Here is an explanation of some of the common terms used to describe taste and flavor:
Astringency – Dry, chalky sensation in the mouth
Acidic – Sharp, tart, sour
Acrid – Pungent, sharp, biting, bitter
Alkaline – Dry, somewhat bitter
Ashy – Dry, burnt, smoky, bitter
Barnyard – Dusty, musty, earthy
Burnt – Scorched, bitter
Buttery – Fatty, creamy, rich
Candy-like – Sweet, cooked sugar, cotton-candy
Cardboard – Papery, stale, oxidized
Caustic – Biting, acidic, astringent, stinging
Citrus – Ripe citrus fruit like lemon, lime, grapefruit, orange
Chalky – Dusty, powdery, gritty
Chemical – Medicinal, metal, sulphur
Clean – Without off-flavors or undesirable traits
Cooked – Sulfurous, caramelized, burnt
Delicate – Pleasant, mild, mellow
Earthy – Musty, green
Green – Vegetative, grassy, leguminous
Jammy – Preserved fruit, ripe, pungent, sweet
Lactic – Fresh, heated, acidified or transformed (burnt, rotten) milk
Lipid – Fatty, rich
Malt-like – Sweet, nutty
Medicinal – Chemical, plastic
Musty – Stale, moldy, mildew, damp
Piquant – Pleasantly pungent, tart, zesty, zingy
Pungent – Sharp, intense, penetrating
Phenolic – Plastic, chemical, medicinal
Rancid – Rotten, spoiled, stale, bad
Resinous – Woody, pine, cedar, oak
Smoky – Wood smoke, burnt, char
Sulfur – Rotten eggs, burning, match-like
Tangy – Tart, zesty, mouthwatering
Tart – Sour, sharp, bitter, acidic
Vegetal – Green, beany, raw, grassy
Yeasty – Bready, doughy
Have any other favorite tasting terms? Email us at thedrinktank@imbibeinc.com with your suggestions or to talk about your next beverage project.
