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Advanced Cicerone® · Beer Flavor and Evaluation

Organic acids

Syllabus Path

Lactic acid gives clean yogurt-like or lemony tartness; acetic acid gives vinegar-like sharpness and can become solventlike with ethyl acetate. Distinguish clean acidity from rough, acetic, rancid, or fatty acid character and tie it to microbes or process.

  1. III. Beer Flavor and Evaluation
  2. C. Specific beer flavor compounds
  3. 3. Organic acids

Exam Focus

  • Explain organic acids as a sensory evaluation topic within Specific beer flavor compounds.
  • Compare lactic, acetic, citric, malic, and other acid impressions by sourness, aroma, sharpness, and contribution to balance.
  • Distinguish intended acidification or mixed fermentation from contamination and diagnose acidity alongside sweetness, alcohol, carbonation, and buffering.

Core knowledge

  • Lactic acid gives clean yogurt-like or lemony tartness; acetic acid gives vinegar-like sharpness and can become solventlike with ethyl acetate.
  • Butyric, isovaleric, caproic, and caprylic acids can read as rancid, cheesy, sweaty, goaty, or fatty depending on compound and level.
  • Organic acids may be intentional in sour beer but indicate contamination or process faults in many clean styles.

Study application

Distinguish clean acidity from rough, acetic, rancid, or fatty acid character and tie it to microbes or process.

Key Terms

Lactic acid
Lactic acid gives clean yogurt-like or lemony tartness; acetic acid gives vinegar-like sharpness and can become solventlike with ethyl acetate.
Butyric, isovaleric, caproic, and caprylic acids
Butyric, isovaleric, caproic, and caprylic acids can read as rancid, cheesy, sweaty, goaty, or fatty depending on compound and level.

References

5 available