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The Beer Aroma Wheel - Updating beer flavour terminology according to sensory standards
Schmelzle, A.

As a result of the panel's description of several kinds of beers, the panel developed a spectrum of terms for the characterization of smell and aroma of beer. The spectrum of terms was organized according to the European Norm for Terms and also includes attributes defined in the beer flavour wheel by M. C. Meilgaard as well as descriptions for mouthfeel by S. A. Langstaff et al. For better clarity, the spectrum of terms including its 96 attributes was organized in a wheel that is separated in nine areas describing seven main categories for smell and aroma as well as taste and texture. The seven main categories for smell and aroma were separated further in 32 sub-categories. A beer aroma wheel not including the obvious olfactory defects is recommended for communication with the consumer. Reducing the terms simplifies the beer flavour wheel and helps describing a beer that is free from defects.

Descriptors: sensory, aroma wheel, mouthfeel, trigeminal perceptions, flavour wheel, reference materials

BrewingScience - Monatsschrift für Brauwissenschaft, 62 (January/February 2009), pp. 26-32