The Brilliant Beer Co.
-Taste Tests-
Beer is a complex blend of hundreds of flavour compound. Most tasters are able to recognize the common flavours found in beer, but each individual will develop their own way of memorizing or describing the flavour. It was therefore necessary to develop a common language to describe the flavours.
In 1975 a group flavour scientists representing the EBC, ASCB, MBAA and the IOB developed an agreed system of flavour terms to describe all the characteristic flavours found in beer; giving each a specific name and allocating a chemical which can act as a standard reference for the flavour. Over 100 flavours were identified and these are represented in the form of a flavour wheel.
However, not all the flavours on the flavour wheel are of equally important when tasting individual beers, and it would be difficult and laborious to include all the flavour terms from in a single taste evaluation form. In practice only selected terms from the flavour wheel are used, which are considered to be the most important characters for the type of beers being produced.
For most purposes these flavours can be boiled down to 17 flavours (8 Positive, 9 Negative)
Positive Flavours
Term
Alcoholic
Bitterness
Body
Burnt/Roast
Hoppy Aroma
Malty
Sweet
Tropical/Fruity
Description
Spirit, Warming
Tonic water, Quinine
Fullness, Thick
Coffee, Burnt Toast
Floral, Grassy, Citrus
Toffee, Biscuits, Horlicks
Sugary
Peach, Pineapple, Banana
Negative Flavours
Term
Acidic/Sour
Astringent
Diacetyl
DMS
Flat
Medicinal
Phenolic
Stale
Sulphury
Thin
Description
Vinegar/Natural Yoghurt
Harsh, Dry
Butterscotch
Tinned Sweetcorn, Ketchup
Lack of Gas/Condition
TCP/Disinfectant
Cloves, “Dentist Like”
Wet Cardboard
Drains, Overcooked vegetables
Watery, Weak
At the Brilliant Beer Company, we have a developed has developed a unique system to help you easily create document the "Taste profile" of the beers you taste. By concentrating on the positive flavour profile and scoring them 0 to 5, you can quickly build up a quick reference guide. Negative flavours should be recorded in the “Notes” section of the tasting notes template and then most importantly, please remember to beer give the beer and overall score in the “Overall Rating” drop down box.
This Excel link gives you access to the Brilliant Beer Company Tasting Template for you and your friends to use in you own tasting events, This is free to use and can either be printed or used digitally in Microsoft Excel. We would love to see the results of your tasting events so feel free to email completed templates to Tutor@Brilliantbeer.com