Are you ready to take your brewery to the next level? Discover the power of sensory evaluation and revolutionize the way you craft your beers with Building a Sensory Program—the definitive guide to brewery sensory programs.  

Used as a standard text in multiple university courses, Building a Sensory Program is the go-to resource for brewers serious about quality. This comprehensive textbook provides practical tools and insights to establish a results-driven sensory program in hours, not months.

What You’ll Learn:

Tasting Technique: Master sensory evaluation and train your panelists to recognize key flavor traits of your beers.

Problem Solving: Utilize sensory tests to monitor beer quality, guide product development, assess shelf life, and prevent costly recalls, safeguarding your brand reputation.

Innovation: Leverage sensory insights to develop new brands and refine existing ones. 

In today’s increasingly competitive market, an effective sensory program is an essential tool to ensure your brewery’s success. With Building a Sensory Program, you'll equip yourself with the tools and expertise needed to ensure your beer always tastes its best.

  • "The essential sensory guide for practical brewers dedicated to refining their craft."

    LINDSAY BARR

    Founding Partner and CSO, DraughtLab Sensory Software

  • "The unerring ability to deliver to your customers exactly the beer that you promised them is the hallmark of the truly professional brewer. Only a solid and reliable sensory program can guarantee a brewery’s ongoing success at brewing to target and making sure its beers are as delicious as the brewer hopes they are. Medals are cool, Instagram cred is great, but here Pat Fahey shows you how to ensure and track The Right Stuff—actual quality."

    GARRETT OLIVER

    Brewmaster, The Brooklyn Brewery

    Editor-in-Chief, The Oxford Companion to Beer

    Michael James Jackson Foundation for Brewing and Distilling

  • "When I was starting the sensory program at New Belgium in 1999, there wasn’t a craft beer sensory community or applicable technical resources out there. So, while I was full of determination and enthusiasm, it was sometimes a lonely and uncertain endeavor. Pat’s book, Building a Sensory Program: A Brewer’s Guide to Beer Evaluation, is the culmination of the incredible progress that’s been made since then and will be every sensory leader’s best friend and guiding light."

    LAUREN LIMBACH

    Wood Cellar Director & Blender, New Belgium Brewing

  • "Building a Sensory Program is an essential tool for every brewery, whatever its size. For newcomers to the field of sensory evaluation, it will guide them step by step through implementation of a sensory program that fits their goals and needs. For brewers with an established program, it will be an invaluable resource they can regularly refer to, both to validate their practices and to take their sensory program to the next level. This practical, comprehensive, clear, and concise book will undoubtedly serve all breweries in their development and pursuit of Quality—a key element to remaining in business in this highly competitive era."

    YVAN DE BAETS

    Co-Owner & Brewmaster, Brasserie de la Senne

  • "Whether you are firing up your brewhouse for the first batch or producing well over 100,000 barrels of beer a year, Pat Fahey’s Building a Sensory Program belongs in your collection of brewing books. Building a culture of sensory is crucial to every brewery’s success, and this book will help you succeed. Speaking as someone who has started a sensory program at a brewery, this book will not only teach you the basics but will carry you years into the development of your sensory program."

    RILEY SEITZ

    Senior Project Manager — Beverage Development, BevSource

  • "Most successful breweries I know have a very strong sensory program and consider it the most important tool in their quality program. Pat Fahey’s book covers everything you need to know about sensory analysis and how to build a sensory program. He relies on research and industry experts to dissect the biochemistry of the senses of taste and smell, and then lays out an extensive, detailed plan for building a top-quality sensory program that breweries of all sizes and types can use to improve their beer quality and consistency. It is a great read and a wonderful resource."

    MITCH STEELE

    COO & Brewmaster, New Realm Brewing Company

  • "Starting or expanding a sensory panel can be costly and challenging for a brewery without clear guidance. Pat Fahey’s Building a Sensory Program is a comprehensive resource that clearly explains sensory science and the details necessary for assembling a successful panel."

    KARL ARNBERG

    Sensory Program Manager, Allagash Brewing Company