Free Shipping

cider off-flavours kit


Cider flavour standards kit used to train professional tasters to recognize and scale the intensity of eight off-flavours.

Use them to deliver up to 20 hours of taster training for ten people. Comes complete with presentation case and one set of cider flavour cards. AROXA™ cider flavour standards are: food grade | free from sensory impurities | extensively tested | safe to smell and taste.

Flavours in this kit:

Flavour cards

Flavour standard information

AROXA cider flavour standards kit - off-flavours
earn 50 points
£499.00
OR

“Acetic, like vinegar”

Sub-product image
  • Sub-product label imageacetic acid
  • Number of capsulesNumber of capsules
  • Chemical structure

acetic acid

457 mg

Technical specification

Assessment
Without covering the glass, swirl the beer to release the aroma. Take a single short sniff. Repeat as necessary.
Amount of flavour per capsule
457 mg
Threshold
90 mg / l in cider
Origins
Natural component of apple juice and produced by yeast during fermentation. Abnormal fermentation, contamination with bacteria or wild yeasts, and excessive exposure to oxygen can result in high levels.
Importance
Present in all ciders and a major component of ‘volatile acidity’. Concentrations can be elevated through use of damaged or rotten fruit and low sulphite additions. At high concentrations acetic acid is an off-flavour which is indicative of poor factory hygiene.
CAS registry number
64-19-7
Other names
  • ethanoic acid
  • ethylic acid
  • methanecarboxylic acid
  • vinegar acid
  • acetasol
  • acide acetique
  • shotgun
  • vinegar
Remarks
The intensity of this flavour increases with decreasing cider pH value. Acetic acid can also be produced by malo-lactic bacteria during maturation of cider.
Threshold distribution
Graph

“Butyric“, rancid, like baby vomit”

Sub-product image
  • Sub-product label imagebutyric acid
  • Number of capsulesNumber of capsules
  • Chemical structure

butyric acid

9.0 mg

Technical specification

Assessment
Cover the beer with your hand and swirl the glass to release the aroma. Remove your hand and take a single long sniff. Repeat as necessary.
Amount of flavour per capsule
9.0 mg
Threshold
3 mg / l in cider
Origins
The origin of butyric acid in cider-making is unclear. However, it is likely that it is produced in apples of poor quality prior to pressing due to the action of contaminant bacteria, including Bacillus and Clostridium.
Importance
Reminiscent of rancid butter or baby vomit. The flavour of affected products can be worsened by the presence of 2,3-butanedione, or improved by ethyl butyrate derived from metabolism of butyric acid by yeast during fermentation.
CAS registry number
107-92-6
Other names
  • butanoic acid
  • butanic acid
  • n-butanoic acid
  • 1-butyric acid
  • n-butyric acid
  • ethyl acetic acid
  • 1-propane carboxylic acid
  • propyl formic acid
Remarks
The intensity of this flavour increases with decreasing product pH value.
Threshold distribution
Graph

“Honey, like sweet mead or sherry”

Sub-product image
  • Sub-product label imageethyl phenylacetate
  • ethylphenylacetate flavour standard capsulesNumber of capsules
  • Chemical structure

ethyl phenylacetate

480 µg

Technical specification

Assessment
Cover the sample with your hand and swirl the glass to release the aroma. Remove your hand and take a single long sniff. Repeat as necessary.
Amount of flavour per capsule
480 µg
Threshold
160 µg / l in cider
Origins
Produced from phenolic pre-cursor by yeast during maturation. Concentrations may increase after packaging as a result of non-enzymic reactions.
Importance
At low concentrations ethyl phenylacetate imparts a pleasant sweet, ‘honey-like’ note to cider. At higher concentrations the flavour is reminiscent of mead or sherry.
CAS registry number
101-97-3
Other names
  • benzene acetic acid ethyl ester
  • ethyl 2-phenyl ethanoate
  • ethyl 2-phenylacetate
  • ethyl alpha-toluate
  • ethyl benzene acetate
  • ethyl phenyl ethanoate
  • phenyl acetic acid ethyl ester
  • alpha- toluic acid ethyl ester
Remarks
This compound is also responsible for the sweet, honey-like note found in top class sweet white wines. This flavour is slow to develop on the palate.
Threshold distribution
Graph

“Smoky, like smoked fish or cheese”

Sub-product image
  • Sub-product label imageguaiacol
  • Number of capsulesNumber of capsules
  • Chemical structure

guaiacol

100 µg

Technical specification

Assessment
Without covering the glass, swirl the beer to release the aroma. Take a single short sniff. Repeat as necessary.
Amount of flavour per capsule
100 µg
Threshold
33 µg / l in cider
Origins
Low levels can be derived from oak ageing. Higher levels can be caused by growth of Alicyclobacillus prior to fermentation. This spore-forming organism converts vanillin in the juice into guaiacol.
Importance
Low levels contribute to wood-aged complexity. Higher levels impart an undesirable smoky / disinfectant-like note to affected cider and the juice from which it is made. The flavour tends toward a more medicinal note when bromophenols, formed by the same contaminant bacteria, are also present.
CAS registry number
90-05-1
Other names
  • 2-methoxyphenol
  • anastil
  • guajacol
  • guajol
  • guasol
  • 1-hydroxy-2-methoxybenzene
  • 2-hydroxyanisole
  • ortho-hydroxyanisole
  • 1-oxy-2- methoxybenzene
  • ortho- methoxyphenol
  • methyl catechol
  • ortho- methyl catechol
  • pyrocatechol methyl ester
  • pyrocatechol monomethyl ether
Remarks
Similar flavour notes can arise due to smoke damage of raw materials and / or packaging materials. The flavour of guaiacol tends to polarize consumers with respect to preference – they either love it or hate it.
Threshold distribution
Graph

“Isovaleric, like stale cheese or sweaty socks”

Sub-product image
  • Sub-product label imageisovaleric acid
  • Number of capsulesNumber of capsules
  • Chemical structure

isovaleric acid

3.0 mg

Technical specification

Assessment
Cover the beer with your hand and swirl the glass to release the aroma. Remove your hand and take a single long sniff. Repeat as necessary.
Amount of flavour per capsule
3.0 mg
Threshold
1 mg / l in cider
Origins
Formed by yeast from apple-derived fatty acids during fermentation. Can also be formed by contaminant Brettanomyces yeasts during maturation.
Importance
Imparts an odour of stale cheese or sweaty socks. In traditional ciders, growth of Brettanomyces yeasts can add complexity to the product, differentiating it from other ciders.
CAS registry number
503-74-2
Other names
  • 3-methylbutanoic acid
  • isobutyl formic acid
  • delphinic acid
  • dephinic acid
  • 3-methyl butanoic acid
  • 3-methyl butyric acid
  • beta-methyl butyric acid
  • 3-methylbutanoic acid
  • isopentanoic acid
  • isopropyl acetic acid
  • isovalerianic acid
Remarks
When produced by Brettanomyces yeasts isovaleric acid often occurs together with other compounds, including acetic acid, ethyl acetate, and 4-ethyl phenol. A significant proportion of the population is relatively insensitive to this flavour.
Threshold distribution
Graph

“Rancid oil, like cod liver oil”

Sub-product image
  • Sub-product label imagetrans,trans-2,4-heptadienal
  • Number of capsulesNumber of capsules
  • Chemical structure

trans,trans-2,4-heptadienal

450 µg

Technical specification

Assessment
Without covering the glass, swirl the beer to release the aroma. Take a single short sniff. Repeat as necessary.
Amount of flavour per capsule
450 µg
Threshold
150 µg / l in cider
Origins
Formed in apples and in juice during storage as a result of enzymic or non-enzymic lipid oxidation. Use of such materials leads to development of this rancid oil flavour note in cider after packaging.
Importance
Imparts a rancid oil note to cider, reminiscent of cod liver oil. At higher concentrations the odour can be perceived as fishy.
CAS registry number
4313-03-5
Other names
  • (2E,4E)-hepta-2,4-dienal
  • (2trans,4trans)- hepta-2,4-dienal
  • (E)-2,(E)-4-heptadien-1-al
  • (E,E)-2,4-heptadien-1-al
  • trans-2,trans-4-heptadien-1-al
  • trans,trans-2,4-heptadien-1-al
  • (E,E)-2,4- heptadienal
Remarks
Can develop during storage of packaged cider, together with other lipid oxidation products. The flavour impact of the compound is reduced as the sulphur dioxide concentration of the product is increased.
Threshold distribution
Graph

“Kerosine, like petroleum or geranium”

Sub-product image
  • Sub-product label image1,3-pentadiene
  • Number of capsulesNumber of capsules
  • Chemical structure

1,3-pentadiene

300 µg

Technical specification

Assessment
Cover the sample with your hand and swirl the glass to release the aroma. Remove your hand and take a single long sniff. Repeat as necessary.
Amount of flavour per capsule
300 µg
Threshold
100 µg / l in cider
Origins
1,3-Pentadiene is produced by contaminant microorganisms from sorbic acid. Many moulds and some yeasts are able to convert sorbic acid to 1,3-pentadiene.
Importance
This compound imparts a potent ‘chemical’ taint to affected products. It is typically described as kerosene-like, with additional descriptors of plastic, paint, and geranium depending on the nature of the affected product.
CAS registry number
CI-504-60-9
Other names
  • 1-methylbutadiene
  • 1,3-PD
  • (Z)-1,3-pentadiene
  • cis-piperylene
  • cis-1-methylbutadiene
  • cis-1,3-pentadiene
  • 1,cis-3-pentadiene
  • (3Z)-1,3-pentadiene
  • pentadiene-1,3,cis
  • (Z)-penta-1,3-diene
Remarks
Formation of this flavour note is somewhat ironic, since the very organisms that the sorbate preservatives are intended to inhibit are responsible for its formation.
Threshold distribution
Graph

“Skatole, like animal faeces”

Sub-product image
  • Sub-product label imageskatole
  • Number of capsulesNumber of capsules
  • Chemical structure

skatole

4.0 µg

Technical specification

Assessment
Cover the sample with your hand and swirl the glass to release the aroma. Remove your hand and take a single long sniff. Repeat as necessary.
Amount of flavour per capsule
4.0 µg
Threshold
1.3 µg / l in cider
Origins
Skatole arises in cider through use of improperly cleaned or stored apples, or poor hygiene in the fermentation process. Source of the flavour note is bacterial metabolism of tryptophan.
Importance
Imparts an unpleasant, somewhat nauseating, faecal note to affected products. Incidents involving this flavour are thankfully uncommon. Adds complexity to cider at very low concentrations.
CAS registry number
83-34-1
Other names
  • beta-methyl indole
  • β-methylindole
  • scatole
  • skatol
  • 3-methylindole
  • 3-MI
  • 3-methyl-1H-indole
  • 3-methyl-4,5-benzopyrrole
Remarks
Indole and DMS may also be found in ciders in which a skatole note is present. A significant proportion of the population is relatively insensitive to this flavour.
Threshold distribution
Graph

Last viewed

  1. Product image

    cider essentials kit
    £599.99
    Eight essential cider flavours, including both positive and negative notes - up to twenty hours of taster training for ten people
  2. Product image

    Single set of 29 individual cider flavour cards
    £30.00 / 25 points

    Use them in taste sessions, frame them and hang them on your taste room wall - do what you will. These well-researched information cards will tell you most of what you need to know.

  3. Product image

    Single set of 29 bound cider flavour cards
    £30.00 / 25 points

    Master your subject! Key facts and figures for every cider flavour at your fingertips. The ideal cider flavour reference.