BJCP CEP Sensory Training Class

Order of samples: 13. DMS

1. Aceteldehyde 14.Diacetyl
2. Acetic
15.Grainy
3. Lactic
4. Almond 16.Metallic
5. Papery 17.Earthy
6. Butyric 18.Caprylic
7. Mercaptan 19.Infection
8. Spicy 20.Indole
9. Vanilla 21.Bitter
10.Ethyl Hexanoate 22.Geraniol
11.Isoamyl 23.Isovaleric
12.Ethyl Acetate 24.hefeweizen
Andrew Luberto 2012
 Acetaldehyde
Described as: *Appropriate in American Lagers
at low levels.
– Freshly cut green apples, leaves.
– Also: acetic/cidery
– Both taste & smell
Causes:
• As a natural product of fermentation as yeast rids itself of waste
cabon dioxide, precursor to ethanol. (Fruity)
• As a conversion of ethanol via oxygen or bacteria. (sharper, acetic)
*also plays a role in the production of some acetate esters (see acetic)
Fix:
– Cold storage (acetaldehyde will convert to ethanol as natural part of
fermentation process.)
– Avoid needless introduction of oxygen/practice good sanitation
Andrew Luberto 2012
 Acetic/Sour
Lactic Acid: tastes/smells of sour milk
Causes: Produced by Lactobacillus & Pediococcus bacteria introduced
through:
• Low mash temp
• Airborne infection
• Unsanitized equipment post boil Appropriate in Sour Ales
• Can be used to lower mash PH

Acetic Acid: tastes/smells of vinegar

Causes:
• Bacteria (e.g. Acetobacter; Clostridium) introduced through airborne infection
typically during fermentation.
• Also produced by certain commercial yeast strains.
*Contributes to the production of certain esters (Ethyl Acetate, Isobutyl Acetate, etc)
Fix: proper sanitation, rolling boil of wort, inspect plastic for scratches. Use clean,
healthy yeast, and keep air off fermenting beer.
Andrew Luberto 2012
 Nuttiness
Described as: Bitter almond, marzipan, walnut, beany, or sherry like.
Causes:
• Oxidation, frequently in secondary or during bottling.
• Often in higher gravity beers
• Prolonged heat post fermentation
• Byproduct of some yeast strains Appropriate in Old Ales &
Barley Wines
• Oxidized melanoidins

*not to be confused with nutty malt character

sometimes referenced in the style guidelines
Fix:
• Exclude air from secondary or aging.
• Avoid aeration during bottling
• Avoid prolonged exposure to heat
Andrew Luberto 2012
 Oxidation
Described as (aroma & flavor): Cardboard, wet paper, rotten pineapple.

Causes:
• Produced as beer ages
• Hot side aeration
• Aeration introduced post fermentation
• Excessive aging
• High storage temps

Fix:
• Keep extra oxygen out of process. (Bottling/Kegging)
• Control of temp during aging/storage
• Use of airlock to reduce influx of oxygen

Andrew Luberto 2012

 Butyric Acid
Described as (aroma & flavor): Rancid butter, putrid in
high levels.

Causes:
• Produced by obligate anaerobic bacteria.
• Bacterial infection during production or packaging.
• Naturally occurs in animal fats (i.e. butter), develops in
spent grain as well.
• Can play a role in desirable ester formation at low
levels.

Fix: Proper and consistent sanitation practices.

Andrew Luberto 2012
 Light Struck
Described as (aroma & taste):
Skunk/Mercaptan

Causes:
• Beer exposed to direct sunlight or ultra violet light.
• Use of clear/green bottles
(though brown is susceptible as well)
• Ultra violet light reacting with isomerized hop alpha
acids producing sulfur compounds.

Fix: Use brown bottles & keep out of direct sunlight

Andrew Luberto 2012

 Phenolic
Described as: Clove like, spicy, smoky, band aid (aroma & flavor). Can also be vanilla.

Causes: Wild yeast, sanitation issues, certain yeast strains. Formed during
fermentation from precursor, ferulic acid. Can also be extracted from grain husks due
to over crushing, over sparging, or sparging with hot or alkaline water.

Fix: Proper sanitation, change yeast strain, proper sparging, adjust grain mill crush.

Also cholorophenols: Plastic; medicinal.

Causes: Appropriate in smoked beers,
• chlorophenols in water German wheat beers, some
• Chlorine sanitizers Belgian styles.
• Over sparging (chlorophenols never appropriate)

Fix: Filter tap water/campden tablets (potassium metabisulfite), non chlorine based
sanitizers, proper sparging.
Andrew Luberto 2012
 Estery
Described as (aroma & Flavor):
• Ethyl Acetate: Fruity at low quantities. Solventy/nail polish remover at high
• Ethyl Hexanoate: Apple like
• Isoamyl acetate: Banana/ Pear Appropriate in Ales,
• Phenylethyl Acetate: flowery, honey, sweet Dopplebocks, and Eisbocks.
Caused By:
• Certain yeast strains/yeast stress (present in all beers at some level)
– Formed from combination of Ethanol and organic compounds during fermentation
• Higher fermentation temps (in certain strains)
• Wild yeast, non food grade plastic (e. acetate)
• Higher wort gravity
Fix:
• Use different yeast
• Lower fermentation temp for certain strains
(Ales: low 60s/Lager: <50)
• Good sanitation practices
• Use food grade plastic
• Lower overall gravity of wort Andrew Luberto 2012
 DMS
Described as (flavor & aroma): Cooked corn, cooked vegetables
or shell fish/oyster (high concentrations), also Acceptable at low levels
tomato juice (darker beers). in Light Lagers, Pilsners,
Cream Ales, Dark Amer.
Causes:
Causes: Lagers
• Bacterial infection • Precursors to DMS naturally
• Found in equipment or re- present in malted grains. (S-
pitched yeast Methyl-methionine/SMM)
• ineffective elimination of natural
• Low pitch rate or long lag occurrence during brewing
phase can allow substantial Fix:
growth. • Open, rolling boil for 1 hour
Fix: Proper sanitation, • Use wort chiller to cool quickly
clean/healthy yeast. • Proper pitching rates,
clean/healthy yeast.
Andrew Luberto 2012
 Quiz 1
Please pick any two of
the following: For each choice please
• DMS describe & discuss
• Estery
characteristics, causes,
• Phenolic
and suggestions for
• Light Struck
• Butyric Acid
control.
• Oxidation
• Nuttiness
• Acetic/Sour
• Acetaldehyde Andrew Luberto 2012
 Diacetyl
Described as(aroma, flavor, mouthfeel): Butter/butterscotch, slickness on palate.
Caused By:
• Natural fermentation product from converted sugars during early stages of
fermentation.
– Yeast strain (amino acid synthesis)
Appropriate in lower levels
– Lower fermentation temps in: Scotch ales, Dry Stouts,
– More prevalent with high adjunct ratio English Bitters, Czech Pils,
– Premature racking/fining/lagering Oktoberfests.
– Mutated yeast strain
– Dirty draft lines
– Can be indication of bacterial (Pediococcus) spoilage.
Fix:
• Allow fermentation to complete.
• Adequate yeast starter
• Raise temp after early stages of fermentation.
• Keep yeast in suspension longer
• Good sanitation practices Andrew Luberto 2012
 Grainy/Husky
w/Astringent
Described as (aroma, flavor): cereal, grainy, husk.
Astringent: astringent, powdery, dry, grape skin, tea bag.
Causes:
• Excessive grain crush
• High corn/adjuncts
• High sparge temp/excessive sparging
• Boiling grains/improper decoction procedures (grainy/Husky)
• Excessive tannin extraction (astringent)
• Mash PH exceeds 6.0/alkaline water (astringent)
• Hopping rates & low dextrin content may also contribute to perception of
astringency
• Bacterial infection (Acebator)-(Astringent)
Fix: Appropriate in: Light Lagers, Pilsners,
• Proper crush N. German alt, Brown/Robust Porter,
• Proper sparge Dry Stout, Wheat Beers. (Astringent
• Lower adjunct ratio never appropriate)
• Sanitation Andrew Luberto 2012
 Metallic
Described as (taste/odor):
• Metal/tin
• blood like

Causes:
• unprotected metals dissolved in wort
• Contact w/iron
• Lipids from malt or adjuncts
• High iron levels in water

Fix:
• Use only stainless steel
• Inspect ceramic coated pots for nicks
• Use high quality ingredients
• Filter/treat water Andrew Luberto 2012
 Infections
Described as:
• Earthy, damp soil, fresh dirt.
• Soapy, fatty, goaty, animal, sweaty. (caprylic)
– May also be caused by breakdown of fatty acids in the trub,
creating “soap”.
• Sour + buttery.

Fix:
• Proper sanitation
• Keep plastic/wood breathable containers out of moldy
cellars.
• Rack beer off trub <4 weeks. (caprylic)
• Avoid use of soap as cleanser. (caprylic)
Andrew Luberto 2012
 Fecal/Indole
Described as: Farmyard, fecal, can be jasmine like in
smaller amounts.
*not to be confused with farmyard/horsey aroma produced by Brettanomyces
yeast.

Causes:
bacterial infection in water, equipment, and/or yeast.
(only perceptible as fecal by half of population).

Fix:
Proper sanitation of equipment, sanitize water supply,
use healthy yeast.
Andrew Luberto 2012
 Hops
Described as (aroma, flavor, mouthfeel):
Largely dependent on variety. In this case floral.

Aroma hops: late addition hops or dry hopped. Extracted aromatic oils
(terpenes, ketones, sesquiterpenes, etc)

Bitter hops: early addition hops, isomerization of alpha acids (humulone,

cohumulone, adhumulone, etc.) Should be clean/pleasant w/o harsh or
astringent character

Fix: hop aroma, flavor, and bittering can be greatly controlled by many things
including: amount, time of addition, variety, wort gravity, and water profile.
Old hops:
Described as : cheesy, sweaty socks.
Cause: organic acids formed during improper hop storage or bacterial infection.
Fix: Throw out or try to age for use in lambics (if not infected).
Andrew Luberto 2012
 Hefeweizen
• Top fermenting Bavarian wheat beer which
employs a specific yeast species (T. Delbrueckii)
that produces desirable phenols (clove) and
esters (bannana, bubblegum)
• Attenuation high/Flocculation low
• Temperature may play a factor in amount of
ester/phenols (depending on the strain)
• Low diacetyl levels
• May produce higher sulfur levels
• Similar to Belgian/Belgian Trappist yeast strains in
desired phenolic production
Andrew Luberto 2012
 Alcoholic
Alcoholic (aroma and mouthfeel/flavor):
Hot, alcoholic, vinous, warming sensation in mouth
and throat. Can be solventy at high levels, paint thinner.
Causes: Fusel oils produced during fermentation. Factors
include:
• high amount of fermentable sugars
• high fermentation temp
• low mash temp
• yeast strain
• insufficient oxygen levels during yeast adaptation
• High nitrogen levels in wort Acceptable in higher
Fix: Cooler fermentation temp, ABV/ABW ales and lagers
aerate prior to yeast pitch,
lower fermentable sugars, raise mash temp.
Andrew Luberto 2012
 Sulfury
Described as (aroma & flavor): Rotten eggs, sewer
gas(hydrogen sulfide), burned matches(sulfur dioxide).

Causes: Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) produced during brewing

process, Hydrogen Sulfide mostly produced by yeast
during fermentation. Can also be mutant yeast, bacterial
infection, interaction with Mercaptans
Acceptable in low levels in some
Fix: maintain healthy yeast, Lagers

practice good sanitation, allow to dissipate through

natural release of Co2 in active fermentation, change
yeast strain.
Andrew Luberto 2012
 Sweet
Described as (taste): Sugary, cloying, syrupy.

Causes:
• Low attenuation/cold crashing.
• Presence of maltose and maltotriose, may also include glucose and
fructose.
• Additions of sucrose, lactose, or dextrin malts can also contribute.
• Oxidation, esters, diacetyl may be perceived as sweet.
Appropriate in stronger
Fix: ales and lagers
• Use different yeast strain
• allow for full fermentation
• reduce amount of sugars and dextrins
• oxygen additions
• lower mash temp. Andrew Luberto 2012
 Brettanomyces
• Yeast strain which produces fermentation compounds
described as barnyard, horsey, horse blanket.
• Viewed as negative for many years, but has gained in
popularity.
• Spreads easily, recommended to have separate soft rubber
and plastic equipment.
• Unique in aerobic fermentation yeast characteristic.
• Can produce high levels of acetic acid and ethyl acetate as
well as perceptible levels of ethyl phenol derivatives.
• Recommended pitching rate far lower than ale/lager
(200,000 p/ml)
• Increased oxygen key to substantial Brett growth. (12 ppm)
• Use in > 1.050 O.G. gravity beers only.
Andrew Luberto 2012
 Quiz 2
Please pick two of the following:
• Brett
• Sweet For each choice, please
• Sulfury describe & discuss
• Alcoholic characteristics, causes,
• Hefeweizen and suggestions for
• Hops control.
• Fecal
• Metallic
• Grainy/Husky
• Diacetyl Andrew Luberto 2012
 Sources
• Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP). Accessed December 27th,
2012. <bjcp.org/study.php#trouble> &
<bjcp.org/docs/OffFlavorFlash.pdf>
• Mosher, Randy. Tasting Beer. Massachusetts: Storey Publishing,
2009. Print.
• Noonan, Greg. Brewing New Lager Beer. Colorado: Brewers
Publications, Rev. Edition 2003. Print
• Palmer, John J. How to Brew. Colorado: Brewers Publications, 2006.
Print.
• Palmer, John J. & Zainasheff, Jamil. Brewing Classic Styles. Colorado:
Brewers Publications, 2007. Print
• White, Chris & Zainasheff, Jamil. Yeast: The Practical Guide to Beer
Fermentation. Colorado: Brewers Publications, 2010. Print.
• “A Homebrewer’s Guide to Beer Flavor Descriptors” Zymurgy
Special Issue. 1987: Vol. 10, Num. 4.

Andrew Luberto 2012