French cider characterization by sensory, technological and chemical evaluations

A set of 90 ciders among them 50 “brut” (near dry), 30 “demi-sec” (half dry) and 10 “doux” (sweet) were collected and analysed to get a data base of about 180 variables including processing conditions, sensory descriptors and physicochemical variables. This data set was treated by a multiple factor analysis (MFA) using the sensory and analytical data as active variables whereas the “processing conditions” data were introduced as illustrative variables. Two MFAs was carried out separating the less sweet (“bruts”) from the sweeter (“demi secs” and “doux”) ciders. For both sets, the MFAs showed a strong polarization of the ciders characteristics: fruity/flowery flavours are associated with cooked flavours and opposed to the descriptors “animal” (animal), “sous-bois” (underwood), “fond de cuve” (vat dregs) themselves associated with bitterness and astringency and also “pomme/cidre” (cider/apple) flavours. The industrial ciders located on axis 1 near the fruity and cooked odours whereas the ciders of small scale producers were close to the second group of flavours and tastes.