SENSORY MAPPING OF BEERS ON SALE IN THE ITALIAN MARKET

Abstract

ABSTRACT The sensory profiles of 72 beers commercially available in Italy were described and quantified using descriptive analysis procedures. Principal component analysis indicated that nearly 74% of the variance across samples can be described by the first six principal components. Raw materials and specifically grains impart flavors that are responsible for the main source of variations and discrimination among beers of the Italian market. Second direction of variation is summarized by the perceived overall structure of a given brand and its fruity ester flavors. Although sameness seems to be the key word for pale lagers of the market as emerges from the application of multivariate techniques, this study proved to be efficient in gaining an insight into the relationships between this class of beers and its flavor characteristics and revealed some subtle but clear differences among brands which took the lion's share of the market. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONSThe results of this study have practical implications for brewers, importers and distributors. Brewers who wish to introduce or re‐position a new or existing beer brand into the Italian market can benefit from these pieces of information to improve the knowledge of the sensory structure of the beer market to better plan their industrial strategies. Moskowitz stated that mapping technique can be used by researchers “to identify which products compete with each other, as well as to discover whether or not there exist in the category unfilled holes that have promise.” As competition intensifies, companies need to orientate more precisely and enhance more efficiently towards consumers' satisfaction and sensory properties of food and beverages are universally reported as determinants of product quality and acceptance.