This method describes the basic terms used in sensory analysis.
beer, beer-based beverages, non-alcoholic beverages, mineral water
Terms
Aroma:
Aroma represents the overall sensory impression encompassed by the olfactory organs, some of which is perceived in the mouth and thus partly attributed to the sense of taste.
Flavor/Off-flavor:
For the sake of thoroughness, these two terms, which are defined in DIN 10950 part 2 Sensorische Prüfung, allgemeine Grundlagen, are mentioned here. According to definition put forth by DIN, flavor is defined as the “sum of olfactory, gustatory, temperature-related and/or trigeminal and tactile sensations in the mouth”. Off-flavors are sensory stimuli, which are perceived as unpleasant.
Odor:
Organoleptic properties perceived with the olfactory organ(s), whereby certain volatile substances are breathed in through the nose.
Flavour:
The overall sensory impression perceived through the sense of taste in the mouth, throat and nose. The sense of taste can be influenced by thermal or tactile stimuli, through pain or kinesthesia or any combination thereof. According to DIN, flavor is defined as the “sum of olfactory, gustatory, temperature-related and/or trigeminal and tactile sensations in the mouth”.
Mouthfeel:
Aside from the basic tastes, tactile stimuli – detected through haptic perception in the oral cavity – play a role in the sensory perception of comestibles as they are ingested. Tactile stimuli can be divided into the following:
tactile (touch)
kinesthetic (perception of weight, movement, resistance, etc.)
trigeminal (pain)
temperature-dependent
The term “mouthfeel” is often employed to describe haptic perception in the oral cavity. The following sensory attributes of beverages can be detected primarily by means of mouthfeel:
viscosity, rheological properties
liberation of gas, bubble formation, foaming (carbon dioxide)
general after-effects in the mouth (refreshing, warming, thirst-quenching)
Aftertaste:
The sensory impression, which remains in the mouth, once a beverage has been swallowed. This is often employed as a criterion for the sensory evaluation of beverages.
An aftertaste described as “harmonious” provides incentive to continue drinking.
Orthonasal perception of odors:
Sensory perception commonly referred to as “smelling”. Odorants in the air enter the nasal cavity through the external nares, or nostrils, during the act of breathing. From there, the odorants are transported to the receptor cells where olfactory perception occurs.
Retronasal perception of odors:
Retronasal (lat. retro: “backwards, back”, nasal: “pertaining to the nose”) perception describes the transport of odorants from the oral cavity into the pharynx, then up through the internal nares and nasal cavity to the olfactory receptor cells. Odors are liberated through the mastication of food and beverages, thus providing olfactory (lat. olfacere: “to smell”) stimulus. The retronasal aroma profile of comestibles may differ from the orthonasal aroma profile owing to various factors (e.g. mastication or saliva).
Fullness:
Fullness is a kinesthetic sensation in the oral cavity, which – as it relates to beer – may range from “watery” to “satiating/excessive”. A frequently used synonym for fullness in beer is the term “body”.
Liveliness:
Liveliness as it pertains to beer is the tactile sensation in the oral cavity induced through the action of carbon dioxide, which may range from “flat/stale” to “gassy”.
A synonym often encountered for liveliness is “effervescence”.