My palate needs prepping before I can taste any subtle flavors in beer. I'm not a BJCP judge so I'm not trained in beer flavors and off-flavors, etc.
I know what good beer tastes like, but only when I prep my palate with a wide range of tastes (or beers), is when I can really taste the subtle nuances of beer.
I've been brewing since 2005 and I just started doing all-grain a few months ago and now I'm absolutely obsessed. I just submitted a beer in the NHC for the first time. This will be my very first beer competition. I think I make really good beer for a brand new all-grain brewer. I don't have a lot of control over my fermentation process. I still don't have a good aerator, I don't have a stir plate, I don't have a good way of controlling temperature (YET), but I still make pretty good beer.
Even typing that makes me think that's far-fetched. So, I need a palate. I need somebody to judge my beers and tell me what is wrong with it. I want to become a better brewer. I want to become the best brewer.
Please help a homebrewer out!