Science Of Pineapple’s Flavours: Exploring The Fruit’s Sweet, Tart, Tropical Tastes
One of the tropical fruits used most commonly in mixology is the pineapple. This fruit is cut up into chunks and converted into purees, juices and garnishes, whereas its cores and skins are used to prepare tepache and infused broths. Pineapples are incorporated in different ways to prepare a number of tropical drinks because their sweet, acidic and tart components add this signature coastal touch to cocktail recipes.
Inevitably, it is the flavours of the pineapple coupled with its intricate texture that have made it a staple for bartenders mixing tropical drinks. Understanding the science behind these fruity, sweet and tart notes of the fruit provides an intriguing glimpse into how it interacts with other ingredients in a blend and how a mixology enthusiast can use such tasting notes to build imaginative and inventive cocktail and mocktail mixes.
Here is an exploration of the different tasting notes of this tropical fruit and how they build into the flavour profiles of cocktails prepared using pineapple juices, purees or infusions:
More Levels Of Sweetness
Pineapple contains organic sweet components which lend the fruit its signature sweetness. When pineapple juice or puree is added to cocktails and mocktails, these sweet flavours are released into the blends such that no added sugars are necessary to introduce this taste into them. Sweetness is one of the most prominent tasting notes in a ripe pineapple because of the presence of these compounds so much so that caramelised profiles of spirits like rum or bourbon pair well with this pronounced flavour inherent to the fruit.
Organic Tartness And Acidity
Another flavour compound in the pineapple is its acidity and tang. This comes from the citrusy element present in the fruit which gives a medium ripe pineapple a distinct sourness that introduces tangy flavours when added to blends. The fruit also contains an organic tartness, especially in its skin and core that is highlighted by its acidity and is often useful in building on the complex tropical flavour notes introduced through pineapple infusions or bitters.
Tropical Aromatic Compounds
One more important flavourful and fragrant compound in pineapples is their aroma. Pineapples are complete with a signature, fruity scent that comes from a mix of several elements which lend it light and even slightly floral flavours. These aromatic compounds when blended into cocktail recipes build on the tropical effect of the drinks to give them a tiki-like or island-themed feel. Tropical aromas also interact well with different spirits like tequila and mezcal to produce complex flavours and scents in cocktail blends.
Flavour Interactions
What enables the tasting notes of pineapples to come through is their interactions with other tropical fruits such as mangoes or coconuts. In classic pineapple-infused cocktails, the fruit is often blended with coconut water or coconut cream which make its sweet, acidic tastes more pronounced. This interaction with other complimentary flavours breaks down the components of the pineapple so they become more nuanced when they seep into cocktails.
Prickly Textural Finish
One of the ways in which pineapples make their presence known in cocktails is through their texture. Pineapple juice tends to have a slightly pulpy structure. Its acidic compounds, when added to drinks, leave a prickly finish that is characteristic of the fruit’s tart and tangy taste. The presence of such components in pineapples make them an interesting sour addition to cocktails, both for their potent tang and their prickly texture.
Drink Responsibly. This communication is for audiences above the age of 25.
