Annabel Smith has a freakin’ sweet job, and the fact that she’s the first and only woman in Britain doing it makes it that much cooler. Smith is the country’s first female beer inspector. She works for Cask Marque, an organization formed by four breweries (and now made up of 34) that ensures their beers taste great after going out into the world. Traveling across the country, Smith sips beer from morning till night, and unlike wine tasters, she doesn’t spit out her drinks: “You need to swallow it because the sides and back of your tongue are the only places that detect bitterness.” Smith gets her taste buds tested once a year, and when she tastes an ale, she is gauging it based on it’s appearance, aroma, taste, and temperature. Keep reading »
