The Origin
Developed in the 1970s by Dr. Morten Meilgaard and the European Brewery Convention (EBC), this is the "grandfather" of all modern flavor wheels. It set the standard for sensory science.
The Architecture
It was built as a rigorous technical tool for brewers. It moves from general impressions (like "Aromatic") to highly specific chemical compounds (like "Diacetyl" or "DMS") to pinpoint production quality.
The Flavor Landscape
The 14 classes cover the full brewing spectrum, identifying desirable notes like Malty and Hoppy, as well as critical off-flavors like Sulphury, Stale, or Rancid.