Writing tasting notes that sell
A tasting note is a tiny piece of selling. Done well, it helps a guest pick the right beer and trust the next one you recommend. Here is how we write them.
What a tasting note is for
A judge's tasting note is a diagnosis. A menu or label note is a recommendation. Brewers often confuse the two and write menu copy full of hop varieties, IBU figures and phrases like "moderate esters". That helps another brewer. It does not help a guest deciding between a lager and a pale ale.
The goal of a selling note is simple: the guest should know roughly what the beer will taste like before it arrives. Then find that it does. Being accurate is what earns trust. Trust is what makes them try your next beer.
Taste first, write second
Write from the beer in the glass, not from the recipe sheet. A recipe with Citra and Mosaic does not guarantee a mango aroma. A beer brewed with jaggery may not taste of it at all once the yeast has eaten the sugar.
Here is the floor detail that catches most breweries. Notes are usually written from the bright tank, just before packaging, when hop aroma is at its peak. A hazy IPA that smells of passion fruit at the tank can taste noticeably duller after a few weeks in a warm distribution chain. If your beer travels, taste a can that has sat in trade for a while and write for that beer, not the one in the tank. Our guide to how to taste beer covers a simple method.
A structure that works
Most good notes follow the order a guest experiences the beer:
- Look. Only if it is notable: "deep copper", "hazy gold".
- Aroma. The strongest one or two smells.
- Taste and body. Sweet or dry, light or full.
- Finish. Crisp, bitter, lingering, clean.
- When to drink it. A food, a moment or a mood.
Example: "Hazy gold, ripe mango and pine on the nose, soft and juicy with a gentle bitter finish. Made for a plate of chilli chicken." That is under thirty words and a guest can picture it.
Use words people already know
Compare descriptions to things your guests have actually tasted. In India that might be raw mango, jamun, jaggery, toasted bread, filter coffee, nimbu, cardamom or dark chocolate. These work better than gooseberry or quince, which many Indian drinkers have never eaten.
Avoid empty words. "Smooth", "balanced" and "refreshing" describe almost every beer, so they describe none. Replace them with something specific: "light enough to drink on a hot afternoon" says more than "refreshing". If you need a richer vocabulary, our guide to beer aroma vocabulary is a good place to build one.
Different notes for different places
- Tap list or menu board. Five to eight words. "Crisp, bready, lightly floral lager."
- Printed menu. One or two sentences with a food suggestion.
- Can or bottle label. Two or three sentences, often with a little story. Space is tight, so every word counts.
- Social posts. The note plus the reason the beer exists. Keep within the advertising rules, so describe the beer rather than promote drinking it.
Keep the core description the same across all of them. A guest who reads "citrus and pine" on Instagram and "tropical and soft" on the menu will wonder which is true.
Honesty sells better than hype
Never promise what the beer does not deliver. If a stout is dry and roasty, do not call it "chocolate dessert in a glass" to sell it to people who like sweet drinks. They will be disappointed and they will not trust your notes again. If a beer is bitter, say so. Bitter beer drinkers will seek it out and others will steer away, which is what you want.
Write notes with the bar staff. They hear what guests say about each beer every night. Their words are often better than the brewer's. A simple exercise works well: pour the new beer for the team before it goes on tap, ask each person for three words and keep the words that come up more than once. Then rewrite the note when the beer changes. A recipe tweak, a new hop lot or a different malt can shift the flavour enough that last season's note is no longer true.
Common questions
How long should a beer tasting note be?
On a tap list, five to eight words. On a menu or label, one to three sentences. Shorter is usually better.
Should tasting notes mention hop varieties and IBU?
Only for an audience that wants them, such as beer enthusiasts. Most guests choose better with plain flavour words and a food suggestion.
Why does my beer not taste like the note on the label?
Often the note was written from fresh beer at the brewery. Hop aroma fades with time and warm storage. Writing notes from beer that has spent time in trade avoids this.
