BJCP- Beer Flavors Flashcards
2-Phenylethanol (Rose-like)
Detected In: Aroma, flavor.
Described As: Rose-like.
**Typical Origins: **Yeast.
Acetaldehyde
Detected In: Aroma, flavor.
Described As: Aldehydic, bready, bruised apples, cidery, fruity, grassy, green apple, green leaves, latex paint (AKA emulsion paint), raw apple skin, “rough.” Sometimes mistaken for cellar-like, musty or sour notes, sweet apple esters and/or acetic sourness (and vice-versa).
Typical Origins: Yeast activity, Microbial contamination.
Solutions: Make sure fermentation is vigorous using healthy yeast. Allow full attenuation. Leave beer on yeast longer. Oxygenate wort fully. Try another yeast strain. Make sure sufficient yeast nutrients are available. Let beer age longer.
Acetic (Sour)
Detected In: Aroma, flavor.
Described As: Acidic, cidery, lingering sourness, sharp sourness, sour, sour apples, tangy, tart, vinegary.
Typical Origins: Microbial contamination.
**Solutions: **Check for infection. Check yeast strain. Check for oxidation sources (acetobacter is aerobic).
Acetone
**Detected In: **Aroma, flavor, mouthfeel (as warming).
Described As: Nail polish remover, solvent. Solventy or harsh mouthfeel.
Typical Origins: Yeast activity, process faults
Acidic
Detected In: Aroma, flavor.
**Described As: ** Pungent aroma, sharpness of taste, mineral acid.
**Typical Origins: ** Bacterial contamination.
Solutions: Check for infection. Check yeast strain. Don’t mash for long periods of time at low temperatures.
Alcoholic
Detected In: Aroma, flavor, mouthfeel (as warming).
Described As: The general effect of ethanol and higher alcohols.
Typical Origins: Yeast activity.
**Solutions: **Lower fermentation temperature. Use a less attenuative yeast strain. Check yeast health. Use less fermentables. Use less sugary adjuncts. Check for possible infection. Raise mash temperature. Let beer age longer before consuming.
Alkaline (Bitter)
Detected In: Flavor, mouthfeel, aftertaste.
Described As: Biscuity, bitter, caustic, chalky, detergentlike, drying, harsh, line-cleaner, lye, mineral-like, salty, sodium bicarbonate, soapy. Excessive alkalinity might affect perception of hop bitterness and malt character before it becomes obvious on its own.
**Typical Origins: **Water, process/equipment faults, contamination.
Almond (Oxidation, Malt)
Detected in: Aroma, flavor.
**Described As: **Benzaldehyde, bitter almond, marzipan, nutty. Also described as Brazil nuts, hazelnuts or other types of tree nuts. In some cases it can be reminiscent of Playdough™, plastic or cherries.
Typical Origins: Aging, specialty grains, yeast strain
Alpha Acids (Bitter)
Detected in: Flavor, mouthfeel.
Described As: Hoppy bitterness. Some hop varieties produce a “clean” bitterness, while others produce a harsher, “coarser” bitterness. Extreme levels of hop bitterness can impart a drying, harsh resinous and/or tongue-coating mouthfeel.
Typical Origins: Hop additions during wort boil. Additions of hop extracts to wort or beer.
Apple
Detected In: Aroma, flavor
**Described As: **Fresh, ripe apple.
Typical Origins: Yeast action
Astringent
Detected In: Mouthfeel, Aftertaste.
**Described As: **Mouth puckering, puckery, tannin-like, tart
Typical Origins:
**Solutions: **Don’t oversparge. Don’t overcrush grain. Don’t boil grain. Don’t sparge with water above 170°. Don’t sparge with water with a high pH (over 6). Use water with lower sulfate content. Use less dark grains (especially black malt). Use less whole hops (especially high-alpha hops or simply large quantities of hops). Avoid use of raw spices, fruit pith and fruit skins.
Autolyzed (Sulfury)
**Detected In: **Appearance, aroma, flavor.
Described As: Bitter, brothy, decaying/rotten yeast, Marmite™, meaty, muddy, soy sauce, Umami (q.v.), Vegemite™, vitamin B, vitamins, “yeast bite.” Ammonia-like, burned rubber, burnt tires, dirty diaper, eraser, ripe cheese, rotten meat, rubber bands or rubbery at extreme concentrations.
Autolysis in beer can contribute to Haze.
Typical Origins: Yeast, Aging.
Bakelite
Detected In: Aroma, flavor
Described As: Electrical fire, old electronics, old TV set, plastic.
Typical Origins: Process faults.
Banana
**Detected In: **Aroma, flavor
**Described As: **Banana.
**Typical Origins: **Yeast action
Beany
Detected In: Aroma, flavor.
Described As: Bean soup.
Typical Origins: Bacterial contamination
Bitter
Detected In: Taste, Mouthfeel, Aftertaste.
Described As: Iso-alpha-acids.
Typical Origins: Hops.
Blackcurrant
Detected In: Aroma, flavor.
Described As: Blackcurrant fruit.
Typical Origins: Oxidation
Body
Detected In: Mouthfeel.
Described As: Thin body is described as characterless,
easy-drinking, light, refreshing, thin, thin-bodied or watery. Full
body is described as chewy, cloying, full, full, full-bodied, oily,
satiating, silky, thick or viscous.
Typical Origins:
Bread Crust
Detected In: Aroma, flavor, mouthfeel.
Described As: 2-Acetylpyridine, Charred toast.
Typical Origins: Malt.
Bromophenol (Phenol)
Detected In: Aroma, flavor.
**Described As: **Bakelite, electrical fire, electronics, inky, museum-like, old electronics, old TV set.
Typical Origins: Process/Equipment faults, contamination
Burnt
Detected In: Aroma, flavor, mouthfeel.
**Described As: **Scorched aroma. Smoky, sharp acrid taste. Dry mouthfeel.
Typical Origins: Malt, process faults
Butyric Acid (Fatty Acid, Sulfury)
Detected in: Aroma, flavor.
**Described As: **Baby sick, butyric acid, putrid, rancid/spoiled butter, rancid/spoiled milk, vomit.
**Typical Origins: **Microbial contamination, aging.
Can Liner
Detected In: Aroma, flavor
Described As: Lacquer-like.
**Typical Origins: **Equipment problems, contamination.
Caprylic (Fatty Acids, Sulfury)
Detected in: Aroma, flavor.
Described As: Goaty, soapy, sweaty, tallowy, waxy, vegetable oil.
Typical Origins: Microbial contamination, aging
Caramel
Detected In: Aroma, flavor
Described As: Burnt sugar, toffee-like.
Typical Origins: Malt, adjunct sugars.
Carbolic
**Detected In: **Aroma, flavor
**Described As: **Phenol.
**Typical Origins: **Contamination, Process faults.
Carbonation
Detected In: Mouthfeel.
Described As: CO2 content.
**Typical Origins: **Carbonation
Catty (Hops, Oxidation)
**Detected in: **Aroma, flavor.
Described As: Black currant leaves, “litter box,” oxidized beer, ribes (a genus of flowering plants which includes black currants and gooseberries), tomato plants, tomcat, tomcat urine.
Typical Origins: Aging, hops, contamination of ingredients.
Celery
**Detected in: **Aroma, flavor.
Described As: Cooked vegetal, soapy, vegetal.
Typical Origins: Essential oils, contamination.
Characterless
Detected In: Aroma, flavor, mouthfeel.
Described As: Bland, empty, flavorless.
Typical Origins: Poor recipe design.
Cheesy
**Detected in: **Aroma, flavor.
Described As: Dry, stale cheese, hydrolytic rancidity
Typical Origins: Hops, oxidation.
Chlorophenol (Phenol)
Detected in: Aroma, flavor, mouthfeel.
**Described As: **Adhesive tape, antiseptic, Band-AidTM, ChlorasepticTM
, disinfectant, “hospital-like,” medicinal, mouthwash, plastic, trichlorophenol (TCP), uncured lacquer. In high levels they might have an astringent, drying, numbing, prickly or puckering mouthfeel.
**Typical Origins: **Process/equipment faults, contamination.
Solutions: Avoid water with chlorine or chloramines (use RO water if necessary). Avoid bleach sanitizers. Reduce astringency/grain husk sources. Avoid excessive whole hop use. Check for infection.
Cidery
**Detected in: **Aroma, flavor.
Described As: Apple, green apple.
Typical Origins: Adjunct sugars, yeast.
Citrusy
**Detected in: **Aroma, flavor.
Described As: Citral, grapefruit, lemon, lemon zest, lime, orange, orange rind, orange marmalade, tangerine.
Typical Origins: Hops, fruit or spice additions, yeast.
Coconut
Detected In: Aroma, flavor.
**Described As: **Coconut, nutty, oaky, whisky-like, whiskey
lactone, wood-like.
Typical Origins: Wood-aging
Cooked Onion
Detected In: Aroma, flavor.
Described As: Dimethyl trisulfide, onion.
Typical Origins: Bacterial contamination.
Cooked Tomato
Detected In: Aroma, flavor
Described As: Tomato juice (processed), tomato ketchup.
**Typical Origins: **Bacterial contamination.
Cooked Vegetable
Detected In: Aroma, flavor
Described As: Reminiscent of various sorts of vegetables, especially cruciform vegetables.
Typical Origins: Bacterial contamination.
Corn Grits
Detected In: Aroma, flavor.
Described As: Maize grits, adjunct.
**Typical Origins: **Grain adjuncts.
Dimethyl Sulfide (DMS) (Sulfur)
**Detected in: **Aroma, flavor.
Described As: Cooked broccoli, cooked corn, cooked vegetable, corn, celery, cabbage, canned vegetables (e.g., canned asparagus), creamed corn, grainy, green beans, malty, olives, oysters, parsnips, sea vegetable, seaweed, sulfury, sweet corn, tomato juice, tomato sauce, vegetal, worty. Garlic or leeks (in pure form). At high concentrations it can smell and taste like shellfish or water in which shrimp have been boiled. In pale beer it is usually detected as being corn-like. In darker beer, it can seem more tomato-like or vegetal. Not to be confused with hydrogen sulfide (rotten egg) or sulfur dioxide (matches).
**Typical Origins: **Malt, microbial contamination.
Solutions: Use a long, rolling, open boil. Reduce amount of pilsner malt. Cool quickly before pitching yeast. Check for infection. Make sure you use a healthy, vigorous yeast starter.
Dry-Hop Flavor
Detected In: Aroma, flavor.
**Described As: **Hop aroma.
Typical Origins: Dry hops added in tank or cask.
Drying
Detected In: Mouthfeel, Aftertaste.
Described As: Unsweet.
**Typical Origins: **Astringency, dark malt character, lack of residual sugars.
Earthy (Sulfury)
Detected in: Aroma, flavor.
Described As: Basement/cellar-like, compost, damp basement/cellar, damp soil, dank, earthy, freshly-dug soil, fusty, moldy, mushroom-like, musty, wet basement/cellar. Occasionally described as “beet-like.”
**Typical Origins: **Microbial contamination.
Esters
**Detected In: **Aroma, flavor.
**Described As: **Bubblegum, butter, candy (e.g., Artificial fruit, bubblegum, Circus Peanuts, Froot LoopsTM , Juicy FruitTM gum, pear drops, TrixTM cereal), cream, citrusy (e.g., lemon, lime, orange, tangerine), floral (e.g., feijoa, flowery, geranium, jasmine, lavender, perfumy, rose, ylang-ylang), herbal (e.g., pine, sage), honey, plant-like (e.g., “green,” green banana, new- mown hay, parsnip, waxy), soft fruit (e.g., grape, raspberry, strawberry), spicy (e.g., aniseed, cinnamon, wintergreen, liniment), tree fruit (e.g., apple, apricot, cherry, peach, pear), tropical fruit (e.g., banana, canned pineapple, coconut, mango, papaya, passion fruit, pineapple, “tutti-frutti”), “sweet” (aroma only) and/or vinous (e.g., wine-like, rum, sherry). Bitter, solventy or glue-like in very high concentrations.
Typical Origins: Yeast.
Solutions: Lower fermentation temperature. Try a cleaner yeast strain. Oxygenate wort sufficiently. Reduce original gravity. Check hop variety for fruity characteristics. Avoid carrying over excessive break into fermenter. Pitch a sufficient quantity of yeast (avoid yeast stress). Bottle condition and age beer longer at cellar temperatures to reduce esters.
Ethanol
Detected In: Appearance, Aroma, flavor, mouthfeel.
**Described As: **Alcoholic, spicy, peppery or vinous in aroma and flavor. Burning, numbing, prickly and/or warming in mouthfeel. Can also be detected as a prickliness, warming, pepperiness or pain in the nasal passages. High alcohol beer (above ~8% ABV) might have distinct alcoholic “legs” which become visible when the beer is swirled in the glass and then allowed to settle.
**Typical Origins: **Yeast.
Fat, Oil or Hydrocarbon
**Detected In: **Appearance, Aroma, flavor, mouthfeel.
**Described As: **Gasoline (petrol), Greasy, kerosene (paraffin), machine oil, mineral oil, oily, “rich,” solventy, vegetable oil, in aroma and flavor. In mouthfeel, fat or edible oils are described as being mouth-coating, oily or slick. Hydrocarbons are described as burning or solventy. In appearance, fat is detected as lack of head and poor head retention (oils quickly destroy head on beer) and possibly beads of oil on the beer’s surface.
Typical Origins: Contamination, additions of oily adjuncts.
Film or Flakes on Top of Beer
**Detected In: **Appearance, possibly Mouthfeel.
**Described As: **Flecks or a continuous film of material, either white and “papery” in appearance, or transparent and oily on the surface of the beer. The film might have a slimy or chunky mouthfeel
**Typical Origins: **Yeast activity, infection
Flat
**Detected In: **Appearance and Mouthfeel.
Described As: Variable. Undercarbonated.
Typical Origins: Lack of carbonation.
Fusel Alcohols (AKA Fusel Oils, Higher Alcohols)
Detected In: Aroma, flavor, mouthfeel.
Described As: Alcoholic, “harsh,” solventy, spicy or vinous in flavor and aroma, sometimes reminiscent of cheap distilled liquors (e.g., cheap vodka or rum). Some fusel alcohols might have an initial sweetness, but a harsh aftertaste. Fusels are detected in mouthfeel as burning, harsh, hot, numbing or prickly sensations. Can also be detected as a prickliness, warming, pepperiness or pain in the nasal passages.
Typical Origins: Yeast.
Solutions: Lower fermentation temperature. Pitch a sufficient quantity of healthy, active yeast. Check for infection. Try a different yeast strain.
Garlic
Detected In: Aroma, flavor
Described As: Reminiscent of garlic, onions or similar vegetables. Typical Origins: Infection.
Gassy
Detected In: Mouthfeel.
Described As: Overcarbonated.
Typical Origins: Carbonation.
Geraniol
**Detected In: **Aroma, flavor
Described As: Geraniol, Rose-like, different from 0161. Taster should compare the pure chemicals.
Typical Origins:
Grainy
Detected in: Aroma, flavor.
Described As: Cereal husks, Fresh wheat or barley, Grainy, Grapenuts™, “green,” “green malt,” “harsh,” husky, nutty, raw grain flavor.
**Typical Origins: **Process/equipment faults, Malt.
Grassy
Detected In: Aroma, flavor.
**Described As: **Alfalfa, crushed green leaves, fresh grass, grass clippings, green leaves, hay, hedge trimmings, leafy, new- mown hay, sagebrush.
Typical Origins: Aging, aldehydes.
**Solutions: **Reduce dry-hopping or quantity of whole hops. Avoid oxygen pickup. Check hops and malt for freshness.
Ham
Detected In: Aroma, flavor.
**Described As: **Bacon, cooked ham. Can also be accompanied by bitter, celery-like or soapy notes.
Typical Origins: Herb or spice addition
Honey
Detected In: Aroma, flavor
**Described As: **Floral honey, honey perfume, fruity, perfumy, stale honey, sweet.
Typical Origins:
Horsey (Fatty Acids, Sulfury)
Detected in: Aroma, flavor.
**Described As: **Barnyard, goaty, horse blanket, horse harness, horse stable, horse sweat, leathery, saddle, sweaty, wet dog, wet fur. Rarely described as bacon, Band-Aid™, burnt beans, burnt plastic, clove-like, creosote, plastic, rancid, rotting vegetation, spicy, smoky or woody.
**Typical Origins: **Microbial contamination.
Husky
**Detected In: **Aroma, flavor
**Described As: **Chaff, “glattwasser,” husk-like.
Typical Origins:
Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S, Sulfury)
**Detected In: **Aroma, flavor
Described As: Rotten egg, drains
**Typical Origins: **Yeast, infection.
Indole (Sulfur)
Detected in: Aroma, flavor.
Described As: Barnyard, coliform, enteric, fecal, pig-like, and a variety of much more descriptive, but less polite, terms. Some people perceive it as a floral (jasmine) aroma, especially at low levels.
Typical Origins: Contamination.
Iodoform (Phenol)
**Detected in: **Aroma, flavor.
Described As: bitter, hospital-like, Iodophor™, iodine, metallic, sweet.
Typical Origins: Contamination.
Ester: Isoamyl Acetate
Detected In: Aroma, flavor
Described As: Banana, peardrop.
Typical Origins: Yeast.
Isovaleric Acid (Fatty Acid, Sulfur)
**Detected in: **Aroma, flavor.
Described As: Blue cheese, cheesy, hydrolytic rancidity, old hops, rancid, Rochefort cheese. Less commonly described as dirty laundry, dirty socks, goaty, putrid, stale cheese, stinky feet, or sweaty.
Typical Origins: Hops, aging, process faults.
Lactic (Sour)
**Detected in: **Aroma (but only at extreme concentrations), flavor.
Described As: Citric, crisp sourness, lactic, lemony, refreshing, sour, sour cream, sour milk, tangy, tart, yogurt.
**Typical Origins: **Microbial contamination
Leathery (Oxidation)
**Detected in: **Aroma, flavor, mouthfeel.
Described As: Hay-like, leathery, mouth-drying, powdery.
Typical Origins: Aging.
Licorice
Detected In: Aroma, flavor.
**Described As: **Anise, licorice.
**Typical Origins: **Malt, oxidation.
Lightstruck (Sulfury)
Detected in: Aroma, flavor.
Described As: Catty, farty, fecal, mercaptan, polecat, skunky, sulfury, sunstruck. Inaccurately described as methane or natural gas.
Typical Origins: Mishandling.
Solutions: Don’t expose wort/beer to sunlight after hops have been added. Don’t use clear or green glass bottles. Avoid use of Cluster hops in late hop additions.
Meaty
Detected In: Aroma, flavor
**Described As: **Brothy, cooked meat, meat extract, peptone,
yeast broth.
**Typical Origins: **Yeast.
Ester: Melony
Detected In: Aroma, flavor.
**Described As: **Reminiscent of melons (cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon, etc.) or melon rinds.
**Typical Origins: **Yeast.
Mercaptan (Sulfury)
Detected in: Aroma, flavor.
**Described As: **Catty, drains, farty, fecal, leeks, polecat, rotten vegetables, skunky, sulfury, sunstruck. Inaccurately described as methane or natural gas.
**Typical Origins: **Yeast, microbial contamination.
Metallic
**Detected in: **Appearance, aroma, flavor, mouthfeel.
**Described As: **Aluminum foil, Bitter, blood-like, bloody, coin-like, coppery, ferrous sulfate, harsh, inky, iron, iron-like, rusty, rusty water, tingling, tin-like or tinny. Metallic ions can cause haze in beer and can affect foam quality.
Typical Origins: Contamination
Solutions: Check water for metallic ions. Reduce water salts. Check equipment condition for rust. Make sure stainless steel equipment is properly passivated. Fully rinse sanitizer. Try using RO water and add salts as needed.
Methionol
**Detected In: **Aroma, flavor
**Described As: **Cooked potato.
Typical Origins: Infection
Mineral
Detected in: Aroma (sulfate only), Flavor, mouthfeel.
**Described As: **Alkaline, bitter, chalky, dusty, drywall, eggs, plaster, sulfate, salty. High sulfate levels can impart a “clean” or “eggy” hydrogen sulfate aroma to beer. Some mineral ions, such as calcium or sulfate, can impart a harsh mouthfeel, by accentuating hop or alkaline bitterness.
Typical Origins: Water
Molasses
Detected In: Aroma, flavor
**Described As: **Black treacle, treacly.
Typical Origins: Malt, sugar adjuncts
Moldy
Detected In: Aroma, flavor.
Described As: Cellar-like, leaf-mold, woodsy.
Typical Origins: Infection, Contamination
Mouthcoating
Detected In: Mouthfeel (and aftertaste).
**Described As: **Creamy, unctuous.
Typical Origins: Malt, grain adjuncts, yeast.
Musty
Detected in: Aroma, flavor.
Described As: Basement-like, cellar-like, cork taint, damp, damp basement/cellar, dank, dusty, earthy, fusty, moldy, mildew, mushroom-like, musty, wet basement/cellar. Occasionally described as “beet-like” or “corky” or as “old books” or “packaging materials.”
**Typical Origins: **Contamination.
**Solutions: **Avoid oxidation (see Oxidized). Check sanitation. Avoid peat-smoked malt. Check water for freshness and taste. Use fresh ingredients (especially malt and hops).
Nutty
Detected In: Aroma, flavor.
Described As: Aromas and flavors reminiscent of various types of nuts (e.g., almonds, Brazil-nuts, hazelnuts, walnuts), sherry-like, woody.
**Typical Origins: **Malt, oxidation
Oily
**Detected In: **Aroma, appearance, flavor, mouthfeel.
**Described As: **Oily in appearance, reminiscent of various types of oils in aroma, flavor or mouthfeel.
Typical Origins: Malt, adjuncts, contamination
Onion (Sulfur)
**Detected in: **Aroma, flavor.
Described As: Cooked onion, garlic, onion.
Typical Origins: Grain, contamination.
Oxidation
**Detected In: **Aroma, flavor, mouthfeel.
**Described As: **Dull, stale. At low levels oxidation can be taste or smell “like ball-point pen,” honey, inky, metallic, musty or nutty and might have a slight harsh, metallic, peppery mouthfeel. See discussion for further sensory characteristics associated with oxidation.
Typical Origins: Aging, process faults.
Solutions: Check for oxygen being introduced into beer post-fermentation. Don’t splash when racking/bottling. Check caps and/or keg seals for good fit. Purge bottles/kegs with CO2 prior to filling. Store beer cool. Drink beer when fresh.
Papery (Oxidation)
Detected In: Aroma, flavor.
**Described As: **Cardboard, dull, papery, shoe box, stale, wet cardboard. At low levels papery character can be taste or smell “like ball-point pen,” inky, musty, peppery or prickly. Less commonly, it is perceived as smelling like cucumbers, fat, honey, “library,” “old people,” orris root, soy sauce or stale bread crumbs. In dark beers it might be detected as “tomato juice” notes.
Typical Origins: Aging, process faults.
Parsnip
Detected In: Aroma, flavor.
Described As: Reminiscent of cooked parsnips.
Typical Origins: Infection.
Ester: Pear
**Detected In: **Aroma, flavor.
Described As: Reminiscent of pear or peardrop candies.
Typical Origins: Yeast
Ester: Perfumy
**Detected In: **Aroma, flavor.
Described As: Reminiscent of perfume.
Typical Origins: Yeast.
Phenolic
Detected In: Appearance, Aroma, flavor, mouthfeel.
**Described As: **Bitter, fruit skins, fruit pits, grape seeds, grape skins, husky, oaky, roasted, tannic, tea-like, vanilla or woody. Some have an astringent, drying, numbing, prickly, puckering or rough mouthfeel, sometimes detectable only in the aftertaste. Some spicy phenols can also be detected as a prickliness, warming, pepperiness or pain in the nasal passages. Polyphenols can combine with proteins in beer to form chill (protein) haze.
**Typical Origins: **Yeast, microbial contamination, process faults.
Pine
Detected In: Aroma, flavor.
**Described As: **Balsam, piney, resiny, resinous, “rustic”, spruce, woody, woodsy.
**Typical Origins: **Hops, herb additions.
Plastic
Detected In: Aroma, flavor.
**Described As: **Bitter, burning plastic, can-liner, chemical, lacquer, plastic, plasticizer, styrene.
Typical Origins: Microbial contamination, contamination
**Solutions: ** Check for infection. Check yeast strain and health. Lower fermentation temperature.
Rancid
**Detected In: **Aroma, flavor.
Described As: Oxidative rancidity.
Typical Origins: Oxidation, contamination
Raisin
Detected In: Aroma, flavor
Described As: Black currants, Christmas pudding, dark fruit, dried cherries, dried fruit, figs, plums, Port wine, prunes, sherry, vinous, wine-like.
Typical Origins: Malt, yeast, oxidation.
Ester: Raspberry
Detected In: Aroma, flavor.
Described As: Reminiscent of raspberry.
Typical Origins: Yeast.
Resinous
**Detected In: **Aroma, flavor.
Described As: Cedar, fresh sawdust, pine, pine needles, resin, spruce, terpenoid, woodsy.
Typical Origins: Hops
Roasted
**Detected in: **Aroma, flavor.
**Described As: **Biscuity, bitter, bread crust, burnt, burnt grains, chocolate, coffee, crackers, crusty, espresso, Graham crackers, nutty, roasted, toasted, toasty.
Typical Origins: Malt
Salty
**Detected in: **Flavor.
Described As: Salty. Can be described as bitter, harsh, mineral-like or sour at low levels. At very low levels it can increase perceptions of sweetness.
**Typical Origins: **Water, process faults
Sherry-Like (Oxidation)
**Detected in: **Aroma, flavor.
**Described As: **Dark fruit (e.g., fig, grape, plum, prune, raisin), dry sherry, honey, inky, nuts (e.g., almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts), musty, port wine, red wine, rotten fruit, sherry, vinous, wine, woody. The combination of dark malt, dark fruit, sherry and alcohol is sometimes perceived as being like a Christmas or plum pudding.
Typical Origins: Aging.
Shrimp-like
Detected In: Aroma, flavor.
**Described As: **Reminiscent of cooked shrimp or other seafood, or water in which seafood has been boiled.
**Typical Origins: **Infection
Silky
**Detected in: **Mouthfeel.
**Described As: **Smooth, creamy, milky, oily.
**Typical Origins: **Malt, carbon dioxide or nitrogen gas.
Smoky (Phenol)
Detected in: Aroma, flavor, mouthfeel.
**Described As: **Bacon, barbeque, barbeque sauce, bitter, burnt, campfire, charred, lox (smoked dried salmon) scorched, smoked, smoked bacon, smoked ham, smoked herring (kippers), smoked salmon, wood smoke.
Typical Origins: Malt, process faults, contamination.
**Solutions: **Check for scorched mash or boil. Check excessive use of dark malts. Check for infection.
Sotolone
Detected In: Aroma, flavor.
**Described As: **Burnt sugar, caramel, curry, fenugreek, maple syrup. **Typical Origins: **Adjunct spices or sugars.
Spicy (Phenol)
**Detected in: **Aroma, flavor, mouthfeel.
**Described As: **Allspice, bitter, cinnamon, clove oil, clovelike, eugenol, ginger, herbal, medicinal, peppery, plastic, roasted, smoky, spicy. Some spices can be detected in mouthfeel as astringent, burning (e.g., black pepper, capsicum), numbing (e.g., wintergreen), peppery or prickling sensations.
Typical Origins: Yeast, microbial contamination, aging.
**Solutions: **Use a different yeast strain and/or hop variety. Adjust fermentation temperature (sometimes higher, sometimes lower, depending on yeast strain and beer style).
Star Anise
Detected In: Aroma, flavor.
**Described As: **Reminiscent of star anise.
Typical Origins: Spice additions
Straw-like
Detected In: Aroma, flavor.
**Described As: **Hay-like.
Typical Origin: Hops
Ester: Strawberry
Detected In: Aroma, flavor.
Described As: Reminiscent of strawberries.
**Typical Origins: **Yeast.
Sulfur
**Detected in: **Aroma, flavor.
Described As: Autolyzed, brothy, burnt match, cooked cabbage, cooked vegetable, garlic, mineral-like, matches, onions, putrid, rotten eggs, rotting vegetation, rubber, shellfish, shrimp, vitamins, sulfury, sulfitic, vitamin B, yeasty.
**Typical Origins: **Yeast, microbial contamination, aging.
**Solutions: **Check for infection. Check water for excessive sulfates. Check yeast health. Check for yeast autolysis (beer left on yeast too long at warm temperatures). Try another yeast strain.
Sulfidic (Hydrogen Sulfide H2S) (Sulfur)
**Detected in: **Aroma, flavor.
Described As: Eggs, drains, fresh beer, putrid, sewer, sewer gas, sulfidic, rotten eggs.
Typical Origins: Yeast, microbial contamination, aging.
Sulfitic (Sulfur Dioxide SO2) (Sulfur)
**Detected in: **Aroma, flavor.
**Described As: **Biting, burning matches, burnt rubber, choking, mothballs, sodium sulfite, sharp, striking match, sulfur dioxide, sulfurous. Typical Origins: Yeast, process faults.
Umami
**Detected in: **Aroma, flavor, mouthfeel.
Described As: Brothy, glutamate, meaty, savory, soy sauce. Mouthfeel can be described as hard-to-describe “tongue-coating” effect, which might affect perception of body.
**Typical Origins: **Yeast, adjuncts.
Vanilla (Phenol)
**Detected in: **Aroma, flavor.
Described As: Cream soda, custard-like, custard powder, ice cream, vanilla.
Typical Origins: Malt, aging, adjuncts, microbial contamination
Vegetable Oil
**Detected In: **Aroma, appearance, flavor, mouthfeel
Described As: Actual vegetable oil, or reminiscent of vegetable oil.
**Typical Origins: **Contamination.
Vegetal
Solutions: Encourage a fast, vigorous fermentation (use a healthy, active starter to reduce lag time; this is often due to bacterial contamination of wort before yeast becomes established). Check sanitation. Check for aged, stale, or old ingredients (especially old liquid malt extract). Avoid oversparging at low temperatures.
Vicinal Diketones (AKA Diacetyl, VDK) (Fatty
Acid)
**Detected In: **Aroma, flavor, mouthfeel.
Described As: Butter, buttered popcorn, buttery, buttermilk, butterscotch (at higher levels), honey, milky, movie/theater popcorn, toffee, vanilla. Oily, slick or creamy mouthfeel. Can give illusion of fuller body.
Typical Origins: Yeast, microbial contamination
**Solutions: **Try another yeast strain. Oxygenate wort before fermentation. Reduce primary fermentation temperature. Use a warmer/longer secondary fermentation. Use healthy yeast in sufficient quantity. Make sure sufficient yeast nutrients are available (including reducing adjunct use). Check for infection. Allow beer to rest on yeast until fully attenuated. Don’t rack, filter or fine too early. Don’t crash-cool yeast. If lager, raise temperature for a diacetyl rest at end of fermentation. Bottle condition beer at cellar temperatures. Avoid adding oxygen during fermentation.
Yeasty
Solutions: Use a more flocculent yeast strain. Allow yeast sufficient time to flocculate. Filter beer or use clarifying agents. Avoid carrying over as much yeast. Age the beer longer. Try another yeast strain.
