The Beer and Wine Flavor Wheels
If the first step to training your palate is learning to identify individual flavors, the second step is describing
them. Unfortunately, not only are flavor and aroma descriptions inherently based on shared cultural references,
there is no simple physical principle on which they can be organized. Without a means to objectively describe
scents and tastes, novice judges fall back on useless adjectives like “good,” “nice,” “poor,” or “bad.”
Fortunately, there are several “flavor wheels” which aid judges in describing their perceptions.
The flavor wheel for beer was developed by Martin Meilgaard in 1971. It is an actual wheel, with
numerical categories for each of the Flavor, Aroma and Mouthfeel categories and arrows showing the way that
those three categories overlap. I have converted it into a table, as shown below.
The Beer Flavor/Aroma/Mouthfeel Wheel
Category
Description (Synonyms)
Aromatic, Fragrant, Fruity, Alcoholic
Floral
Solvent-like (plastic, can-liner, lacquer)
Estery (banana, apple, fruity)
Fruity (citrus, berry, melon, . . .)
Acetaldehyde (fresh cut green apples)
Floral (roses, geranium, perfume)
Hoppy
Resinous, Nutty, Green, Grassy Resinous (sawdust, resin, cedar, pine, spruce)
Nutty (sherry-like: walnut, coconut, beans, almond)
Grassy (fresh-cut grass, straw)
Grainy (raw grain, husk-like, corn grits, flour)
Cereal
Malty
Worty (fresh-wort aroma)
Caramel (burnt-sugar: toffee, molasses, licorice)
Caramelized, Roasted
Burnt (burnt-bread)
Phenolic (tarry, bakelite, carbolic, pharmaceutical)
Phenolic
Soapy, Fatty, Diacetyl, Oily, Fatty Acid (tallowy, goaty, cheesy, rancid butter)
Rancid
Diacetyl (buttermilk, butterscotch)
Rancid (rancid oil)
Oily (vegetable oil, gasoline, machine oil)
Sulfury (rotten egg)
Sulfury
Sulfitic (burnt-match, choking, burnt rubber)
Sulfidic (sewage, natural gas)
Cooked Vegetable (overcooked greens, cooked
corn)
Yeasty (fresh yeast, meaty)
Stale (old beer)
Oxidized, Stale, Musty
Catty (skunky beer)
Papery (cardboard)
Leathery
Moldy (earthy, musty)
Acidic (pungent, sharp)
Sour, Acidic
Acetic (vinegar)
Sour (lactic, sour milk)
Sweet (syrupy)
Sweet
Salty
Salty
Bitter (harsh, dry)
Bitter
Alkaline
Mouthfeel
Odor
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Taste
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Feel
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Mouthcoating (creamy)
Metallic (coins, iron, rusty water, tinny)
*
Astringent (mouth-puckering, tannin-like, tart)
Powdery (dusty, chalky, particulate)
*
Carbonation
(flat/undercarbonated,
gassy/overcarbonated)
Warming (alcoholic)
Body (watery, characterless, satiating, thick)
*
Fullness
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
An even more complex version of this table is given below:
Recommended Descriptors of Beer Flavor
Class Term
Odor Taste
01
Aromatic,
Fragrant, Fruity,
Floral
0110
0111
Alcoholic
Spicy
*
*
*
*
0112
0120
0121
0122
0123
0130
0131
0132
0133
0140
0141
0142
0143
0144
Vinous
Solvent-like
Plastics
Can-liner
Acetone
Estery
Isoamyl acetate
Ethyl hexanoate
Ethyl acetate
Fruity
Citrus
Apple
Banana
Blackcurrant
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
0145
0146
0147
0148
0150
0160
0161
0162
Melony
Pear
Raspberry
Strawberry
Acetaldehyde
Floral
Phenylethanol
Geraniol
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
0163
0170
Perfumy
Hoppy
*
*
*
*
0171
0172
Kettle-hop
Dry-hop
*
*
*
*
Mouthfeel
W:
Warming
Af:
Aftertaste
*
*
*
Relevance, Comments/synonyms/definitions
The general effect of ethanol and higher alcohols
Allspice, nutmeg, peppery, eugenol. See also 1003
Vanilla
Bouquet, fusel alcohols, wine-like (White wine)
Like chemical solvents
Plasticizers
Lacquer-like, Trash Bag
Like aliphatic esters
Banana, peardrop
Apple-like with note of aniseed. See 0142 Apple
Light fruity, solvent-like. See also 0120 Solvent like
Of specific fruits or mixtures of fruits
Citral, grapefruit, lemony, orange-rind
Blackcurrant fruit. For Blackcurrant leaves use 0810
Catty
Green apples, raw apple skin, bruised apples
Like flowers, fragrant
Rose-like
Rose-like, different from 0161. Taster should
compare the pure chemicals
Scented
Fresh hop aroma. Use with other terms to describe
stale hop aroma. Does not include hop bitterness
(See 1200 Bitter)
Flavor imparted by aroma hops boiled in the kettle.
Flavor imparted by dry hops added in tank or cask.
0173
02
*
Flavor imparted by addition of distilled hop oil.
0210
Hop oil
*
Resinous, Nutty,
Green, Grassy
Resinous
*
*
0211
0220
0221
0222
0223
0224
0230
0231
0232
03
0310
0311
0312
0313
0320
0330
Woody
Nutty
Walnut
Coconut
Beany
Almond
Grassy
Freshly-cut grass
Straw-like
Cereal
Grainy
Husky
Corn grits
Mealy
Malty
Worty
*
*
*
*
*
*
Fresh sawdust, resin, cedar wood, pine wood,
sprucy, terpenoid.
Seasoned wood (uncut)
As in Brazil-nut, hazelnut, sherry-like
Fresh (not rancid) walnut
*
*
*
*
Bean soup
Marzipan
*
*
*
*
Green, crushed green leaves, leafy, alfalfa.
Hay-like
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Raw grain flavor
Husk-like, chaff, “Glattwasser”
Maize grits, adjuncty
Like flour
04
Caramelized,
Roasted
Caramel
Molasses
Licorice
Burnt
*
*
*
*
Burnt sugar, toffee-like
Black treacle, treacly
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
scorched
Pitch, faulty pitching of containers
*
*
*
*
*
*
Phenol
Trichlorophenol (TCP), hospital-like
Iodophors, hospital-like, pharmaceutical
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Soapy, fatty, goaty, tallowy
Dry, stale cheese, old hops. Hydrolytic rancidity
Dry, stale cheese, old hops. Hydrolytic rancidity
Rancid butter
Butterscotch, buttermilk
Oxidative rancidity
Oxidative rancidity
0410
0411
0412
0420
0421
0422
0423
05
0500
0501
0502
0503
0504
0505
0610
0611
0612
0613
0614
0620
0630
0631
6
Bread-crust
Roast-barley
Smoky
Phenolic
Phenolic
Tarry
Bakelite
Carbolic
Chlorophenol
Iodoform
Fatty acid
Caprylic
Cheesy
Isovaleric
Butyric
Diacetyl
Rancid
Rancid oil
Soapy,
Fatty,
Diacetyl,
Oily,
Rancid
Fresh wort aroma. Use with other terms to describe
infected wort, e.g. 0731 Parsnip
*
Scorched aroma, dry mouthfeel and sharp acrid
taste.
Charred toast
Chocolate malt
0640
0641
0642
7
0700
0710
Oily
Vegetable oil
Mineral oil
Sulphury
Sulphury
Sulphitic
0720
0721
*
*
*
*
*
*
As in refined vegetable oil
Gasoline (petrol), kerosene (paraffin), machine oil
*
*
*
*
Sulphidic
*
*
*
*
0722
0723
0724
0725
0727
0730
0731
0732
0733
0736
0740
H2S
(Hydrogen
Sulfide)
Mercaptan
Garlic
Lightstruck
Autolysed
Shrimp-like
Cooked vegetable
Parsnip/celery
DMS
Cooked tomato
Cooked onion
Yeasty
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
0741
Meaty
*
*
08
0800
0810
Oxidized,
Musty
Stale
Catty
*
*
*
*
0820
Papery
*
*
0830
Leathery
*
*
0840
0841
Moldy
Earthy
*
*
*
*
0842
09
0900
0910
0920
10
1000
1001
Musty
Sour, Acidic
Acidic
Acetic
Sour
Sweet
Sweet
Honey
*
*
Old beer, overaged, overpasteurized
Blackcurrant leaves, ribes, tomato plants, oxidized
beer, skunky
An initial stage of staling, bready (stale bread
crumb), cardboard, old beer, oxidized
A later stage of staling, then often used in
conjunction with 0211 Woody
Cellar-like, leaf-mold, woodsy
Actinomycetes, damp soil, freshly dug soil,
diatomaceous earth
Fusty
*
*
*
*
*
*
Pungent aroma, sharpness of taste, mineral acid
Vinegar
Lactic, sour milk, Use with 0141 for citrus-sour
*
*
*
*
1002
1003
1004
1005
Jam-like
Vanilla
Primings
Syrupy
*
*
*
*
*
*
Sulfur dioxide, striking-match, choking, sulfurous,
sulfur dioxide (SO2), burnt rubber
Rotten egg, sulfury-reduced, sulphurous-RSH,
sewage, natural gas
Rotten egg
Lower mercaptans, drains, stench
Skunky, sunstruck
Rotting yeast (see also 0740 Yeasty)
Water in which shrimp have been cooked
Mainly dialkyl sulphides, sulphurous-RSR
An effect of wort infection, overcooked greens
Dimethyl sulphide, cooked corn)
Tomato juice (processed), tomato ketchup
Fresh yeast, flavor of heated thiamine (see also 0725
Autolysed)
Brothy, cooked meat, meat extract, peptone, yeast
broth
Stale,
*
Can occur as an effect of beer staling, e.g. the odor
of stale beer in a glass, oxidized (stale) honey
May be qualified by sub-classes of 0140 Fruity
Custard powder, vanillin
*
Clear (golden) syrup
1006
11
1100
12
1200
13
1310
Oversweet
Salty
Salty
Bitter
Bitter
Mouthfeel
Alkaline
1320
1330
1340
1341
1350
Mouthcoating
Metallic
Astringent
Drying
Powdery
1360
1361
1362
1370
14
1410
1411
1412
1413
1414
Carbonation
Flat
Gassy
Warming
Fullness
Body
Watery
Characterless
Satiating
Thick
*
*
*
*
*
*
Af
*
Af
*
*
*
*
*
Af
Af
Af
Af
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Sickly sweet, cloying
M
M
M
Af
Flavor imparted by accidental admixture of alkaline
detergent
Creamy, “onctueux”
Iron, rusty water, coins, tinny, inky
Mouth puckering, puckery, tannin-like, tart
Unsweet
Chalky, particulate, scratchy, silicate-like, siliceous.
Dusty cushion, irritating (with 0310 Grainy) mill
room smell.
CO2 content
Under carbonated
Over carbonated
See also 0110 Alcoholic and 0111 Spicy
*
*
*
*
*
Fullness of flavor and mouthfeel
Thin, seemingly diluted
Bland, empty, flavorless
Extra-full, filling
Viscous, “Epais”
Wine Tasters use the following table. Many of the categories and terms used overlap with beer, making it a
handy addition to the standard Beer Flavor Wheel.
The Wine Aroma Wheel
Floral
Floral
Spicy
Spicy
Fruity
Citrus
Berry
Tree Fruit
Tropical Fruit
Linalool
Orange blossom
Rose
Violet
Geranium
Cloves bouquet
Black pepper
Licorice, anise
Grapefruit
Lemon
Blackberry
Raspberry
Strawberry
Black currant/cassis
Cherry
Apricot
Peach
Apple
Pineapple bouquet
Melon
Dried Fruit
Other
Vegetative
Fresh
Canned/Cooked
Dried
Nutty
Nutty
Caramelized
Caramelized
Woody
Phenolic
Resinous
Burned
Earthy
Earthy
Moldy
Chemical
Petroleum
Sulfur
Banana
Strawberry jam
Raisin
Prune
Fig
Artificial fruit
Methyl anthranilate
Stemmy
Cut green grass
Bell pepper
Eucalyptus
Mint
Green beans
Asparagus
Green olive
Black olive
Artichoke
Hay/straw
Tea
Tobacco
Walnut bouquet
Hazelnut
Almond
Honey
Butterscotch
Butter/diacetyl
Soy sauce
Chocolate
Molasses
Phenolic
Vanilla
Cedar
Oak
Smoky
Burnt toast/charred
Coffee
Dusty
Mushroom
Musty/mildew bad
Moldy cork
Tar
Plastic
Kerosene
Diesel
Rubbery
Hydrogen sulfide
Mercaptan
Garlic
Skunk
Cabbage
Papery
Pungent
Other
Pungent
Oxidized
Microbiological
Hot
Cool
Oxidized
Yeasty
Lactic
Other
Burnt match
Sulfur dioxide
Wet dog
Filter pad
Cardboard
Ethyl acetate
Acetic acid
Ethanol
Sulfur dioxide
Fishy
Soapy
Sorbate
Fusel alcohol
Alcohol
Menthol
Acetylaldehyde/sherry
Flor yeast
Leesy
Sauerkraut
Butyric acid
Sweaty
Lactic acid
Horsey
Mousey
References
Tasting Beer (http://www.alabev.com/taste.htm)
Beer Flavor Log (http://brewery.org/brewery/library/FlavW.html)
Wine Evaluation Chart (http://Swww.americanwinesociety.com/web/downloads/Wine%20Evaluation%20Chart.pdf)
Flavor Wheels of the World (http://www.eblong.com/zarf/flavorwheel.html)