The coil of the hop may be light and floral or with a definite sharp bite and pungent bouquet. Malt adds a sweet aroma, often compared to a walk past a bakery or a warm bowl of oatmeal. Darker malts give off a caramel or nutty aroma, while black grains often give off the smell of fresh roasted coffee. Some of the malts are taken a further step and are actually smoked over wood or peat to add a smoky note reminiscent of Scotch whisky. These trace compounds, when added in various degrees, add a spicy or fruity nose to the beer.
Taste is the composition of all the ingredients.
Most important is the water used, as its volume and weight can dictate the overall flavour profile of each individual ale. Various types of filtration can adjust the water in character and therefore alter the personality of the ale greatly. Hops influence a beer's flavour. Those added in the early brewing stages add bitterness to the ale, those added in the middle provide a hop flavour and those added in the late phases of brewing increase the beer's hoppy bouquet. Dozens of varieties of hops are grown worldwide with each adding their own unique character to an ale's taste and smell.