Part III, Section A: Taste and Flavor

Question 1

Are taste and smell the same for everyone?

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Answer 1

No, everybody senses differently.
The physical sensors in our bodies are not exactly
the same for everybody. Additionally, senses are
interpreted differently in the brain. What tastes
good to one person might taste horrible to
someone else.

Question 2

Are taste and smell independent from each other?

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Answer 2

No. Smell accounts for 90-95% of our sense of
taste.

Question 3

Where in the body are the 3 sets of sensors for smell located?

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Answer 3

1. High in the nose
2. In the channel that connects the nose
   and the mouth,
3. In the back of the
   mouth

Question 4

What are the tiny bumps on the tongue?

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Answer 4

dubious The tiny bumps on the tongue are not taste
buds, they are for mechanical purposes.
Some of those tiny bumps have taste sensors on
the sides.

Taste buds are tiny sensory organs that allow you to experience taste. They’re located inside the tiny bumps covering your tongue called papillae.

Question 5

True or False: The front of the tongue tastes only sweet and salty flavors

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Answer 5

False!
Some parts of the tongue are slightly more
sensitive to certain flavors, but most of the
the tongue is sensitive to all of the flavors.

Question 6

What flavors are detected by the taste buds on the front 2/3 of the tongue?

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Answer 6

The front 2/3 of the tongue is sensitive to all
flavors.

Question 7

What flavors are detected by the taste buds on the sides and back of the tongue

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Answer 7

The sides at the back of the tongue are sensitive
to all flavors, and are especially sensitive to fat
and sour.

Question 8

What flavors are detected by the taste buds on the back of the tongue?

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Answer 8

The back of the tongue is sensitive to all flavors,
and is especially sensitive to bitter and fat.

Question 9

What are the 5 established flavors,
one emerging flavor, and
2 less agreed-upon flavors sensed by the tongue?

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Answer 9

Established flavors:
1. Sweet
2. Salty
3. Sour (emerging flavor Acidic is similar)
4. Bitter
5. Umami

Emerging flavor: Fat

Less agreed-upon flavors:
1. Carbonic
2. Metallic

Question 10

What is umami flavor?

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Answer 10

Umami is a pleasant savory taste or deliciousness.
It tastes brothy or meaty.

Question 11

What is mouthfeel?

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Answer 11

Mouthfeel is how the beer feels while it’s in the
mouth, e.g., carbonation, viscosity, cooling, or burning

Question 12

What is ‘body’ in the mouthfeel?

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Answer 12

‘Body’ is how firm or thick the liquid feels in your
mouth. It can range from thin to firm or syrupy.

Question 13

What is the main thing that affects the body of a beer?

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Answer 13

A unique protein structure in beer gives it the
body. This is also what causes beer foam.

Question 14

How does carbonation affect mouthfeel?

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Answer 14

Carbonation adds a sense of ‘sourness’ and a ‘bite’ to beer.

Question 15

What are 3 highly carbonated beer styles?

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Answer 15

1. Belgian abbey
2. Weissbier
3. American light lager

Question 16

What are 3 lightly carbonated beer styles?

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Answer 16

1. British cask ale (“real ale”)
2. Barleywine
3. Imperial stout

Question 17

What are the 5 components of beer evaluation?

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Answer 17

1. Appearance
2. Aroma
3. Taste
4. Mouthfeel
5. Finish/Aftertaste

Question 18

What are the 5 Evaluation Techniques for Aroma?

Answer 18

1. Distant Sniff: Swirl beer 6-8 inches away from your nose and take one or two short sniffs
2. Drive-by Sniff: Swirl beer and pass the glass across your face, underneath your nose, and take a few short sniffs as the glass passes by
3. Short Sniff: Swirl beer; bring the glass close to your nose and take one or two short sniffs
4. Long Sniff: Swirl beer; bring the glass to your nose and take one long sniff
5. Covered Sniff: Cover the glass with your hand; swirl beer for 3 to 5 seconds; bring the glass to your nose, remove your hand, and sniff

Question 19

When evaluating color and clarity what helps to make your observations objective?

Answer 19

Using a consistent background

Question 20

When evaluating flavor and mouthfeel its important to:

Answer 20

1. Allow the beer to reach all parts of your tongue
2. Pay attention to the flavor perceptions after swallowing