Merlin Strong 14°

Aroma is one of beer's most complex features. Aroma is propelled by lively CO2 and dampened by pillowy heads - especially nitrogen foam. Click on a term below to add it to your tasting notes.

Malt
caramel, bread, hay, cereal, chocolate, coffee, nuts, toast, roasty

Hops
resin, floral, grass, spruce, citrus, herbs

Yeast/Bacteria
dough, barnyard, cheese, basement aromas, leather, earthy, leaves

Other
alcohol, banana, bubblegum, butterscotch, clove, cooked vegetables, cough drop, ginger, licorice, raisin, rotten eggs, soy sauce, skunky, smoke, vanilla, woody

Appearance is how a beer appeals to the eye and includes notes on color, the liquid's visual texture and the head -- the beer's foam top. Click on a term below to add it to your tasting notes.

Color
pale, golden, amber orange red brown black

Liquid
clear, hazy, cloudy, sparkling

Head
rocky, frothy, minimal, white, tan, brown

Taste is what can be appreciated with the tongue. It's easy to mistake aromas for tastes -- the tongue only senses sweet, bitter, sour, salt and umami. Click on a term below to add it to your tasting notes.

Sweet
light, medium, heavy

Bitter
light, medium, heavy

Sour
light, medium, heavy

Other
salty, umami

The palate includes touch sensations on the lips, tongue, gums and roof of the mouth. Click on a term below to add it to your tasting notes.

Body
light, medium, full

Texture
thin, oily, creamy, sticky, slick, thick

Carbonation
fizzy, lively, average, soft, flat

Finish
astringent, bitter, abrupt, long

Your overall score quantifies how much you enjoyed all the beer's elements combined as a sensory experience. Was this a standout beer? Were your expectations met? Did the beer go well with your food? Would you recommend this to a friend? This isn't about how well the beer conformed to its style definition -- it's about a measurement of your own appreciation.