Portland based company 33 Books Co. have introduced their latest innovative product for tasting and better understanding beer, cider, whiskey or coffee. Flight Decks are designed to help train your palate, promoting compare and contrast between beverages, and understanding and organizing the elements around each beverage.

Flight Decks are a great way to organize tasting events for professionals and novices alike, and last as scrapbook-worthy souvenirs. There are 20 cards in each deck, enough for 60 glasses of beer. Cards measure 10½ x 4 inches (25 x 10 cm) and are printed on an extremely heavy and absorbent, 100% recycled coaster stock.

Use Flight Decks to chart your beer tasting experiences, labeling each one and noting specs like ABV, gravity, IBUs, etc. before you embark. Then, place a glass* containing that liquid directly on the deck. As you taste, you'll have the specs at arm's length while you sample each expression.

Compare and contrast in different themes

Flight Decks let you create your own tasting themes. Compare different styles, different hops, different malts, different vintages, different yeasts, different adjuncts, or any other comparison you can dream up: the sky’s the limit. Here are a few examples from 33 Books founder Dave Selden:

• Vertical: The same beer from different vintages: 2007, 2008 and 2009 examples of Deschutes Brewery's Abyss Imperial Stout.

• Hoppy Horizontal: Fresh Hop beers from three different Portland breweries.

• Fruited Lambics: Examples of lambics with different fruits added: Cherry (kriek), Framboise (cherry) and P êche (peach).
  

Flight Board

Flight Decks will work on any hard surface like a table, but 33 Books is offering portable and elegant flight boards as an additional add-on option. Flight Boards come in two options, each handmade in Oregon by 33 Books owner Dave Selden himself. Choose from hand-rubbed, orchard-salvage Oregon Black Walnut or upcycled boards made from used bourbon and/or wine barrels. Boards measure 12" x 4 ½" x ⅝" (30.5 x 11.5 x 1.5 cm) and have a handy clip to attach your Flight Deck.

Live Flight Deck demo Scotch tasting on the @33BooksCo Instagram on Tuesday, October 20 at 6 PST with fellow Portlandian, Margarett Waterbury. She's a whisky wunderkind and will share all kinds of great info as Dave Selden and Waterbury taste three whiskies together and talk about her new book. Slainte!

Flight Decks work great on any solid surface, but for a truly elevated experience, add a Flight Board to your order. Flight Boards enhance both portability and presentation. I offer two options, handmade by yours truly. Choose from hand-rubbed, orchard-salvage Oregon Black Walnut or upcycled boards made from used bourbon and/or wine barrels. Boards measure 12" x 4 ½" x ⅝" (30.5 x 11.5 x 1.5 cm) and have a handy clip to attach your Flight Deck