Earlier today while I was enjoying a bike ride on a gorgeous October morning with the wind at my back and a (slight) chill in the air, out of nowhere I was suddenly presented with the topic for my next blog post; tasting. That is, after all, the reason we talk or write so much about all of these things we eat and drink, right? We are trying to communicate a sensation that we perceive, either with our noses or our tongues, to another person. It sounds so simple, but, due to a variety of factors, it is actually a little bit tricky. That is, however, where it also gets really interesting. If we really focus and listen to the perceptions that are being shared about a particular beverage, that is where the fun and learning begins.
At the very introductory level, we are taught that there are 5 basic tastes; sweet, salt, sour, bitter, and the most recently added taste, umami, which is sort of a catch all term for savory. Alright, now we’ve only just begun to discuss this, and we already are going to hit upon the main topic of this article. There are different schools of thought on these taste groups and the locations on where we notice them. Some say that they can only be perceived in specific areas, while others will say that they can be detected anywhere on the palate. The truth is it varies from person to person. No two tasters are the same, therefore we all perceive what we eat and drink differently. Some individuals are born with more taste buds (women in general have twice as many taste receptors as men, so when that special female in your life tells you that the kitchen sponge has a particularly offensive odor coming from it, she knows what she is talking about). Also, there are those who are more in tune with what they are tasting when compared to other individuals. Whether it is biology, prior experience, education, or just because they care about it more, that is just the way it is. I know that when I first started to truly learn about tasting coffee and what the senses are capable of, it opened up a whole new world for me. I quickly realized that this knowledge transcended coffee and included everything that I drink, and eat for that matter. I loved this new world and it has enhanced all of my culinary experiences. On the other hand, for some this concept of “tasting” is a little over the top and I understand that. They just want something that they enjoy and do not necessarily need to know why they like it so much or why it tastes so different with the food that they are eating. The great thing is that we can all co-exist together as long as we just talk about what it is that we are hoping to get from a particular beverage experience.
An example of this would be that 3 different people can have 3 completely different taste reactions to the exact same type of coffee (or any food or drink for that matter). One of the people may be a “super taster” who has more taste buds than the others and has picked up on an off flavor that only a small fraction of the population would even know is there. Another person may love the body (mouthfeel) and not notice anything else. The final person might think that it was sour and not like it at all. The truth is they are all correct. Their perceptions are their reality and you cannot tell them that they are not tasting what they are tasting. There may be education that can be done to help them further understand what it is they are tasting as it pertains to the coffee world, but even within the coffee industry there are inconsistencies with terminology so that does not always clear everything up. That is where the listen and focus part comes in. As a person who does enjoy the tasting part of any beverage and who has some knowledge of the human palate and how it perceives taste, I listen to what a person says they are looking for as far as flavor or paring with a certain food. I then try to match up as best as I can our taste similarities or differences (as either can be a good starting point) by identifying something that we have both previously tried. Once we have established this common ground, it is easier to make an informed suggestion. It is not always successful, but even this misfire can be helpful the next time (if there is one) because now you know what way not to go.
What I’m Just Saying is that since tasting is so subjective and such a personal experience, we are not all going to like the same things or perceive them in the same way. That is what makes this all so fun and creates such amazing discussion (and the need for a website and podcast like ours)! We can learn about new flavors, parings, terminology-whatever we open up our minds (and mouths) to, if we listen.
Keith
