Craft Beer Flight Example for Your Next Pint

A great beer flight is not four small beers chosen at random. It is a chance to compare flavours, notice what changes from glass to glass, and find the pint you genuinely want to order next. This craft beer flight example is designed for anyone who enjoys trying something new, whether you know your IPAs from your stouts or simply want a more interesting first round in Riga’s Old Town.

The best flights feel relaxed, not like an exam. There is no single correct reaction to a beer. One person might love the sharp citrus of a pale ale, while another is happiest with the toasted, chocolate notes of a dark beer. The point is to taste with a little intention, enjoy the conversation around the table, and let your preferences lead the way.

A craft beer flight example in four pours

For a balanced first flight, choose four contrasting styles and taste them from lightest to richest. A sensible serving is usually around 100-150 ml per beer. That is enough to understand the beer without turning a relaxed tasting into a race.

1. A crisp lager or pilsner

Begin with the cleanest pour. A good craft lager or pilsner may look simple in the glass, but it sets a useful baseline for the rest of the flight. Look for a pale gold colour, a light malt sweetness and a dry, refreshing finish. Depending on the brewery, you may pick up floral or gently spicy hop notes too.

This is the beer that shows why freshness and balance matter. It is easy to drink, but not necessarily plain. If you find yourself returning to it after sampling the others, you may prefer bright, tidy flavours over heavier or more dramatic styles.

2. A pale ale with citrus and stone fruit

Next, move to a pale ale. It is usually a little fuller than a lager, with more obvious hop aroma but less intensity than a big IPA. Think grapefruit, orange peel, peach, passion fruit or fresh-cut grass, depending on the hops and yeast.

Take a proper sniff before your first sip. Aroma is a large part of the experience, especially in hop-led beers. On the palate, notice whether the finish is softly bitter, juicy and rounded, or crisp and dry. This is often the most approachable point of discovery for guests who normally order familiar lagers but are curious about craft beer.

3. A West Coast IPA or hazy IPA

The third glass is where the flight becomes more expressive. Choose either a West Coast IPA for pine, citrus zest and a clean bitter finish, or a hazy IPA for softer texture and fuller tropical fruit character. They share a hop-forward personality, but the mood is different.

A West Coast IPA tends to be clearer, drier and more bitter. It suits drinkers who enjoy a sharp, refreshing edge after the fruit aroma. A hazy IPA is often cloudier and silkier, with flavours that can suggest mango, pineapple, ripe peach or melon. It can feel less bitter, although it may still carry plenty of strength and flavour.

There is a trade-off here. The bolder the IPA, the more easily it can overwhelm the beers that follow or make a return to the lager seem subdued. That is why it belongs later in the flight, not first. Have a sip of water between samples and give your palate a moment to reset.

4. A porter or stout

Finish with something dark and comforting. A porter may bring coffee, cocoa, toasted bread and a lighter body, while a stout can lean towards espresso, dark chocolate, roasted malt and a creamier texture. Neither style has to be heavy or overly sweet.

This final pour is often the surprise favourite for people who think they do not like dark beer. Forget the old assumption that a black beer must taste thick, boozy or sugary. Many modern porters and stouts are balanced, smooth and remarkably drinkable, especially alongside food. If the beer has vanilla, coconut, fruit or barrel-aged notes, expect a richer experience and consider sharing it rather than ordering it as your first full pint of the evening.

Why the tasting order changes everything

A flight works best when each beer gives the next one room to speak. Starting with a strong, heavily hopped IPA can flatten the delicate malt and floral character of a pilsner. Beginning with a sweet, high-strength stout can make almost everything after it taste thinner and more bitter.

The usual path is light to dark, lower strength to higher strength, and subtle to intense. It is guidance rather than a hard rule. If you are especially keen to compare two IPAs, taste them side by side before moving to the darker beer. If a sour beer is in the mix, it often sits after the pale styles and before the richest dark pour, though a very sharp sour can be saved for last if it is likely to dominate your palate.

A rotating tap list makes this even more useful. The names and breweries may change, but the approach stays the same: ask for contrast, not four versions of the same flavour. A good bartender can help build a flight around what is pouring well and what you already know you enjoy.

How to taste without overthinking it

Start with the appearance, but do not get stuck there. Is the beer clear or hazy? Pale, amber or nearly black? A gentle swirl will release some aroma, particularly in pale ales and IPAs. Take two short sniffs rather than one dramatic inhale, then take a small sip and let it move across your tongue.

Ask yourself a few easy questions. Is it crisp or soft? Dry or sweet? Bitter, sour, roasted, fruity or spicy? Does the flavour disappear quickly, or does it linger? You do not need specialist vocabulary to answer any of these. “Tastes like fresh orange and has a sharp finish” is a much better tasting note than pretending to find six ingredients you cannot actually detect.

Temperature matters as well. Pale, crisp beers show best when cool, while a porter or stout can reveal more aroma as it warms slightly. Do not rush through the darker pour just because it is last. By the final few sips, it may have opened up completely.

Pairing a flight with food

A few well-chosen bites make the tasting more enjoyable and keep the flavours in balance. Salty snacks work particularly well with crisp lagers and hop-forward beers, because salt softens bitterness and encourages another sip. Fried food can be excellent with a dry pilsner or pale ale, while a rich burger or smoky dish has enough weight for an IPA.

Dark beers are especially good with savoury, roasted flavours. Think charred meat, mature cheese or a dessert with chocolate. But do not force a pairing just because a rule says you should. If you are sharing a table with friends, order food everyone wants and let the flight be part of the occasion rather than the entire plan.

At The Banshee Riga, the rotating taps make a flight a useful way to begin an evening before settling into a favourite pint, a cocktail or another round with the table. It is also a smart choice for visitors who want to try a few different beer styles without committing to a full glass of each.

Turning the flight into your next order

The final question is simple: which beer would you happily drink again? It may be the one that felt most familiar, or the one that caught you off guard. If you liked the pale ale but wanted more bitterness, try a West Coast IPA next. If you enjoyed the stout’s roast but wanted something lighter, ask for a porter or a dark lager. If the pilsner won, that is not the safe choice - it is useful information about the clean, balanced flavours you value.

A beer flight is at its best when it gives the night a little direction without making it too serious. Start with contrast, take your time, share opinions freely, and let one memorable small pour point you towards your next great pint.