Are You a Supertaster?

But why did I want to eat those brown rectangular erasers?

 

Sometimes I compare my reviews with others and find that I taste unusual flavors. I suspect I'm the opposite of a "supertaster," i.e., I don't know what I'm tasting!

 

Fascinating. Never underwent the paper test, but all the food items in the Wikipedia article are abhorrent to me with the exception of licorice. I love coffee, but only with cream and sugar, never black. I'm also a big mushroom fan, but only sautéed or as an ingredient in a sauce. I admit to struggling with some of the hoppiest beers and will often check the IBU scale before buying.

 

I have several reviews where I can't place a flavor in a beer so I say that!

 

Not a supertaster. I do have an educated palate that gets regular exercise and I have done organoleptic taste testing as part of a QC gig, but my tastebud density is normal.

I got a big packet of Carolina Reaper flakes xmas before last; amazing taste (and stupid hot)- nice habanero fruitiness and awesome smoke. They're just about gone, but I got two packets of whole Trinidad Scorpions this time around. Had to flake them myself, but what are you gonna do?

 

Hey! I like Chris! BTW: Didn't you get a hint of car tire on that sip??

 

Sorry, no super status for this cowboy. To me, beer is an experience. I love the look, feel, and memories that tie in to trying something new and different.

 

Am I,"Supertaster"? Why, no I am in fact, "Beer Man", able to leap tall bar stools in a single bound, chug beer faster than a speeding train!

 

That sounds familiar. The chemical had no definite taste but after a few hours I totally felt like a sUpErTaStErrrr

 

That. I dislike the term "supertaster" a bit, because it sounds like someone trying to be pretentious. As far as craft beer is concerned, it's a liability.

I don't know where exactly on the supertasting spectrum I am (the little piece of paper was horrible), but hops pretty much suck for me, period. Even a 20 IBU beer that's hop-forward enough seems like I took a swig of perfume right out of a perfume bottle. Almost every Sierra Nevada or Stone beer is undrinkable for me, and even good ol' SA Boston Lager is riding the edge of drinkability. When my girlfriend had me try Habanero Sculpin on a couple occasions, I couldn't even register that there was any spice or heat in it, past the sensation that my tongue was immersed in Chanel No. 5.

This is after over a decade of being into craft beer and trying to get into IPAs for much of that time, and having conditioned myself to tolerate coffee for the caffeine effect over quite a few years of weird schedules, school, and office work. Bitter is just not my deal at all, and never will be. Of course, it's that way for a decent chunk of people who aren't necessarily supertasters as well - just look at the size of the market for things to sweeten, lighten, and otherwise mask the flavor of coffee.

Oddly enough, I've loved sours and most Belgian beers from the first ones I ever tried. It's just hoppy beer that repels me like getting hit in the mouth with Mace - even hops described frequently on sites like this as "juicy".

 

The thing to dislike is not the word "supertaster" but rather what is the consistent misunderstanding/misuse of the term. :-)

 

oh those were the days!! didn't they use sugar cubes though??

 

For sure! Sugar cubes were probably a quick and easy way to dish it out if you happen to be someone with the liquid form. Other than that, I would imagine someone looking to store large amounts in a more stable medium would choose paper.

 

Yup when I tried it it was paper.

 

Nope. Just a champion with the hopes of becoming a poobah some day.

 

The "Super tasters" are the ones I follow here....and all of them say they are not.

Personally I will hang my hat on "variability of the species". We are all different and super tasters in our own humble way.

Cheers

 

As I told my wife when I got out of the shower, "I smell good".

 

Good! Since it's clear from some of the beers you report drinking that you have a well developed and sensitive palate but you are not a supertaster. (e.g., you can drink and enjoy Sierra Nevada Pale Ale)

 

Being able to get bitterness from PTC paper does not make one a super taster.

I found it very bitter, but I am not a supertaster.