The human taste buds are generally said to be able to identify four different flavours, i.e. Sweet, Sour, Salt, and Bitter.
Umami
However, a fifth flavour, Umami, is also acknowledged outside the European Gastronomy.
Umami is Japanese and means something along the lines of “rich of flavours” or delicacy.
Scientifically speaking, it is a sense of taste, which reacts to glutamate that is found particularly in meat, fish, shellfish, but also in beans, onions, and certain other vegetables.
Glutamate deprives the wine of its fruitiness and adds mineral touches, which in general do not suit the wine. Beer is far more tolerant towards glutamate and therefore, is often preferred in the glutamate-rich Asian cuisine. In this connection, beers with limited bitterness are the best choice.
However, in any gastronomic composition, the objective is to balance the different nuances of taste to a complete experience. This also applies to matching food and beer. You can aim at harmony and balance – or contrast and excitement. Nothing is right or wrong as such. However, you will find some basic principles of taste explained below, which you can use as guidelines when recommending beers to your guests. Besides this, you can also experiment with different flavours yourself to find your personal preferences.
