Reading reviews for craft beer is never as straightforward as you might hope. Often would-be helpful authors of beer reviews toss around a lot of terminology that can be more confusing than illuminating. There are a few descriptors in particular that crop up often in beer writing, and clarifying these terms can go a long way toward communicating what a beer will actually taste like.
One caveat: Take reviews with a grain of salt and learn to trust your senses when tasting.
What does 'clean' mean?
A clean beer is one free of flaws and distracting off-flavors, and it is also commonly applied to describe styles with subdued fermentation flavors.