| NORFOLK NIPS
The National Beer Scoring System (NBSS) A beginner’s guide I am often asked how one can get actively involved in CAMRA, without having to attend Committee Meetings, etc. Fortunately, there is a way – and a very important one at that. All you have to do is rate the beers that you drink in pubs, giving CAMRA your honest opinion. The Scheme plays a vital role in determining which pubs get into the Good Beer Guide, as was explained in the last issue, and is a very important tool in promoting CAMRA’s aims of a decent pint in a good pub at a fair price. Answer the following questions: Are you reading this in a pub? Dou you have a glass of real ale in front of you? If you answered yes to question 1, then the good news is that you can start right away. Although if you answered no to question 2 you will have to visit the bar first. Ready? OK, let’s start.
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| WINTER 2013
Stage 1 Appraise the beer. With so many different ales and differing styles at that, it might appear bewildering at first. Fortunately, CAMRA has some recommendations:
Stage 2 Evaluate the beer. CAMRA uses the following 0 – 5 point scale for judging beer quality, so that beer that you have just sampled should fit into one of the following:
LOOK - Hold the glass up to the light and assess the colour, the clarity and the head. Golden Ales should appear bright and clear, while darker beers such as stouts and porters should possess a dark rich colour with a thick creamy foam head in some cases. As a general rule, ask yourself if it looks appealing.
0 No cask ale available
SMELL - Raise the glass to your nose and take a short sniff. (You can release the aromas present by placing the palm of your hand over the glass and swirling it gently, before sniffing.) TASTE – This is the final proof. Take a sip and swill around your mouth before swallowing. This ensures that all your taste buds, which detect different taste sensations, have the opportunity to register the whole taste sensation. Done? Now on to:
1 POOR - Beer that is anything from barely drinkable to drinkable with considerable resentment 2 AVERAGE – Competently kept, drinkable pint but does not inspire in any way. Not worth moving on to another pub, but you drink the beer without really noticing. 3 GOOD - Good beer in good form. You may cancel plans to move to the next pub. You want to stay for another and may seek out the beer again. 4 VERY GOOD – Excellent beer in excellent condition. 5 PERFECT – Probably the best you are likely to find. (A seasoned drinker will award this score very rarely.)