Full disclosure: I came across link about how to taste beer while reading a blog about baseball (we all have secret vices).
It would seem terribly snide to pick at the various nits here, but this “tip” is just plain wrong:
Do not taste new beers with food or soon after eating. The lingering flavors from food can greatly affect your impression of the brew.
Yes, they can. And that’s a good thing. Granted, not every beer tastes better with food, and certainly not every beer goes with every dish. However, beer often makes food better and vice versa.
When evaluating beer in a contest (judging) setting, which this article also deals with, there are reasons to filter out distractions. Just don’t forget that beer is not meant to be consumed in a sterile environment. Take that into account when evaluating it for yourself.
I couldn’t agree with you more. There have been many beers that I have tasted without food and actually didn’t like it, but once paired with foods, the combination of flavors actually created a really great experience with new flavors coming out in the beer.