Report Copyright Infringement View in OSM UK

Description

A fun activity to test the YPs tasting abilities.

Resources

1 x Large bowl of fresh water (for rinsing cups).
2 x cups per person
1 x print out of cola taste test sheet per person
6 x flavours of cola (or any other drink). You can have 4 or 8, but must be an even number of options.
- Each person will need about 50ml of each drink you get (so a 330ml of each drink can per 6 people)
6 x 2 litre Jugs - labelled 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Notebook for leader (to track the flavours & numbers)
Results card for YP
Pencil/Pen per YP
Chairs around tables for the YP to sit at (So they can put their cups down and write on their sheets)

__ Extra Notes/Ideas __
- Label half the mugs A and half of them B to make remembering which is which easier for some YP
- Make two of the numbers be the same cola.
- You could use large bottles instead of jugs (but it's harder to pour fizzy drinks without them fizzing up in the mug).
- Make one pair two versions of the same drink but with something changes. e.g. cold vs room temperature, or one fizzy and one shaken up and flat.
- Display a brand you're not actually using, to throw them off the scent.

__ Selection Ideas __
All Colas: Diet Coke, Regular Coke, Pepsi Max, Fentimens Cola, Karma Cola, , Supermarket-own-brand.)
Flavoured Colas: Lime, Raspberry, Vanilla, Regular etc.
You could swap Cola with other things - like "Guess the Starburst flavour"
Crisps
Flavoured humous

Instructions

__ Basic idea __
Each YP will taste two colas at a time and have to rate them on a few aspects and have a guess at which brand is which.

The goal is less for them to be good at identifying brands, and more to get them to think and discuss experiences which are hard to put into words. To share opinions/thoughts which are subjective with other YP is more important than being right or wrong.

You can swap Cola for something else (see Resources section)

__ Pre Prep (before anyone sees!) __
Label your jugs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Line up the empty cans/packaging on another table (in a clerly random order/stacked).
Fill each jug with a kind of cola. Make a note of which is which in your notebook.
If your jugs aren't big enough for all of it - work out how you'll refill it without giving away which is which (e.g. in another room)
Arrange the display table in a line: Stack of mugs, rinsing bowl, then jugs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.
Line the jugs up along the the table with the rinsing bowl at one side.

Set out enough tables with chairs around for all the YP to sit around. Put enough pens/pencils and score sheets on each table.

__ Leaders __
Depending on the size of your group/time available, ideally you'll want:
2 leaders pouring drinks
1 leader rinsing cups (to reduce splashing)
1 leader ready to take a jug to be re-filled if need be/other emergencies.
A leader on each table (or one or two going between them) to encourage conversations/thoughts (see basic intro)
Depending on your group size, you may want a leader managing them coming up/returning to their seats.

__ Introduction (5 minutes) __
Have everyone sit down at the tables.

Standing dramatically behind the front table and explain that today you're going to be testing the cubs tasting skills!

You'll be doing this by asking them to taste pairs of things and compare them and.

Have a dramatic example, mock wine-tasting talking "Hmmm good fizz, hints of vanilla and cirtus, a rounded flavour profile. Would go well with popcorn."

Ask everyone to write their name and the date on a score card. Ask them to leave their cards on the table - not to bring them up to the serving table.

__ The Testing (15 minutes) __
Announce the first pair. Cola 1 and Cola 2!

Bring up the first table to queue for the testing. Bring up the next table as soon as the line has died down a little.

Pour a small amount (a tiny! It's probably evening and these drinks have lots of sugar and/or caffiene!) of #1 into one cup and #2 into the other cup.

Have the YP repeat which number is which (perhaps say "Left hand 1, Right hand 2" to help them remember) as they take them away.

Send them back to the table to taste, discuss and sip. Once they're done they should write their answers, and await the next round.

Repeat this for each pair, but on subsequent pairs rince their cups out with water before filling up.

__ The Judging (5 minutes) __
Announce that the tasting time is over!
Have the leader who managing the queue collect up all the cups.

Ask a few of the YP how they found it, if they noticed anything interesting.

Go through each pair and ask a few YP to give their answers (e.g. Which was fizzer? Did anyone notice any special flavours, what brand did you think it was?). Not too many, to keep it interesting :)

Tell them brand of each one - ask them to give themselves a point if they got the brand correct.
Ask who got 1... who got 2...who got 3, 4, 5, 6 points (hands up/chear/etc)

__ Clean Up (5 minutes) __
Ask everyone to put their score sheet in their pocket.
Collect in the mugs, pens etc.
Put away the chairs and tables.

Perhaps run an active game next, to burn off some sugar :)

__ Tips __
- Check if you have any diebetics.
- Check for allergies/sensitivities (e.g. ADHD and food colourings).
- You could skip the cup rinsing - it'll dulute the next drink and being diluted by a bit of previous cola is probably less invasive.

Tags

• Cola
• experience
• sharing
• taste
• Taste Challenge

Badge Links

This activity doesn't complete any badge requirements