Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Beer quality – flavour
11.2. Flavour Evaluation and Tasting
Professional assessment of beer flavour is an important analytical tool.
Beers are assigned flavour profiles so that tasting by trained tasters can be carried out
during and after the production and packaging processes and they can judge whether a
beer meets the required standards.
Each beer brand will have its own unique flavour profile which goes with its other unique
specification values.
11.2.1. Trueness to type
A beer that is ‘true to type’ matches the standard flavour profile for that particular product
or brand. Flavour profiles are produced by specifying a beer’s typical flavours and
intensities and documenting them, probably in a graphic form.
A typical flavour profile in the form of a spider diagram is shown below:
Here flavours are mapped and the peaks show the relative intensity of a given flavour.
BITTER
ALCOHOL HOPPY
SOUR SWEET
YEASTY FRUITY
FLORAL
Trueness to Type is a type of grading test used to classify a product for quality by
selected assessors on the basis of several attributes. For example, a beer is scored on up
to 12 key flavour attributes using a 7point scale from ‘Too much’ through ‘Just right’ to
‘Too little’. ‘Just right’ is scored 3, ‘Too much’ and ‘Too little’ 0, with the intermediate
ratings for 1 or 2.
One of the benefits of this technique is to provide a single numerical indicator of flavour
quality which can be used to monitor trends. The value obtained can also been used to
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augment the results of a direct assessment of acceptability obtained from assessors’
judgement using a 110 scale.
A minimum of 5 tasters present at the same time are required and no more than 45 beers
should be tasted in a session.
A ‘high scoring’ beer can be used as a standard to remind tasters of the ‘ideal’ product.
The occasional check by a different group, preferably one sited on a different location, is
necessary to guard against a drift in the standard/ideal product.
Beer must be tasted as part of normal quality control, the specification being the ‘flavour
profile’.
Flavour profiling is described as a “Descriptive” Taste Test, requiring trained tasters to
be able to analyse the flavour of beer in considerable detail. Even the simplest tests
should be carried out under controlled conditions or the results, because of an inability to
reproduce them, will be worthless.
Because tasters – even trained and selected ones – vary in sensitivity to a particular
flavour from ‘blindness’ to hypersensitivity, it is necessary to use several tasters to assess
each beer. A suitable number for such a “Flavour Panel” is 8 10, and 5 should be
regarded as absolute minimum.
11.2.2. The Aroma & Flavour Components
11.2.2.1. Aroma
Aroma is dependent on a huge variety of volatile substances. Volatile means anything that
evaporates into the air. When beer is poured, the “volatiles” evaporate and are smelt by
the taster. The aromatics of beer are released immediately after the beer is poured. It is
therefore necessary to smell the sample quickly. The first sniff of a beer will be the most
accurate and should be done with the eyes closed for better concentration. They can be
pleasant, such as many Esters. These are typically “fruity” aromas.
· Unpleasant, such as Diacetyl. Diacetyl is buttery and “thick”.
· Extremely unpleasant, such as Butyric Acid which smells like vomit.
11.2.2.2. Taste
BITTER
SOUR
SOUR
SA
LT
LT
SA
SWEET
THE TONGUE
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Taste area of the tongue
There are four, (possibly five), different basic flavours recognised by the tongue:
· Salt: triggered by common salt.
A beer’s salt content may be determined analytically in the laboratory. Salts are
derived from the raw materials (water and malt in particular) that have been used to
make the beer.
· Acid: triggered by acids such as acetic acid (vinegar) or citric acid (lemon juice).
Beer is an acidic solution with a pH value around 4.2. Some special beers are more
acidic in character than others and this is reflected in their taste. An acidic flavour
beyond normal might indicate quality problems due to infection. The acid content of
a sample can be determined by chemical analysis.
· Sweet: triggered by sugars, artificial sweeteners such as saccharin.
Residual sugars remaining in the beer after fermentation will contribute a note of
sweetness
· Bitter: triggered by a variety of substances including hop derived isohumulones and
polyphenols.
· Umami: meaty or savoury triggered by the amino acid glutamine. The existence of this
fifth basic flavour is still debated.
Glutamine is normally absent from beer. It is used up by yeast during the
fermentation stage. Proline, a substance in some ways chemically similar, is
present. It might contribute to beer flavour.
When a complex mixture such as beer is tasted, it is the intensity of these basic taste
components plus the complex aroma sensations, which defines its flavour.
Apart from aroma and taste there is another characteristic of beer:
11.2.2.3. Mouth Feel
Mouthfeel, the sensation of thickness, viscosity (a direct result of the original gravity) is
one of the first qualities that people tend to use to judge the strength of a beer.
Beer temperature and carbonation are also important for “mouth feel”. Coolness enhances
the “refreshing” effect. Carbonation is “sprightly”. Fullness of flavour, particularly of Ales, is
necessary.
Metallic and astringent tastes are less desirable aspects of mouth feel.
11.2.2.4. Typical OffFlavours
Different beers have different flavour characteristics. What is regarded as an undesirable
offflavour in one product may be essential to the flavour profile of another.
Some examples of “off” taints are:
· Phenolic or antiseptic taint from traces of chlorine or hypochlorite (hospitallike
smell)
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· Paint, oily or petrol taints from raw materials kept in a freshly painted store
· Butterscotch/honey taint from diacetyl from defective yeast or microbiological
infection
· Oxidised, wetcartonlike stale or musty taints from beer pasteurised with too
high an air content
· Cooked cabbagelike taints from dimethyl sulphide
· Metallic taints from traces of iron, copper or zinc
11.2.3. What is Flavour & Taste?
Taste testing is also referred to as “sensory evaluation”
Flavour is a combination of:
· Aromas: distinguished by the nose.
· Tastes: distinguished by the tongue.
Customers seldom deliberately sniff the aroma of a beer (in the manner of a wine
connoisseur) but the sense of smell is important in the appreciation of beer. Unfamiliar
odours will soon provoke adverse comment and customer reaction.
Aroma forms a major part of the function of taste testing. The sense of smell is able to
distinguish a much greater variety of different notes than is the sense of taste alone.
Traces of fruity esters are major contributors to the aroma of beer together with some
substances derived from hops.
11.2.4. Why do we do check it?
Regular tasting tests enable the detection and identification of taints. The presence of an
offflavour indicates that something has gone wrong in the production process.
Tasting is also used to rank beers in order of excellence. This can be used to compare
different brews or brews from different breweries.
Tasting is used to “profile” beers. The profile can then be used to modify production
processes to change flavours and aroma.
11.2.5. How do we measure it?
All taste testing is done in the following way:
· Samples are not identified.
This is so that samplers do not have a preconceived idea of taste.
· Samples are presented in similar, dark glasses. Sample rooms should be uniformly lit.
It is important that all beers be sampled in the same sized glasses. The same beer
samples in a larger glass will always have significantly stronger aroma.
All glassware must be of the same type. Lighter or crystal glasses will have an
appeal to the taster. This could influence the judgement of flavour.
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The cleanliness of the tasting glass is of utmost importance. If not thoroughly clean,
the bubbles will tend to stick to the sides of the glass. The beer's aroma will not be
released properly. The glassware should be airdried.
The colour of beer is best evaluated under tungstenlight or natural sunlight.
Florescent light isn't as good. Constant lighting is however more important.
Other methods used to control colour involve the use of tasting under a red light
filters, which cause the samples to appear the same.
· Samples are all presented at the same temperature.
All beers must be sampled at exactly the same temperature or results will not be
valid. This must be verified with a thermometer just prior to the tasting.
Taste tests show that beer flavours are best at around 10 15 degrees C.
· Samples normally do not fill more than one third of the glass
· Samples are usually presented as a triangular or 3glass test.
This “randomises” results. A statistical test can check if results are true or random
· Sampling rooms should be quiet
Efforts must be made to reduce ambient noise from distracting the taster's attention.
The biggest sources of these are vibrations, air conditioners and, of course, table
chatter. For these reasons tasters are separated by walls of tiny booths. This also
prevents distractions from other tasters who may make a face or gesture after
sampling a beer.
· Sample rooms should be away from any beer/wort aromas.
So that tasting is not affected by brewery aromas.
· Qualified tasters are used
11.2.6. How taste testing is done
Rest for 10 to 15 seconds between each tasting to allow the palate to recover.
11.2.6.1. Time of Tasting
Your ability to judge subtle differences between beers is directly proportional to your
degree of hunger. All tasting should be done around an hour before lunch. This time period
is preferable because the taster is less fatigued.
11.2.6.2. In order for tasting to be consistently valid, all taste tests must be
conducted at the same time in the morning
11.2.6.3. Sequence of Samples
The first beer tasted in any series of samples (assuming no beer was tasted previously),
has a bit of a shock effect on the palate. Here the sting of the carbonation, the warmth of
alcohol and the bitterness of the hops all make their first impressions.
The second beer in the same series has a marked advantage over the first due to the
apparent aggressiveness of the first. In order to compensate for this, the taster should
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rinse the mouth with similar beer to those being tasted in an attempt to condition the
palate.
11.2.6.4. Pouring
The way a beer is poured has an effect on the release of aromatics as well as the head
that is formed. Care must be taken to adhere to consistency in pouring techniques if valid
results are to occur.
11.2.6.5. Smelling
Tasters assess the aroma before tasting the beer
The sniffing should be done with a slight force being exerted. This intensifies the aromas.
A conscientious effort must be made to exert the same sniffing force. If not controlled, one
beer might make a stronger impression. This would invalidate the results.
Eighty percent of evaluating the flavour of beer can be achieved by smelling its aroma. If
the taster perceives a subtle fault in the nose, he should, after swallowing the beer,
immediately exhale the aromas in the mouth back through the nose. This heightens the
flavour sensation (whether positive or negative) and is referred to as "retronasal"
breathing.
11.2.6.6. Tasting the beer
Beer tasters drink the sample instead of spitting it out. This is partially due to the fact that it
is important to feel the sensation of carbonation.
Sometimes Tasters cleanse their palate with a cracker or some water.
11.2.6.7. Safety
Tasters on medication should refrain from tasting.
11.2.7. Triangular taste test
If problems are encountered an investigation could include a ‘triangular taste test’ or three
glass test, where three samples are tasted with one of the samples being different to the
others.
This is described as a “Difference” test and is used to answer the questions
· ‘Are the samples different?’
· ‘Do the samples differ on a specific attribute?’
They may also be used in the selection and training of tasters and for monitoring their
performance.
In the Triangle Taste Test the assessor is presented with three beers, two of which are
identical. The purpose of the test is to select the odd beer out of the three. The assessor
is normally asked to express a preference between the beers and to indicate which
attribute(s) were perceived as different in making the choice.
The beers should be arranged in random order so as to eliminate bias due to carryover of
flavours. (i.e. AAB, ABA, BAA, etc). After tasting has ended, the number of correct
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answers is counted and compared with the number taking the test and the statistical
significance of the results is determined.
If there is a notable difference between the samples, a statistically significant number of
tasters will pick it out. For statistically reliable results from a triangle taste test using
untrained testers, it is usually recommended that a minimum of 25 assessors should be
used.
The triangle test is recommended:
· to detect slight differences between samples
· when only a limited number of assessors is available
· for the selection and training of assessors.
Some disadvantages of the test are that:
· it is uneconomical for the assessment of a large number of samples;
· with intensely flavoured samples it may be more affected by sensory fatigue than the
paired comparison test;
· it may be difficult to ensure that the two samples that are supposed to be the same
are, in fact, identical.
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