Seriously Sour.
November 27, 2007 by m'lissa
As we continued the in-depth study of our tongues last night, we ventured down the pH scale. We learned that we taste sour the the same ion channels that we taste salt. Hydronium ions (H3O) are formed when acids are mixed with water, therefor things taste more sour the more acidic they become. We tasted something from every half point from neutral 7 to 0 acid.
pH 7 neutral pure water
pH 6.5 milk (whole)
pH 6 urine (te-he, just kidding it was white wine in the glass and we did not taste it)
pH 5.5 tea (English Breakfast)
pH 5 black coffee (Misty Valley, Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia)
pH 4.5 beer! (Dogfish Head 60 minute IPA)
pH 4 tomato juice
pH 3.5 orange juice
pH 2.9 vinegar
pH 2.4 lemon juice
pH 1 lead battery acid (just kidding again, it was actually sanitizing solution and we definitely did not taste it!)
pH 0 hydrochloric acid ( I melted a plastic cup a little then filled it with water for this one… )
It was really interesting and there was a surprising jump in “sourness” between the beer and the tomato juice.
We were also joined by our favorite 7-year-old Thor, who’s favorite on the table was the orange juice and made some seriously classic faces after the lemon juice. A good time was had by all.
What? We weren’t supposed to taste the sanitizing solution?
[...] tasting by Tamp This around the pH level. Many customers confuse the acid level in coffee and the term “palate [...]