Prud’homme Beer Certification®

Beer SommelierLevel 3

The Physiology of Tasting Beer

In conjunction with Randy MosherSiebel Institute of Technology and Dr.

Charles Bamforth

What is good beer?

• It’s the one you are enjoying

• ‘Preferred flavour of a product is entirely a matter of personal preference.’Charles Bamforth

• ‘We should rejoice that there is a huge diversity of beer to enjoy covering all manners of aromatics and flavourful possibilities.’Charles Bamforth

Sense of Taste

• Evolved to– Inform us about environment – Separate good and bad food

and water

• Sweetness = high nutritional value

• Bitter = possible poison • 30 Separate pathways

– 30 different chemical classes

• Bitter chemicals evolved as defence by plants to keep from being eaten by animals

Sensory Perception

1. Pain –– CO2 – is perceived as pain by our brains– C02 is a chemesthetic which interacts with nerve fibers.– Chemesthetic sensations include the burn-like irritation

from chili pepper, the coolness of menthol in mouthwashes and topical analgesic creams, the stinging or tingling of carbonation in the nose and mouth, and the tear-induction of onions Some of these sensations may be referred to as spiciness, pungency, or piquancy.

2. Taste3. Smell

Bitterness

• More complex chemistry which is slower to respond and is therefore a delayed sensation

• Lingers longer on tongue • Bitterness is rare in food • May need a little training or

an acquired taste • ‘Almost entirely due to resin

fraction of hops’ (Bamforth)

Olfactory• Smell is wired differently – Slower response and

therefore lingers longer

• Olfactory signals go to: – Hypothalamus:

• appetite anger, fear

– Hippocampus: • working memory

– Amygdala: • emotional memory

Mouth feel sensations

• Very important in beer • Includes– Carbonation – Fullness – Oiliness – From diacetyl, glucans – Astringency – Temperature (which affects

perception of other things)

Mouth Feel Descriptors

• Warming• Flat• Gassy• Powdery• Astringent• Metallic

*Charles Bamforth, Flavor , ASBC Handbook Series

The Perfect Tasting Environment

• Free of distractions– Sights, sounds, smells

• No smoking! • Decent light • Water available • Bread or unflavoured crackers – (unless a beer & food tasting)

• Score sheets or note pads • Dump buckets

Mosher techniques

1. Smell first (Aroma)– many aromas escape rapidly

2. Look (Appearance)– clarity, carbonation, head

3. Taste – up-front flavours – mid-taste, bitterness kicks in – note body, texture

4. Finish / Aftertaste

Aromatics from fermentation

• Fruity: esters (made from alcohol and carboxylic acid)• Solvent: nail polish remover (excess esters) • Phenols: (spicy)• Fusels: (higher alcohols) • Autolysis: muddy tastes from dead yeast

Ester Characteristics

Ester• Isoamyl acetatye• Ethyl acetate• Ethyl octanoate• Ethyl butyrate• Ethyl hexanoate• Phenylethyl acetate• Ethyl caprylate

Flavour• Banana, bubble gum• Pear drops, nail polish• Apple, fruity• Papaya, mango, pineapple• Apple, aniseed• Rose, honey• Apple, sweet, fruity