Beer Flavor and Evaluation

Question 1

What are the methods through which we perceive aroma?

Answer 1

Orthonasal: Smell aroma you sniff through your nose
Retronasal: Smell aroma in the back of your mouth, throat, and between the mouth and nose

Question 2

What are the established Tastes? What is the emerging taste?

Answer 2

Bitter, Sweet, Salty, Sour, Umami
Emerging: Fat

Question 3

What are the elements of Mouthfeel?

Answer 3

Body: density
Carbonation: crisp and lightness
Astringency: puckering
Creaminess: silky viscosity
Alcoholic Warming: throat warming

Question 4

What temperature should beer be tasted at?

Answer 4

38-55 F

Question 5

What are the components of beer evaluation?

Answer 5

Appearance, Aroma, Taste, Mouthfeel, Finish/Aftertaste

Question 6

Describe the Aroma evaluation techniques

Answer 6

1) Distant sniff: Swirl while holding 6-8 in away from nose and take short sniff
2) Drive-by sniff: swirl and slowly pass glass underneath nose taking sniffs as the glass passes
3) Short sniff: swirl and take 1-2 short sniffs
4) Long sniff: swirl and take long sniff
5) Covered sniff: cover glass, swirl for 3-5 sec, bring to nose, remove hand, sniff

Question 7

Describe the malt flavors in PALE beer

Answer 7

Uncooked flour, bread dough

Question 8

Describe the malt flavors in GOLDEN beer

Answer 8

White bread, wheat bread, water crackers

Question 9

Describe the malt flavors in LIGHT AMBER beer

Answer 9

Bread crust, biscuits, graham crackers

Question 10

Describe the malt flavors in AMBER beer

Answer 10

Toast, caramel, pie crust

Question 11

Describe the malt flavors in BROWN beer

Answer 11

Nutty, toffee, chocolate, dark/dried fruit

Question 12

Describe the malt flavors in BLACK beer

Answer 12

Roast, burnt, coffee, espresso

Question 13

What kind of flavor and aroma do hops add, what is their source?

Answer 13

Alpha acids isomerize when the hops are boiled, adding bitterness.
Essential oils provide various aromas ranging from piney to fruity to spicy to catty

Question 14

What is dry hopping and what effect does it have on a beer?

Answer 14

Adding hops at the end of the boil or during fermentation. Adds hop flavor and aroma with reduced bitterness (less alpha acid isomerization)

Question 15

Describe the aroma and flavor of US hops (traditional and newer)

Answer 15

Traditional:
Citrusy, Piney, Resinous

Newer:
Tropical fruit, catty, onion, garlic

Question 16

Describe the aroma and flavor of Australian and New Zealand hops

Answer 16

Passion fruit, melon, pear, stone fruit, tropical fruit

Question 17

Describe the aroma and flavor of English hops

Answer 17

Earthy, herbal, woodsy

Question 18

Describe the aroma and flavor of German/Czech hops

Answer 18

Floral, perfumy, peppery, minty

Question 19

Describe the aroma and flavors produced by Saccharomyces pastorianus

Answer 19

Lager yeast produce very clean profiles with minimal yeast related flavors

Question 20

Describe the aroma and flavors produced by American Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Answer 20

Clean profile. No spicy phenols, minimal fruity esters

Question 21

Describe the aroma and flavors produced by English Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Answer 21

No spicy phenols. Apple, pear, orange marmalade esters. Highly flocculent resulting in some diacetyl

Question 22

Describe the aroma and flavors produced by Belgian Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Answer 22

Many clove and pepper phenols. Many apple, pear, banana, orange, and stone fruit esters

Question 23

Describe the aroma and flavors produced by Weizen Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Answer 23

Lots of clove phenols (4-vinyl guaiacol) and isoamyl acetate esters (banana)

Question 24

What are the bacteria that enable acidic fermentation and what flavors do they produce?

Answer 24

Lactobacillus - Lactic acid. Crisp, dry acidity
Acetobacter - Acetic acid. Sharp vinegar
Pediococcus - Lactic acid + diacetyl. Sweaty/goaty character
Enterobacter - bilious flavor

Question 25

Describe the effects of Brettanomyces fermentation

Answer 25

Brettanomyces creates acetic acid, lending tartness to beer so long as oxygen is controlled. Brett can dry a beer by fermenting longer chain sugars after fermentation.

In high oxygen environments, Brett will create phenolic off-tastes (band-aid, plastic, smoky).

Brett is used in lambics, gueuze, flander’s red, oud bruin, and Orval

Question 26

What flavor compounds are created by Saccharomyces and other bacteria?

Answer 26

Diacetyl: Buttery
Sulfur compounds: Rotten eggs
Acetaldehyde: Green apples/emulsion paint
4-Vinyl Guaiacol (4VG): clove
Other phenols: black/white pepper
Isoamyl Acetate: Banana
Other esters: apple, pear, pineapple, anise, roses, honey

Question 27

Describe the stages of oxidation in terms of beer flavor impact

Answer 27

1) Hop aroma rapidly decreases
2) Hop bitterness decreases
3) Malt shift: sweet malt flavor increases
4) Generation of Trans-2 Nonenal (T2N) resulting in papery or wet cardboard flavor

Pale beers can generate a waxy or lipstick flavor from T2N
Dark, high ABV beers can develop sherry-like character

Question 28

What happens when a beer is lightstruck

Answer 28

3-Methyl-2-Butene-1-Thiol (MBT or 3-MBT) is generated by reaction of hop compounds with UV light resulting in a skunky smell/flavor

Question 29

What off-flavors indicate a draft line infection?

Answer 29

Buttery flavor: Diacetyl, generally from Pediococcus
Sour flavor: Acetic acid, generally from Acetobacter

Question 30

What off-flavors indicate a process/ingredient related brewing error?

Answer 30

Cheesy or sweaty socks: Isovaleric acid from hop resin oxidation
Metallic: old equipment or water contaminated with metals
Canned corn/vegetal: Dimethyl Sulfide (DMS) not allowed to steam off during boil
Astringent mouthfeel: Can arise from tannins from malt husk polyphenols leached with too hot or basic water. Can also come from over hopping, use of too much spice, tea, burnt malt, or spoilage organisms

Question 31

What off-flavors indicate a storage issue?

Answer 31

Oxidation related flavors, skunkiness, umami related to autolysis