Definitions of “mouthfeel” run through the game, but none do justice to an extraordinarily complex subject. UC Davis and other universities have investigated mouthfeel, trying to quantify it on a numerical scale, with no success so far. Consumers of craft beer have used descriptors such as a creamy mouthfeel, an almost chewy texture, or a feeling that the beer has a thick / coating feel that makes the flavor linger for a moment. In all examples, the onset of mouthfeel is visual, aromas, flavor, and viscosity.

A few years ago, I did research and wrote an article on the importance of mouthfeel in wine. I found that viscosity is not the only feeling that dictates a great mouthfeel in beer, but a medley of factors. However, the viscosity in the wine feels like a subliminal message of a “quality” wine.

A cacophony of factors dictated the mouthfeel of the craft beer. Much of the mouthfeel is determined by a person’s accumulated experiences. However, awareness of aromas, the visual presentation of a beer and the flavors are sensory tails that initiate how consumers interpret the mouthfeel, pleasant or not. Even the question of time, place and seasonality will affect a pleasant mouthfeel.

The existence of the sensation in the mouth can also be illustrated as the sensation that comes from any substance in the mouth. As an example, most of my life I did not eat oysters due to the sight and anticipation of the slimy sensation of that crustacean in my mouth. My wife won’t eat oysters to this day, mainly because it has to do with the mouthfeel.

The visual appearances of the beer also contribute to the anticipated mouthfeel. Foam / foam in a beer is highly preferred over little or no foam, craft beer drinkers like foam. In Europe, consumers prefer and demand beer served with a thick / compact foamy beer because it is more aromatic and presages a pleasant mouthfeel. The foam promotes flavor and instant mouthfeel.

Also, the impact of the environment on the mouthfeel. Here’s an interesting perspective. There are restaurants that feature “Dark Dinner” because research has shown that limiting environmental stimuli will accentuate the aromas, taste, and mouthfeel of food and drink. The thesis is that limiting visual shock and distractions during food increases the taste, aroma and mouthfeel of the food experience. The dark dining room has enough light to see and eat.

The aromas of beer, as in wine, set the stage for what we will experience in the flavors and then in the mouthfeel / aftertaste. These flavors and aromas are often visually presented in ‘flavor and aroma wheels’ to help us define the beer styles we like. The ubiquitous “Beer Flavor Wheel” was developed in the 1970s by Morton Meilgaard, of which he included the Mouthfeel component. The reality is that the mouthfeel gives substance / recognition to the taste of a beer, while the aroma sets the stage.

Note: Hops and yeast give beer aromas, flavor, appearance and mouthfeel. The grain bill features the grain that provides something with which the yeast can exert its creativity.

The chemical fermentation process (working in the wort) plays a huge role in creating mouthfeel. Fermentation gives us texture / viscosity, carbonation, levels of alcohol (ABV) and acids. Of course, to get a distinctive mouthfeel, all of this must be orchestrated by knowledgeable brewers selecting the right yeast.

Ms. Carolyn Smagalski gives a good definition of significant contributors to the mouthfeel of beer. It is contributed by residual proteins and dextrin (generally accepted as non-fermentable sugar) in beer (especially a Pilsner). Not all starches in malts are converted to fermentable sugars. Proteins are not consumed by yeast, so they are the main contributor to mouthfeel. Oatmeal in a grain spike can add more protein and the desirable slimy notes to the mouthfeel. The chemistry of the water is also a contributing factor.

Trying to keep it complicated and simple, Adam Robblings of Craft beer and brewing expresses his opinion on mouthfeel this way: “For misty IPAs, the first key decision point is not about the hops, it is about the yeast. The ester profile, stable haze, and smooth mouthfeel. they define misty IPAs, and those really benefit from specific yeast strains. ” So, another vote for yeast.

Craft beer is not the beer of your youth; They are not the “slam ’em down” beers of yesteryear. Craft beer is generally more expensive and is a thoughtful drink that demands contemplation. There are quality craft beers for every occasion, attitude, and season. In the final analysis, all are judged on their aromatics, taste, and mouthfeel. At some point during consumption, all of these elements become symbiotic and give us the ‘umami’ we want.

The mouthfeel we are looking for has hundreds of elements that finally come together. There are: viscosity / texture, acidity / pH levels, ABV, esters (hops), yeast strains, grain peak, temperatures, carbonation, foam, color, and brewer’s execution of the recipe. If all this produces a mouthfeel, taste and aroma that you like according to your expectations, you have found your beer for now.

In a 2020 Statista study, the main feature of craft beer that was most important to consumers was taste (94%). Interestingly, approximately 52.7% of craft beer consumers considered themselves very familiar and familiar with the brewing processes. This indicates that the consumer wants more detail about a beer because they understand how mouthfeel, taste and aromas are derived.

Achieving a good mouthfeel is a difficult task and must be tailored to each style of beer. Ask the folks at Staropramen Brewery is the second largest brewery in the Czech Republic. They believe that mouthfeel is an incredibly important attribute of their world famous Pilsner.

Pilsner is one of the most popular beers in the world. Here is how Just beer define the style and

Flavor and smell:

Malts give Pilsner a fresh or grainy bread flavor. Traditional Pilsner has a pronounced hop bitterness, giving it a herbaceous or earthy character.

Mouthfeel:

Pilseners are very carbonated with a little weight. Its crisp hop bitterness tends to linger in the finish.

How to serve a Pilsner:

The pilsners should be poured with a little foam. After all, this is how it is done in the Czech Republic. Usually 3 fingers will suffice.

Of all the pilner brewers in the Czech Republic that we investigated, they all mentioned mouthfeel and head as important factors in consumer evaluations.

Mouthfeel is difficult to define and is somewhat rooted in subjective evaluations. Don’t give up because there are many “ah ha” moments where that perfect mouthfeel appears. The simple act of consuming a craft beer casually or combined with food can bring the moment when that great mouthfeel arrives.

Health!