Umami potential of fermented beverages: Sake, wine, champagne, and beer

The free amino acid (FAA) contents of a special selection of fermented beverages have been measured by ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC). The selection, which includes 8 sakes, 9 white, rose ', and sparkling wines, 9 genuine champagnes, as well as 5 types of beer, was made to uncover the umami potential of different types of fermented beverages, in particular whether long yeast contact and ageing may influence the contents of free glutamate that is known to elicit umami sensation. The data show that in particular sakes as well as some beers, wines and champagnes with long yeast contact contain appreciable amounts of free glutamate. The results are discussed in the context of food pairing where umami synergy can be achieved by combining fermented beverages with long yeast contact with food rich in free nucleotides.