Vanilla Flavour Standard

What is Vanilla Flavour?

Vanilla flavour is a sensory note characterised by its sweet, creamy, and custard-like aroma and taste. It is often associated with:

• Vanilla pods
• Ice cream
• Cream soda
• Custard-like desserts

In beverages, vanilla flavour can be desirable or undesirable depending on the context. For example, it is a sought-after note in aged spirits but may be considered an off-flavour in non-alcoholic drinks.

What Causes Vanilla Flavour?
The vanilla flavour in beverages is caused by various factors, including:

In Alcoholic Beverages:

• Phenolic Compound Changes: The conversion of guaiacol during ageing or production can result in vanilla-like notes.
• Barley Breakdown: The breakdown of cell wall materials in barley during brewing can impart vanilla flavours.
• Production Processes: Vanilla notes can develop naturally in aged beer and spirits or be added intentionally as a flavouring.

In Non-Alcoholic Beverages:

• Carryover Contamination: Vanilla flavour can occur as an off-flavour due to product carryover during bottling runs.

Using the Vanilla Flavour Standard for Sensory Training
The Vanilla GMP Flavour Standard is designed to help sensory panellists recognise and evaluate vanilla flavour in beverages. It is provided in powder form, encapsulated in single-dose gelatin capsules, and packaged in pharmaceutical-grade blister packs for stability and ease of use.

How to Recognise Vanilla Flavour: Sensory Terms
When training with the Vanilla Flavour Standard, sensory panellists should focus on identifying the following sensory terms:

• Custard-like
• Ice cream
• Cream soda
• Vanilla pods

These descriptors help panellists develop a refined palate for detecting vanilla notes in beverages.

What are the Professional Applications of the Vanilla Flavour Standard?
The Vanilla Flavour Standard serves multiple professional applications:
– Sensory professionals and quality control teams use it to standardise flavour evaluation processes and ensure consistency across beverage assessments.
– Breweries and beverage producers rely on it to detect both desirable and undesirable vanilla notes, maintaining product quality and style authenticity.
– Professional tasters, brewing schools, and training institutions incorporate it into sensory training programs to develop precise detection and intensity scaling skills.
– Researchers and product developers utilise the standard to investigate flavour formation, off-flavour origins, and the impact of production or ageing processes.

With the Vanilla Flavour Standard kit, users can train their palates to recognise and evaluate vanilla notes at different concentrations, enabling early detection of quality issues and ensuring more consistent production outcomes.

Other Information
Beer Flavour Wheel Number: 1003

Flavour level seen: 40 ug / l

Recommended flavour standard / sensory reference standard of: American Society of Brewing Chemists (ASBC) and the European Brewing Chemists (EBC)