Rules for tasting. Profession - taster

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

There are many professions, each of which has its own characteristics and advantages. A cook and a confectioner create delicious culinary masterpieces, doctors take care of our he alth, teachers bring knowledge to the world, etc. But what is special about the profession of a taster? What does this specialist do? How important is his work?

General information

The taster is a kind of guarantor of the quality of the products or goods that an enterprise produces. As a rule, this is a specialist working in a certain direction.

So, someone is interested in holding a tasting of cheese and dairy products. Other experts prefer to evaluate the quality of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, coffee, tea, and tobacco. Still others test perfumed fragrances. In this case, the tested products can be tested at different stages of production. This can be the initial stage, including the assessment of the raw materials used, and the final one (when the product is considered when it hits the store shelves).

What is a tasting?

Tasting prompts the specialist to take certain actions. Their sequence and complexity directly depends on the product itself, which needs testing. So, depending on the type of products being tested, specialists have to:

• Test them for strength.
• Check the palatability (literally taste it).
• To touch by touch.
• Listen to sound, vibration intensity.
• Catch the smell.
• Evaluate the "bouquet", etc.

When do you need the help of a taster?

The help of this specialist is needed not only when tasting products is required, but also necessary during the production process, during the purchase of finished raw materials or the development of a new blend and taste. This is especially true for companies specializing in winemaking, perfumery products, as well as companies selling blended coffee or tea.

What skills should a taster have?

Tasting is not complete without a specialist of the appropriate level. This specialist must have an excellent sense of smell, touch and the ability to capture all the subtleties of the taste of the product.

According to statistics, only 15% of all people on earth may have an innate propensity to test. At the same time, it is believed that it is almost impossible to teach all the subtleties of sensitivity. However, if any specialist has certain abilities for this,then it is quite possible to strengthen and develop them to the required level.

So, many would-be tasters are working on their ability to distinguish between smells and tastes. With all their might, they try to amplify these feelings, while developing their own personal tactics. It is believed that the qualifications of an expert, his level of sensitivity and sensory memory can be improved over the years.

What is the complexity of the profession?

During the tasting it is not so easy to distinguish one smell from another. For example, it is rather difficult for an ordinary person to recognize the aroma of flowers after rain, to distinguish the smell of a new leather briefcase from freshly blossoming bird cherry flowers.

It is noteworthy that the taster does not just distinguish all these smells. He remembers them. Consequently, in his concept, a special portfolio is formed from these same smells and their shades. And how large and capacious this portfolio will be, depends on the demand and payment of a specialist.

In addition, during the tasting process, the expert does not just examine the products for taste and color. He compares his results with the already existing options in his memory. As a result, he is able to offer various combinations and variations of smells and tastes that will be perfectly combined with each other.

Features and rules of tasting

When testing products, the expert needs to focus. And for this expert nothing should be distracting. This applies not only to extraneous noise, brightlight, but also odors. Therefore, most often testing of any products takes place in a special room - a tasting room.

Typically, this is a large or medium-sized, well-lit, windowless room. Its walls and doors may contain soundproofing material. It is in such a room that an expert can easily isolate himself from the outside world and evaluate the quality of a particular product that needs testing.

In addition, before the tasting, experts do not drink alcohol, avoid smoking, and do not eat dishes that have a strong smell and taste. They also try not to use toilet water, shower gels and other chemicals that have a strong smell. This approach helps them to prepare their receptors and sets the specialists on the right wavelength.

What is the task of a taster?

Many believe that one of the main tasks of the taster is to choose the best option among the products tested. However, this is not quite true. Its tasks are much more global. For example, he needs to do the following:

• Explore all kinds of test products.
• Remember every taste and smell you hear.
• Describe the characteristics of taste and smell in as much detail as possible.
• Fill out a special form with all the pros and cons of the product.
• To draw conclusions, taking into account the recommendation for a possible combination of certain flavors.

Leaf tea tasting

When testing loose leaf tea, the specialist pays attention not only totaste and visual qualities of the product. For a while he studies the tea leaves. According to some reports, he can hold them in his hands, trying to touch, smell them and even listen to their rustling. Then, he pays attention to the color of the drink in its finished version. And only after that he begins to evaluate his taste.

Alcohol tasting

In addition to different products, tasters often test alcoholic beverages. During this process, special transparent glasses with long legs, reminiscent of a tulip, are used. Usually their capacity does not exceed 200 ml. Even despite this, the taster does not pour the drink into it to the brim. According to experts, for the test it is enough to pour 50 ml, for example, of wine.

When judging white and red wines, it is recommended to serve white wines first and then red wines. But in order to, so to speak, reset their taste and tactile memory, between testing several types of wine, experts rinse their mouths with neutral mineral water and sometimes eat slices of fresh white bread. The pause between testing several types of alcoholic beverages usually takes no more than 15-20 minutes.

What can get in the way?

Testing products for taste and color, tasters, as well as other representatives of different professions, may experience certain difficulties. For example, an expert may catch a cold. As a result, his sensitivity will be reduced due to illness.

In this case, they try to recover faster or take preventive measures in advance, allowing them to reducerisks of colds. Sometimes experts play it safe, literally and figuratively.

In order to avoid unpleasant moments, experts draw up an insurance policy. For example, renowned coffee tasting expert Dave Roberts decided to insure his own nose for $2 million. And all because it was his nose that helped him guess the place of origin and the quality of coffee beans by their special smell.

Gennaro Pelizzia, another top coffee expert, chose to insure his taste buds. At the same time, in case of loss of its sensitive ability, the insurance company would have to fork out for 10 million dollars.

As you can see, a taster is a very rare but very important profession. It is these specialists who help in the creation of new products, aromas and tastes.