Everyone in the world has different tastes and different likes and dislikes when it comes to food, drinks, and everything else life throws at them. Although this is true, everyone's taste for food and drinks is derived from the same basic fundamental elements. There are six basic flavors that our mouths are able to distinguish: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, umami, and fat. The first few are clearly obvious. We have many examples from our society representing these flavors. For example, the sweet and sour chicken we get from Chinese restaurants plays on this very basic foundation. The dichotomy of sweet and salty trail mix is another famous mixing of the different flavors that our tongue is able to perceive and understand. It is harder to pinpoint the exact characteristics and differences between the other three flavors because we do not see many goods that advertise these flavors' qualities. Even so, these flavors provide the layout to the amazing tapestry of enjoyment that our taste buds provide.
It is essential to know and understand the most basic components of the elements of our taste in order to enjoy, pair, taste, and share the great qualities that the marriage of food and beer bring us. The following is a brief foray into the world of flavors.
- SWEET
Candy, lollipops, your one true love. All of these things showcase this taste in its infinite glory. The majority of us grew up knowing the benefits of this taste. A sweet tooth was something that we enjoyed having. Even as adults we can satisfy this craving with most beers. Some beers more than others showcase this specific taste. Fruit beers, milk stouts, scotch ales, dopplebocks, and many overtly malty beers provide a nice wallop of sweetness to the drinker.
Pair sweet beers with Mexican or Indian dishes to provide a great contrast to cut through the spiciness of the dish. Sweet beers also pair well with many desserts, bringing out the natural sweetness from both.
- SALTY
Salt is a taste that is best when it is delicately balanced. Too much salt and food tastes like the ocean, rendering it nearly inedible. Not enough salt and many of the essential flavor components of the dish are lost. In beer, saltiness is very rarely noticeable. However, some styles are suited for mineral rich water, which in turn leave a slightly discernible salty flavor to the trained palate.
Although salt is rarely noticed in beer itself, most foods have an element of saltiness that will bring out the many complex flavors in a beer that might have otherwise gone unnoticed by the drinker. Salt often counteracts and balances acidity, making sour beers the number one choice when pairing salty food with beer. Sour beers are the hip new trend in beer right now. They do take some time to get used to, just like big, hoppy, bitter beers have a learning curve as well. If you are new to sours, try a sour beer that has more mainstream appeal, like New Beligium Frambozen Raspberry Brown. This ale has the malt backbone of a brown ale and the acidic sweetness of the raspberries, making it a great transition sour beer for people new to the style.
- SOUR
Speaking of sour beers, sour is the third flavor our taste buds can recognize. Sour foods are not desirable to everyone; certain people have more of an affinity for sour tasting foods than others. Food with sour qualities primarily come from fruit where the varying degrees of ripeness determine how sour it tastes.
When pairing a sour beer with food, it is best to pair like with like. Matching a food that has a level of sourness with a beer that has a high level of acidity results in a combination unlike the original parts. Normally the combination will balance out both acidic elements, resulting in a welcoming sweetness. Try this combination out for yourself, and your mood will be anything but sour.
- BITTER
Nature provides bitter receptors on the tongue to keep animals and humans (to an extent) away from certain plants, most of which were poisonous. For all accounts and purposes, humans should be expected to avoid foods containing a high amount of bitter flavors. However, if the India Pale Ale (IPA) craze in the country is any indication, this definitely is not happening. We are more drawn to bitterness than ever before. West coast style IPAs typically have more International Bittering Unit (IBU) ratings of over 70, with many eclipsing 100 (for reference, the higher the IBUs, the more bitter than beer tastes). This results in a very bitter assault on the taste buds. Bitterness is also an accquired taste. This is the reason why most beer drinkers start out with a beer with IBUs of under 20. Through time and experimentation, many of these drinkers start to enjoy and even crave beers with a lot more bitterness.
Americans are not the only ones that enjoy the sensation of bitterness. Many Asian cultures' delight relies on various food high in bitterness. Some example of bitter foods you might be familiar with are brussel sprouts, bakers chocolate, and coffee. Pair these foods with beers that contrast the bitterness in the food and vice-versa. For example, pair a bitter chocolate bar with a cream stout, or try a decadent milk chocolate truffle with a double IPA. Either combination will create a taste that is something entirely new and fresh.
- UMAMI
Umami translates into "deliciousness" or "savoriness". In more concrete terms, this taste refers to foods that have a meatiness or a savory quality. Umami is found in many common foods (e.g. meats, fish, aged cheese, ripe tomatoes), but it is rarely found in beer. However, after the aging process, some umami characteristics may develop in certain beer styles.
For pairing, look for Brown ales, Scotch ales, dopplebocks and weizenbocks. One of these beers, a fine aged cheese, and nice hunk of cured meat will be a winner every time with its savory, delicious goodness.
- FAT
The final and most recently discovered sense of taste is fat. This taste explains why the fatter the food is, the better it tastes. Without this taste bud, fast food restaurants would good bankrupt. Currently, researchers are unsure about how much of a role this taste singularly affects beer since beer is fat-free.
Acidic beer (e.g. lambics, Berliner Weisse, Gueze) are perfect examples of beers that cut the fat and bring out more of the flavors in the dish.
Now that you know the basics about the six types of taste, go out and start experimenting. Start small if you want. Visit your local beer store (the one with a nice collection of craft beer) and buy a few different bottles with which to experiment. Many stores often have mix-and-match six pack deals where you can buy individual bottles from different breweries. On your way home, stop by the grocery store and pick up a small collection of contrasting flavors (e.g. an aged cheese, a tart cherry pie, brussel sprouts). Then mix and match the flavors at your will and see what you like. Remember, this is your experience so have fun. Be adventurous! You just might find something new and exciting.
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