Attributes Of Beer Research Articles

Elaboration and characterization of Pitaya (hylocereus polyrhizus) witbier craft beer

ABSTRACT Beer is the most consumed alcoholic beverage in the world, containing numerous bioactive compounds. The market has innovated to provide better experiences for consumers, such as the development of craft beers with high levels of antioxidant compounds obtained by incorporating fruits. This study aimed to produce a craft beer of the Witbier type added with pitaya (Hylocereus polyrhizus) pulp in different concentrations, evaluating the effects of this addition on the physical-chemical characteristics, the content of phenolic compounds and the antioxidant activity of the drinks. The beers were analyzed for soluble solids, pH, total acidity, dry matter, mineral matter, foam, color, total phenolic compounds, flavonoid content and antioxidant activity using the FRAP, ABTS and DPPH methods. The soluble solids content decreased from 12°Bx to approximately 7.2°Bx, with higher pitaya concentrations (T2 and T3) showing slightly lower final values compared to control beers. The apparent attenuation and alcohol content were significantly higher in beers with 10% and 20% (v/v) pitaya pulp, reflecting more complete fermentation. Beers with higher pitaya concentrations also exhibited notable changes in color parameters, showing increased redness. Total phenolic content did not show statistical variation between treatments and the control, with values between 410 (T2) and 547 (T3) mg AGE L−1. Antioxidant activity, assessed via FRAP (79.7 mg AGE L−1 (T3)), DPPH (475 mg AGE L−1 (T3)), and ABTS (455 mg α-tocopherol L−1 (T3)) methods, and total flavonoids content (12.6 mg QE L−1 (T3)) increased with higher pitaya levels. Overall, pitaya pulp impacted several beer attributes, particularly affecting fermentation, color, and antioxidant properties.

Optimisation of quality features of new wheat beers fermented through sequential inoculation of non-Saccharomyces and Saccharomyces yeasts

The choice of the starchy ingredients as well as that of the yeasts strongly can represent a useful tool to differentiate the final beers. Our research investigated twelve white beers obtained applying a 2-factor mixed 3-level/4-level experimental design. The first factor was the cereal mixture, with 3 combinations of barley malt (65 %) and unmalted wheat (35 % of common, durum, or emmer). The second factor was the yeast used to carry out the fermentation trials, i.e.: a S. cerevisiae starter strain (WB06); an oenological S. cerevisiae strain (9502); two mixed starters made of an oenological Schizosaccharomyces pombe strain (6956) and, alternatively, one of the two S. cerevisiae strains. Most beer attributes were significantly (p < 0.05) influenced by the two considered factors with the following exceptions: the wheat species did not affect maltotriose, maltose, pH, total and volatile acidity, floral flavour, and sweetness; the yeast did not exert significant effects on foam colour, turbidity, overall olfactory intensity, yeast flavour, and body. The flavour of fruits and aromatic herbs were not influenced by the factors studied. Alcohol content was maximised using the unmalted durum wheat (∼7 %) and S. cerevisiae WB06 (∼6.8 %). The beer antioxidant content was increased by the use of emmer (566 mg/L) and by the application of the mixed inoculum (478–487 mg/L). The beers made with unmalted common wheat and fermented by the S. cerevisiae strains alone obtained the best overall sensory score (3.7). As shown by the Principal Component Analysis, the beers were better classified by the type of unmalted wheat than by the fermenting yeast. A multiple regression analysis was performed by fitting the analytical parameters that highlighted significant differences among the beers to a second-order polynomial model. Data concerning colour, glycerol concentration, FC-TPC, and antioxidant activity were satisfactorily predicted (R2 > 0.8) by the fitted models.

Effects on beer attribute preferences of consumers' attitudes towards sustainability: The case of craft beer and beer packaging

Beer consumers are becoming increasingly discerning about the products they buy, and the value they attach to sustainable brewing is growing. The aim of this research was to analyse how consumers' attitudes towards sustainability influence their preferences for out-of-home beer. Different beer attributes were consider including price, beer packaging, type of brewing (industrial, craft) and the alcohol content of beer. The research also sought to identify consumer segments that exhibit more positive attitudes towards more sustainable beer production. By using data from surveys of Spanish beer consumers, the results show that beer consumers that are more committed to sustainability are those that attach the least importance to price and are more interested in craft beers. The perception of craft beer as a more local or handcrafted is the proposed reason for this preference. In terms of beer packaging, this segment of more environmentally committed consumers value glass bottles over cans; however, they do not show a clear preference for keg beer, which would be a more sustainable form of consumption.

The Value of Craft Beer Styles: Evidence from the Italian Market.

This study aims to estimate the market value, or implicit prices, associated with the main craft beer attributes (e.g., beer style, organic, gluten-free, and package-related features) and support producers in detecting the more profitable marketing strategies. For this purpose, we conducted an empirical analysis employing sales data of craft beers from the Italian online market, and we estimated a hedonic price model via ordinary least squares. Results show that the type of package and cup only has moderate effects on price. Furthermore, a moderate premium price is found for gluten-free craft beers, while craft beers with organic labels and Italian origin do not benefit from the higher price. Instead, the beer style adopted strongly affected the product price: the highest premium prices were detected for Barleywine (+49.9%) and Italian Grape Ale (+39.6%) beer styles. Furthermore, relevant premium prices, higher than +25%, were estimated for other beer styles such as Sour, Fruit Beer, and Stout. Results suggest that artisanal breweries can effectively differentiate their product according to the beer style. To the best of our knowledge, the current study offers the first empirical evidence on how beer styles as well as other product characteristics affect the market price of craft beer by using secondary data.

The Role of Bioactive Phenolic Compounds on the Impact of Beer on Health.

This review reports recent knowledge on the role of ingredients (barley, hop and yeasts), including genetic factors, on the final yield of phenolic compounds in beer, and how these molecules generally affect resulting beer attributes, focusing mainly on new attempts at the enrichment of beer phenols, with fruits or cereals other than barley. An entire section is dedicated to health-related effects, analyzing the degree up to which studies, investigating phenols-related health effects of beer, have appropriately considered the contribution of alcohol (pure or spirits) intake. For such purpose, we searched Scopus.com for any kind of experimental model (in vitro, animal, human observational or intervention) using beer and considering phenols. Overall, data reported so far support the existence of the somehow additive or synergistic effects of phenols and ethanol present in beer. However, findings are inconclusive and thus deserve further animal and human studies.

Measuring consumers\u2019 preferences for craft beer attributes through Best-Worst Scaling

The current paper investigates consumers’ consumption behavior and preferences for craft beer. More specifically, it uncovers consumers’ consumption habits and perception about craft beer, as well as their preferences for 13 beer attributes drawn from the literature.The analysis was carried out in Italy by administering a structured questionnaire to 323 consumers. Best-Worst Scaling was used to detect consumers’ preferences towards the 13 craft beer attributes. The latter were then ranked on the basis of their best-worst scores to identify the level of importance Italian consumers assign to the different attributes.The study findings reveal that Italian craft beer consumers are young, well-educated, and employed. They drink craft beer more than once per month, mainly in pub and with friends and colleagues. Craft beer is perceived with higher quality and different flavors, while compared with a commercial beer, it results tastier, more genuine, and natural. As for the beer attributes, Italians prefer taste, fermentation process, and color, while store promotion, brand, and price rank as the least important.The study findings offer several implications for brewers and marketers involved in the beer sector. Based on the preferences detected, breweries should adapt their product offer to meet craft beer consumers’ expectations.

Innovation in craft beer packaging: Evaluation of consumer perception and acceptance

Craft beer is an authentic product characterised by unique sensory features that distinguish it from industrially produced beers. The typical consumer also closely associates craft beers with the concept of traditional products, also in terms of consumption habits and the manner in which they are packaged. In this research, 482 beer consumers were interviewed face-to-face using a paper questionnaire during the Oktoberfest (Piedmont-Northwest Italy), a traditional beer festival that draws thousands of craft beer fans. Two consumer samples were defined on the basis of individual statements regarding their preferred method of beer packaging: The “traditional” consumer, loyal to the conventional beer packaging material (glass bottle) and the “innovative” consumer more inclined to packaging innovation (the use of aluminium cans). The preference scores towards beer attributes of the two identified samples were assessed using a 5-points Likert scale. In addition, the individual socio-demographic characteristics, together with craft beer consumption habits were recorded during the data collection phase. Significant differences between the two consumer samples were found using a non-parametric test; the Mann-Whitney Wilcoxon. In particular, traditional and innovative consumer groups expressed different preference levels towards beer clarity, colour, bitterness and body. For both samples, taste intensity resulted as the top attribute for beer evaluation, highlighting that, even when canned, the consumer is able to evaluate and appreciate the aromatic and quality characteristics of the product. Therefore, although glass remains the preferred packaging material for craft beer consumers, given the increasing acceptance of canned packaging by the traditional consumer, brewers could conceivably focus on canned product lines in order to exploit the inherent logistical and marketing advantages (i.e. graphical communications).

Computer Vision Method in Beer Quality Evaluation—A Review

Beers are differentiated mainly according to their visual appearance and their fermentation process. The main quality characteristics of beer are appearance, aroma, flavor, and mouthfeel. Important visual attributes of beer are foam appearance (volume and persistence), as well as the color and clarity. To replace manual inspection, automatic, objective, rapid and repeatable external quality inspection systems, such as computer vision, are becoming very important and necessary. Computer vision is a non-contact optical technique, suitable for the non-destructive evaluation of the food product quality. Currently, the main application of computer vision occurs in automated inspection and measurement, allowing manufacturers to keep control of product quality. This paper presents an overview of the applications and the latest achievements of the computer vision methods in determining the external quality attributes of beer.

Consumer preferences for beer attributes in Germany: A conjoint and latent class approach

Despite high marketing expenses by large breweries, the traditional German beer market has been declining for many years. The development may be related to reasons such as demographic change or increased health awareness. In a changing market, it is especially important to gain a precise knowledge of these variables. The aim of this study is to identify the attributes of beer that are crucial to the purchasing process and to segment the German market for beer. For this purpose, a conjoint analysis was carried out with a subsequent latent class analysis. As a result of the latent class analysis, three consumer segments were identified. In addition to achieving results from the conjoint analysis, the segments were characterized by sociodemographic status, beer-related questions, and results from a food-related lifestyle approach.The study sample was representative in terms of gender and age for the market of German beer drinkers (N = 484). The attributes of beer type, price, and origin were of importance for the selection of beer across all segments. Differences between the segments represented, in particular, the preferred type of beer as well as preferences for organic, calorie-reduced, and imported beer. The latter three characteristic specifications were relevant in only one of the three segments. This study provides evidence for a slowly changing German beer market.

Influence of malt source on beer chemistry, flavor, and flavor stability

Beverage quality in the brewing industry is heavily influenced by ingredient properties. The contribution of raw ingredients such as yeast and hops to beer flavor is well understood. However, the influence of barley genotype and/or environment on flavor (the malt 'source') is largely unexplored. Here, a study was performed to determine (i) if there are metabolite differences among six commercial malt sources, (ii) if differences in malt chemistry are reflected in the chemistry of the beer, and (iii) if the differences in the beer chemistry impact sensory attributes of beer, through flavor and flavor stability. Six distinct sources of malts (six varieties from three maltsters) were brewed into six beers using a recipe designed to evaluate differences in flavor. Metabolomics and ionomics was used to characterize chemical variation among the six malts and beers using UHPLC- and HILIC-MS (non-volatile metabolites), HS-SPME/GC–MS (beer volatiles), and ICP-MS (malt metals). These analyses detected a total of 5042 compounds in malt, of which 217 were annotated and included amines, amino acids, fatty acids/lipids/fatty acyls, saccharides/glucosides/sugar acids/sugar alcohols, carboxylic acid derivatives, organic acids, phenolics/benzenoids, purines, pyrimidines/pyridines, terpenes, and organosulfurs. A total of 4568 compounds were detected in beer, of which 246 were annotated and included esters, aldehydes, and alcohols. Statistical analysis revealed chemical variation among the six malts (50/217 malt metabolites varied) and beers (150/246). The six beers were evaluated for flavor using a modified descriptive analysis for 45 sensory traits at 0, 4, and 8 weeks of storage at 4 °C. Principal component analysis of the sensory data revealed flavor differences among the six beers at 8 weeks, and the malt-type Full Pint was described as fruity and Meredith as corn chip. The metabolite and sensory data were integrated and revealed associations between flavor profiles in beer and the annotated malt and beer. The fruity or corn chip flavor profiles in beer were associated beer purines/pyrimidines, volatile ketones, amines, and phenolics, and malt lipids, saccharides, phenols, amines, and alkaloids. Taken together, these data support a role of malt source in beer flavor and flavor stability. As a raw ingredient, malting barley genotypes can be evaluated for a contribution to flavor, and this may be a future target for plant breeding, agronomy, and malting efforts to selectively improve flavor, flavor stability, and quality in beer.

Using Choice-Based Conjoint Analysis in the China Market of Imported Beer

Purpose - With the rapid economic development, great changes have happened in the Chinese beer market. The scale of imported beer is increasing. However, the sales of native Chinese beer decrease in recent years. It is because more Chinese customers prefer beer with unique attributes than those with lower prices. In order to take an advantage in this market, practitioners should develop new products to satisfy Chinese customers. Scholars have also focused on beer characteristics to estimate consumers' behavior for improving the development of beer industry. However, most studies are theoretically centered on marketing strategy management or general understanding of the market. It is not enough for us to explain customers' consumption patterns. Some empirical research did attempt to find out beer attributes that may influence their choice behavior. However, they failed to verify what can increase customers' utility through a new product. More importantly, few evidences can be found in the literature. Therefore this study explores the major characteristics of imported beer which may associate with customers' preferences. Research design, data, and methodology - With the results of literature review and focus group interview, we found out four main imported beer attributes and the levels of each factor. A pre-test is constructed to check the problems in the questionnaire protocol. With the results of pre-test, the revised questionnaire is processed among customers who have purchased and had imported beer in China regions such as Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Guangdong and so on. The choice-based conjoint analysis is applied to analyze the useful data of 205. Results - Results indicate that choice-based conjoint analysis is the effective method to estimate customers' choice behavior. Results also indicate that country of origin, price, taste, and package affect customers' preference and the importances of imported beer attributes are significantly different. Conclusions - Country of origin, price, taste, and package are important for customers to make an imported beer choice decision. Marketers should consider these determinants and their importance to develop new products. Moreover, choice-based conjoint analysis should be the useful method for practitioners to develop a new product of imported beer for sustainable business in the competitive industry.

The role of packaging format, alcohol level and brand in consumer’s choice of beer: A best-worst scaling multi-profile approach

Although beer is widely consumed around the world and has the largest market share among alcoholic beverages, there is a paucity of studies on consumers’ preferences for beer compared to wine. In this study, consumers were asked to select the best and worst favorable beer from choice sets of a labeled choice experiment, in which choice options were labeled by brand names. Data collected from face-to-face interviews with Vietnamese beer-drinkers were used to estimate latent-class ranking logit models with alternative specific-effects, i.e. consumers’ preferences for beer attributes are allowed to vary between beer brands and across four segments. In general, consumers prefer international brands to local ones, possibly due to sales promotion effects, experience, brand image or reflecting the mental representation. Consumers’ favors for packaging format (canned vs. bottled beer) are subject to brands and are heterogeneous across segments. Surprisingly, alcohol percent has the least significant effects on the choice. The paper also discusses the implication of the findings for policy making and business strategy development.

Comparative study on quality attributes of gluten-free beer from malted and unmalted teff [Eragrostis tef (zucc.) trotter

In this study, brewing with 100% raw teff using the Ondea®Pro exogenous enzyme formulation (α-amylase, β-glucanase, xylanase, proteinase, pullulanase, lipase) was compared to brewing with 100% teff malt. The standard quality attributes of beers and worts were assessed according to European Brewery Convention (EBC) and Mitteleuropäische Brautechnische Analysenkommision (MEBAK) methods. Sugar and amino acid profile, volatile compounds, as well as the sensory evaluation were also assessed. It was shown that by brewing with either 100% teff added with Ondea®Pro and 100% teff malt it was possible to obtain a good fermentation progress and a satisfactory quality of the beer. The production of beer brewed with 100% raw teff lead to a final product whose sensory quality was described as fruity, sweet, with little body. Different organoleptic qualities were assessed in teff malt beer which was predominantly malty with notes of nuts, biscuits and vanilla.

Fast Determination of Iso-α-Acids in Untreated Beer Samples with Specific Separation into cis- and trans-Isomers

Bitterness of beer is commonly expressed as a value of bitterness units. The value reflects a numerical sum parameter derived by an unspecific, empirical, and spectrophotometric method. Unfortunately, non-bitter components are also detected and adulterate the bitterness result. As percentages of non-bitter substances differ in individual beers, a sole measurement of the pure concentration of iso-α-Acids would offer precise and comparable information about the genuine bitterness. Recent investigations have shown that each individual iso-α-acid variant proposes different contributions to beer taste and foam stability. Furthermore, trans-isomers were found to be significantly less stable than cis-isomers. As the degradation of iso-α-acid sensitively influences the durability of important beer attributes, avoiding the usage of less stable iso-α-acid and trans-isomer variants during beer brewing is beneficial. HPLC represents the only analytical method that is used for specific determination and quantitation of iso-α-acids in beer. Most of the commonly used HPLC applications provide a separation of all major iso-α-acids, but not into their cis- and trans-isomers. The application shown here is an automated online SPE-UHPLC method that provides the specific determination and quantitation of all cis- and trans-isomer variants of iso-α-acids that are present in beer.

Instrumental measurement of beer taste attributes using an electronic tongue

The present study deals with the evaluation of the electronic tongue multisensor system as an analytical tool for the rapid assessment of taste and flavour of beer. Fifty samples of Belgian and Dutch beers of different types (lager beers, ales, wheat beers, etc.), which were characterized with respect to the sensory properties, were measured using the electronic tongue (ET) based on potentiometric chemical sensors developed in Laboratory of Chemical Sensors of St. Petersburg University. The analysis of the sensory data and the calculation of the compromise average scores was made using STATIS. The beer samples were discriminated using both sensory panel and ET data based on PCA, and both data sets were compared using Canonical Correlation Analysis. The ET data were related to the sensory beer attributes using Partial Least Square regression for each attribute separately. Validation was done based on a test set comprising one-third of all samples. The ET was capable of predicting with good precision 20 sensory attributes of beer including such as bitter, sweet, sour, fruity, caramel, artificial, burnt, intensity and body.

The Tensiograph - A Novel Instrument for the Fingerprinting and Analysis of Multiple Physical Attributes of Beer

A brief description of the tensiograph multianalyser (formerly known as the fibre drop analyser) is given. The complex multi-measurand nature of the signal, known as the tensiotrace, is explained and a brief outline given of the methods for obtaining the most important measurands from these signals for the analysis of beer. An extensive background study has been made of the basic components of beverages using the multianalyser, which investigated the basic capabilities of the instrument for the analysis of sugars, alcohols and proteins. The most important results are summarised briefly because these define a background instrumental capability for the more complex problem of the analysis of beer. A range of commercially available alcoholic beverages has been studied with the multianalyser using matching analysis. This analysis is given in terms of match values (M-values) of the drop period, peak heights and times, point matches and area matches obtained from the comparison of experimental tensiotraces. In a study of seventeen commercial beverages it has been demonstrated that an LED multianalyser is able to fingerprint beers. Quantitative information on the physical and chemical properties of these products was also obtained. In this study it was found that two of the beers were so close in every respect of their physical properties that the LED multianalyser had difficulty in distinguishing one from the other. Results on two sets of blind tests of samples are described. The first on a set of alcohol spiked samples obtained from an industrial source and organised by Brewing Research International, Surrey was successful in obtaining measurements of the physical properties of these samples. The second blind test addressed the more difficult problem of fingerprinting various types and batches of the same product with the multianalyser. The results of these tests are presented and the difficulties experienced in conducting these measurements are explained. Finally, in the light of the work on fingerprinting, demonstration of the real capability of the multianalyser was attempted with a study of various mixtures of two beers. Difference value (D-value) analysis is used to determine the level of admixture of the two stout products employing a calibration procedure. The potential of the multianalyser technique in the area of beer analysis is reviewed.

Quality ratings by experts, and relation with descriptive analysis ratings: a case study with beer

The sensory properties (up to 36 attributes) and quality of 71 commercial beers in six categories (domestic/ice, imported, light, near beers, specialty lagers and specialty ales) were evaluated in quintuplicate by a panel of 17 brewing experts over 4 months, using a descriptive analysis method and quality ratings on a 0–15 category scale. A high-quality beer was defined jointly by the panel and the experimenters as free of defects, true to type and well balanced, with some degree of complexity. A highly-significant judge by beer interaction was found in the ANOVAs of the quality ratings for the six beer categories, indicative of differences among experts in the interpretation of the concept of quality. Interestingly, attributes indicative of defects (e.g. dimethyl sulfide, sulfury, skunky/lightstruck, oxidized/cardboard) were better (negative) predictors of quality than desirable beer attributes (e.g. fruity, boiled hop aroma, malty, bitterness). This suggests lack of defects is the most important component of beer sensory quality (for experts).