Craft beer flight tasting

A craft beer flight tasting, where different beer styles are served in small portions for sensory comparison.

About this subject

A craft beer flight tasting is a practice that allows consumers to sample multiple beer styles in one session, served in small glasses (typically 100 to 150 ml) arranged on a wooden board or tray. Originating in wine culture, the term “flight” was adopted by craft breweries in the early 2000s, especially in the United States, as a way to encourage discovery of new flavors. In Brazil, the craft beer scene expanded rapidly after 2010, with many microbreweries and specialized bars opening. Today, flights are common at festivals, taprooms, and even supermarkets, enabling people to compare attributes like alcohol content, bitterness (IBU), body, aroma and color. The typical tasting order moves from lightest to heaviest, starting with a witbier or session ale and finishing with an imperial stout or barley wine. Beyond taste, a flight offers an educational experience, as each sample is usually accompanied by a brief description of the style and brewery. Tasting technique involves three steps: visual (observing color, clarity and foam), olfactory (identifying hop, malt, fruit or spice aromas) and gustatory (perceiving flavor, body and finish). Notably, many beer sommeliers recommend starting with lower-alcohol beers to avoid palate fatigue. This practice has also become a marketing tool for breweries, encouraging customers to purchase full glasses of their favorite styles.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the origin of the term 'flight' for beer tasting?

The term 'flight' comes from aviation, meaning a group of things flying together, but it was first popularized in wine tasting and later adopted by craft breweries in the early 2000s to describe a set of samples.

How many beers are typically in a flight?

A typical flight contains 4 to 6 samples, but it can range from 3 to 8 depending on the bar or festival. Each sample is usually between 100 and 150 ml.

What is the proper order for tasting a beer flight?

It is recommended to taste from the lightest to the fullest-bodied style, from lowest to highest alcohol content, and from lowest to highest bitterness. This prevents strong flavors from overwhelming the palate early on.