The Art of Tasting Beer

Join us at the Modella Art Gallery for an evening of beer appreciation and an introduction to the world of beer!  

Ever found yourself reading a craft beer taproom list and wondering what’s going on? Perhaps you’re new to beer and are curious about the difference between a pilsner and a pale ale. Maybe you’re a wine drinker who wants to know what all the fuss is about with beer these days. You’ve probably tasted a lager at some point in your life. And maybe you know what an IPA is. But what about all those other beer styles?  

Beer is one of the world’s most fascinating drinks. Brewers can choose from hundreds of hop varieties, dozens of grains, and numerous yeast strains. The result is a kaleidoscope of beers ranging from sunshine yellow and autumn amber to chestnut brown and midnight black. There’s beer with cherries, beer with herbs and spices, beer aged in barrels, and beer filtered through juniper boughs. That’s just the tip of the iceberg.  

“The Art of Tasting Beer” introduces you to some of these beers while helping you make sense of it all. Why does a particular beer smell and taste a certain way? How do we describe all those wonderful fragrances and flavors?  

Award-winning beer writer Franz Hofer will guide us through our exploration of the wide world of beer. Franz is the person behind A Tempest in a Tankard, a blog dedicated to the history and culture of beer. He’s also a certified beer judge, seasoned beer traveler, and avid homebrewer who has been involved with Stillwater’s homebrew club for over a decade.