The official International Butter Club method and criteria for consistent butter appreciation and evaluation.
Butter is delicious and nutritious. It deserves to be honoured and appreciated as its own food group. We welcome all butters as long as they meet the criteria for butter.
Definitions
Butter: a definition
For the purposes of the International Butter Club, 'butter' shall be defined as follows:
Predominately composed of of dairy, nut, seed, maple or cookie.
Dairy butter is classified as 'Butter.'
Nut, seed, maple or cookie butter are defined as 'Other Butter.'
Pasturised, unpasturised, cultured or rendered.
(This includes clarified butter, whey butter and ghee. 'Spreadable' is tolerated but has to sit at the Kids' Table.)
Butter may be processed but must still meet the commercial requirements for the definition of 'butter' in the country of origin.
Butter may be salted or unsalted.
Delicious.
Fat: a definition
For the purposes of the International Butter Club, 'fat' shall be defined as follows:
Saturated cooking fat.
May be of animal or plant origin.
Delicious.
Appreciation Method & Evaluation Criteria
Transparency is key for scores and ghee.
Appreciation Method
Butter must be at room temperature (24º Celsius).
Butter to be sampled on a neutral medium, preferably Carrefour baguette tradition demi-cuite or similar.
Wherever possible, unsalted butter(s) will be appreciated before salted.
Butter must not be appreciated for evaluation purposes when the appreciator is either starving or stuffed.
The appreciator will park all personal biases. Butter is butter and we are not worthy.
Disclosure: I personally prefer salted butter. Come at me.
Butter Information
The appreciator will endeavour to supply the following information to allow for full appreciation of each evaluated butter:
Appreciation date (dd/mm/yyyy)
Country of origin
Point of procurement
Purchase state (fresh/frozen/restaurant/etc.)
Price (if possible)
Type (milk type, pasteurisation)
Salt content
Ingredients
Online presence (where available)
Additional Information (as relevant)
Concise commentary
Appreciation Criteria
Notes will be provided on the tasting, notably:
Colour
Aroma
Taste
Texture
Versatility
In the event of the contribution from a child appreciator, the adult score will be weighted at 80% and the child score will be weighted at 20% of the final score. If said child(ren) appreciator(s) are in a snit or otherwise unavailable, the adult evaluation will comprise 100% of the final appreciation score.
Final Appreciation Score
Child score: Out of/5 (20%)
Adult score: Out of/5 (80%)
Otherwise:
Adult Butter Enthusiast Score: Out/10 (100%)
Ultimate Appreciation Score: Out of/10