The Science of Taste

Thursday, September 22
3-5 p.m.
Location: The Boothby Center for the Beverage Arts, 1161 Mission St., Suite 120
Tickets: $25 in advance; $35 at the door

Why does Cognac taste delicious to some and make others gag? How can a sweet liqueur taste divine to some and cloying to others? Taste is very personal and the way that people experience flavor seems a bit magic, to be sure. But a lot of why we taste what we taste, and why we enjoy the flavors that we do, can be decoded through science. Hosted by the Cognac Spirit Board, this seminar will explore the scientific aspects of taste and flavor through cocktails curated by LUPEC (Ladies United for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails) that represent the five facets of taste (sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami.) Don Katz, a Professor of Neuroscience and Chemosensation at Brandeis University, will speak about the science of taste and flavor. Graham Wright, a chemist currently affiliated with the Museum of Science and bon vivant, will explain how these concepts are applied in the glass. Kirsten Amann is a founding member of LUPEC and the US Bartenders Guild. All agree that cocktails make science more fun. Includes Cognac-based cocktails made by local members of the San Francisco LUPEC chapter.

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