. A late night before a morning tasting makes everything harder to judge. Drink water throughout, taste in small sips or spit and never drive after a tasting.

Your first step

Before your next tasting, set an alarm for an hour before the start. That is your cut-off for toothpaste, coffee and perfume. Eat a plain breakfast before it goes off. Then pay attention to how much more you notice in the first beer of the day.

Common questions

How long before a beer tasting should I brush my teeth?

At least an hour, or rinse very thoroughly with water. Toothpaste foaming agents and mint can change how things taste for a while afterwards.

Can I drink coffee before a beer tasting?

Ideally not, but if you must, drink it at least an hour before and follow it with water. Coffee leaves bitterness and roast that interfere with judging beer.

What should I eat before a beer tasting?

A light, plain breakfast an hour or two before works well, such as toast, idli or plain crackers. Avoid spicy, garlicky or very sweet food.