If you are having a beer tasting, what is a good way to clear the palate?

Question

When you are having a wine tasting event, it's customary to clear the palate with water and possibly plain crackers or baguettes.

Is it the same concept for a beer tasting where you are serving several types of brews, or is there a different preferred method for ensuring that the last taste doesn't influence the current one?

Answer 1

Not have any experiense on Beer testing but here are few tips from beer.about.com

• Do not taste new beers with food or soon after eating. The lingering flavors from food can greatly affect your impression of the brew.
• Cleanse your palate with water. Crackers or cheese are fine but you should remember that even these foods can affect the apparent flavors of the beer.
• If you're tasting a number of different beers, let the color be your guide. It is best to taste from light to dark.

Answer 2

I would avoid bread, since that contains quite a bit of salt and yeast - so if you taste yeast in the next beer you don't know if it's from the beer or from bread still stuck in your teeth.

The food should be neutral, preferably unsalted and consumed with water. Unsalted crackers are probably as close to ideal here. While cheese can work, I wouldn't say it neutralizes the palate, but softens it.