abierguy

⏰ Just 24 hours left to secure your spot for the Level 1: Beer Server Online Course!⏰

Ready to take your beer knowledge to the next level? This online course will guide you through the essentials of beer service, tasting, and style knowledge.

📅 Course Duration: Nov 12 - Dec 05, 2024
📍 Platform: Zoom
🔗 Sign-up: Link in bio

What’s included?
✔️ Live coaching & Q&A
✔️ CBS-aligned course material
✔️ Practice tests and assignments
✔️ Access to recorded sessions
✔️ Our exclusive Discord server for community and support

Got any questions about enrollment? I'd be happy to help.

Let's get you this W before the end of the year.

Cheers!

Level 1: Beer Server Course Registration Registration Deadline: November 10, 2024 Course Duration: November 12 - December 5, 2024 Platform: Zoom Instructor: Anudeep Reddy Mutyala, Advanced Cicerone® Course Fee: Rs. 6000 (all-inclusive) What’s included? Eight Online Sessions: In-depth exploration of each topic in the International CBS sy...

Ever looked at your pint and wondered, “What’s really going on in there?” It’s actually not rocket science. It’s all about tapping into our natural superpowers—our senses—to have more fun with beer! Curiosity is key here, helping us truly understand each sip and savor every moment.

So here’s how you do it:

👀 Appearance: Yep, looks do matter. Check out that color, clarity, and the head (aka foam). A bright orange juice-like beer? You’d expect a Weissbier or a hazy IPA. A dark, opaque beer? Your mind might go straight to stout. We call it ‘drinking with your eyes.’

👃 Aroma: Take a sniff (or two). Smelling beer isn’t weird; it’s science! Beer aromas hit your nose through two sneaky pathways: one when you sniff directly (orthonasal) and another when you sip and breathe out (retronasal)—aka the “mouth smell.” Whether you catch citrus, caramel, or banana, these smells hint at what’s coming. Swirl & sniff. Don’t skip it.

👅 Taste: Time to sip! Let the liquid linger on your palate for a few seconds. No quick sips, please. Your taste buds recognize sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami, helping you decode what’s happening in that glass. Notice the order of unfolding flavors: do they hit immediately, or come in layers? Which one is dominant?

🍻 Finish & Aftertaste: Every good story has a memorable ending, and so does beer. Pay attention to the sensation after you swallow. Does it finish sweet/dry? Was there a lingering bitterness from that Cold IPA you just enjoyed?

🍻 Mouthfeel: It’s the physical sensation of beer on your palate, with a range of qualities like body, carbonation, texture, warmth, and astringency. Pay attention to each of these qualities as you sip.

🍻 Glassware Matters! The shape, design, serving temperature, and cleanliness of a glass all affect beer’s flavor perception. Some glass shapes are designed to trap aromas or enhance foam formation, adding to the experience. Picking the right glass can be a game-changer!

Curiosity leads to discovery. Try something new, ask questions, and really take the time to notice each part of the beer experience.

Interested in this subject? Sign-up for my upcoming Level 1 Beer Server Course. Link in bio! 🍻

In public settings, whenever there’s a discussion about beer, we often dive into specifics, assuming the other person knows the basics. But this isn’t always true—in fact, it usually isn’t. As an educator, I’ve realized the importance of starting with the fundamentals, especially if I don’t know the other person’s knowledge level.

So, let’s start with the basics.

What makes a Beer?
The four key ingredients: malt, hops, yeast, and water.
Beer is produced through a series of chemical reactions that yield alcohol, CO₂, and a lot of interesting flavors.

Brewer’s yeast feeds on malt sugars extracted in the form of wort during a process called mashing. Wort, a sugary liquid, provides fermentable and unfermentable sugars that influence color, clarity, foam formation and stability, alcohol strength, finish, body, texture, taste, and aroma. This is why malt is considered the backbone of beer. While any grain that undergoes malting can be called malt, in brewing, it’s typically malted barley—the primary sugar source.

Water is another key ingredient. At a surface level, it might seem simple, but since more than 90% of beer is water, its quality matters. Brewers often make salt adjustments based on style, influencing the final beer’s perception of dryness or sweetness.

Humulus lupulus—also known as hops and a close cousin to cannabis—has been used in brewing for over a thousand years. Hops are often seen as the “villain” due to their bitterness, but they contribute to a lot of fascinating flavor compounds reminiscent of fruity, herbal, earthy, dank, floral, and spicy notes. Hops can also affect beer haze, foam, and mouthfeel.

In essence, brewers make wort, and yeast makes beer. Yeast is the powerhouse here, requiring a sugar source, oxygen, nutrients, ideal fermentation conditions—and, of course, time to do its magic. Broadly, yeast strains fall into two categories—ale yeast and lager yeast. And in certain specific beer styles, wild yeasts or bacteria are intentionally allowed. If it’s not intended, then it’s infected.

Want to dive deeper into these discussions? Sign up for my Level 1 Beer Server course—link in bio!

Are Beer Certifications Worth It?
Not those participation ones, I’m referring to those that are earned through hard work. Certifications like Cicerone, WSET in beer, Beer Sommelier, and BJCP (for judging) are great for both beer lovers and industry pros. For aspiring brewers, there are excellent courses offered by schools like UC Davis, Siebel Institute, IBD, BrewLab, and Heriot-Watt.

For those who aren’t sure of what path to take, start by asking yourself: What excites you the most in the beer industry? What are you drawn to? Is it brewing, sales, marketing, or perhaps being a brand ambassador for a brewery? Maybe you see yourself as an independent beer educator, trainer, or blog writer. Choose certifications that align with your interests.

Is It Worth It? Absolutely! Will it guarantee you a job? Not necessarily. However, I can vouch that it makes you a well-rounded, knowledgeable person. Professionally, it may give you a slight edge over other candidates with similar backgrounds, but it may not guarantee employment.

When I transitioned from engineering to beer, I started with no knowledge. I began homebrewing, joined beer clubs, and learned from experienced judges. With a bit of luck, paired with my curiosity and love for beer, I managed to crush three levels of Cicerone and the BJCP tasting and written proficiency exam—all in one attempt!

Studying for the Cicerone exams provided a solid structure for my beer education and kept my curiosity alive. It’s true what they say: “The journey is more important than the destination.” The path I took transformed me and deepened my appreciation for beer. The beauty lies in that journey—embrace it!

Every certification will challenge you, test your patience, and ultimately reward your efforts if you don’t quit.

Ready for a leap? Join my upcoming cohort for the Level 1 Beer Server and take your first step into the world of beer. Check the link in my bio to sign up and get started!

Ever heard someone say a beer isn’t “true to style”? In a commercial setting, this can be frustrating for business owners and brewers, especially when the beer wasn’t brewed for competition. I used to think strict style guidelines were everything, but I was wrong. Beers existed long before styles were created. In fact, styles were developed based on the beers that already existed.

Beer styles have roots in specific places and times, evolving from local ingredients, brewing methods, and traditions. Factors like production costs, technology, local laws, and taxation also shaped regional beers. Beer writers like Michael Jackson shared stories of these unique brews through books and articles, leading to what we recognize today as styles.

Style guidelines serve as a map for exploring beer, providing a common language. They help us recognize the differences between brews—like a Belgian Wit vs. a Hefeweizen or an IPA vs. a Stout.

Styles offer a framework and flexibility for brewers crafting both traditional and contemporary beers, while for judges, they provide structure for evaluating beers in competitions.

But remember, they’re guidelines, not laws. You don’t need every Witbier to taste the same, but understanding what to expect in a Witbier enhances appreciation for the style.

Beer enthusiasts: next time you’re at a brewery, order a flight and pull up the beer style guidelines (BJCP is great for this). Pay attention to appearance, aroma, flavor, and mouthfeel—use all your senses! The goal is to start building a mental library of styles. With enough practice, you’ll begin to recognize the subtleties of each style.

🎬 Bottom Line
Are beer style guidelines worth following? Absolutely! But treat them as tools, not rules. Let them deepen your appreciation and inspire creativity, helping you focus on creating something memorable, sip after sip.

Styles got you curious? 📚Sign up for my upcoming Level1 Beer Server course to explore beer styles in-depth and build confidence as a beer enthusiast. Link in bio!

🍶 Celebrating Kallu: A Lesser-Known Tradition 🍶
In my hometown, we have a vibrant tradition of fermenting palm sap into Kallu—a refreshing, naturally fermented drink that reflects our deep connection to the land. 🌿

🌴 Origins: Kallu has been enjoyed for centuries across South India, linking us to our agrarian roots. Harvested from toddy palms (thati kallu) and date palms (eetha kallu), each offers distinct flavors.

🌞 Tapping: This ancient practice, passed down through generations, involves tapping sap that ferments with wild yeasts (Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Pichia, Candida) and bacteria (LAB, Acetobacter). It’s consumed fresh, often within hours, to savor its mild sweetness and low alcohol content.

*Tapped/tapping refers to the initial incision made in the palm tree to allow the sap to flow.

🍃 There are typically four main types of dhaaraas (referring to the stages and timings of sap tapping):
1. Pothudhaara (morning tapping)
2. Kannedhaara (afternoon tapping)
3. Pandudhaara (evening tapping)
4. Parupudhaara (mature palms tapping)
Each type reflects different levels of fermentation and flavor based on the time of tapping and collection, influencing the taste and alcohol content. The longer it ferments, the stronger the vinegar-like taste, signaling it’s past its ideal stage.

Tasting notes (Second image):
Pictured Left: Thati Kallu – Sweet with a slight tang, featuring fruity and earthy undertones with traces of sulfur.
Pictured Right: Eetha Kallu – Mildly sweet, lighter in texture, with a subtle alcoholic kick.

🌿 Every sip of this beverage connects me to my roots, to nature, and the hands behind this ancient craft.

Cheers! 🍶

‼️ Actively seeking new opportunities in the beer industry and open to relocating globally! 🍻 With experience in brewing, beer education, and sensory, I’m eager to continue my journey as a brewer and beer educator.

As an Advanced Cicerone®, brewer, beer judge, and sensory professional, I’m ready to bring my skills and passion to a new team. Any leads or opportunities would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers! 🙌

M A N G O S A I S O N

After scoring a hit with our first mango beer of the season, Mango Hazy IPA, we brought back the crowd’s favorite from last season.

The Saison base brings out vivid notes of cracked black pepper, kaffir lime leaves, unripe banana, bread dough, and lemongrass, which fit well with the ripe mango flavors from the blend of Raspuri, Amrapali, Alphonso, and Kesar.

ABV: 6.9% | 22 IBU

Come, get it!



📸:

I’ve tried fruited IPAs before and I think it’s one of the most challenging beers to brew. It’s easy to go overboard with either the fruit or hop additions, resulting in one flavor dominating the other. A good example should remind you of the base style, with the fruit addition serving as a complement.

Pictured here is the new summer seasonal beer, Mango Hazy IPA, from . This beer embodies all the characteristics of a Hazy IPA with an added twist. The Alphonso mangoes from Ratnagiri impart a rich, ripe mango flavor with a touch of sweetness that balances the hop bitterness.

On the palate, the mango flavor hits upfront, followed by a burst of citrus, melon, and tropical fruit notes from the combination of hop products like INCOGNITO® Sabro, Salvo™ Trident & Eldorado, Spectrum® Cascade, Nectaron, Citra, and Cryo Simcoe.

One of my favorite beers at the moment. Now on tap at Whitefield.

Pretty happy with the results we got from SafAle W-68. This yeast is fairly new to the market. I’m not sure if it’s available in India yet, but I’d 100% choose this over WB-06 for a Hefeweizen. I love the expression of ripe banana and clove. We’re yet to fine-tune it fully, but it’s been good progress so far.

Flavor notes: Wheat flour, fruit custard, ripe banana, clove, and vanilla.

Featured: Hefeweizen, a crowd favorite from Windmills ( )

Very excited to be a part of the Brew Asia technical session happening in Pune on 18th, and 19th April 2024.

I’ll be presenting on the topic “beer education”.

Session Title: Elevating Sales and Engaging Consumers Through Beer Education.

Session Summary: This workshop focuses on the profound influence of beer education on sales and consumer engagement, providing participants with actionable insights to empower your staff with a comprehensive understanding of craft beer and drive your brewery’s success.

Thanks to and for providing a platform to discuss the necessity of beer education.

Registration link in bio.