phenolics of ciders: Bitterness and astringency

The bitterness and astringency of defined procyanidin fractions from bittersweet English ciders were assessed using a paired‐comparison tasting technique. The results demonstrate that, while no one procyanidin can be uniquely identified with bitterness or astringency, bitterness is associated with oligomeric procyanidins reaching a maximum with the epicatechin tetramer whereas astringency is characteristic of higher‐molecular‐weight procyanidins. The effect of presentation media on taste response was also studied. High sugar and buffer strength suppressed the perceived bitterness, whereas ethanol increased bitterness but simultaneously decreased astringency. It is shown that the observed taste differences between two bittersweet ciders and the taste‐modifying effect of ethanol can be explained satisfactorily by current theories of taste.