Beer Consumption Research Articles

Craft Beer Consumption: The Roles of Motivation and Personal Involvement

Although craft beer has been gaining attention in the alcoholic beverage industry, few studies have focused on the consumer dynamics of consumption behaviors. This study identifies the relationships among intrinsic/extrinsic motivational factors, personal involvement, and craft beer consumption. We propose and test a model in which intrinsic and extrinsic motivations are interacted to predict craft beer consumption and personal involvement with craft beer. This study identifies how intrinsic/extrinsic motivations affect consumer behavior and personal involvement, finding a moderating role for extrinsic motivation and a mediating role for intrinsic motivation in creating personal involvement. The findings of this study suggest that effective marketing strategies for craft beer should emphasize the distinctive aspects and personalized characteristics of craft beer to differentiate it from mass-produced beer. The results provide insight into how motivational factors and personal involvement affect craft beer consumers’ consumption behavior. Few studies have examined a holistic model of craft beer consumers and their consumption behavior from a psychometric perspective; therefore, the study contributes to the literature by expanding the understanding of consumer behaviors in the craft beer market by examining the roles of intrinsic/extrinsic motivation and personal involvement as predictors of consumption behavior.

Improving simulated consumption context with virtual Reality: A focus on participant experience

Context can have a significant impact on liking, emotional response and product choice, and Virtual Reality (VR) is a promising tool to evoke realistic consumption contexts in a controlled testing environment. This study compared an innovative approach – combining a 360° video and a 3D model with object tracking to an Evoked context using pictures and sound recordings to simulate a realistic consumption environment for beer (i.e. bar). This study explored consumer experience of the innovative VR design and measured their engagement with it compared to an Evoked scenario. Additionally, participants’ emotional response and liking between the two contexts and the effect of including a VR training session prior to data collection were also explored. In total, 27 beer consumers participated in this study. The novel VR method that was developed for this study consisted of 360° video footage recorded in a bar with sound, which was projected around a virtual table model with an integrated questionnaire, using a pen and beer bottles attached to tracking devices. The Evoked context consisted of a picture slideshow and sound recording to simulate the exact same bar context. An interview was conducted after the VR training session to explore consumer experience of the VR design. Participant engagement was then measured after participants completed both the VR and Evoked sessions respectively. The results showed that the VR session had clear advantages in terms of participant engagement compared to the Evoked session. Audio, the time spent in VR, and realistically simulated presence of other people were identified as key elements that improved realism and immersion of the VR context, whilst low image quality and technical problems had the opposite effect. The first exposure to VR was shown to have high novelty and further impact on the emotional response to beer, which highlighted the importance of having a training/dummy session to reduce VR novelty and associated effect.

COVID-19 Risk Appears to Vary Across Different Alcoholic Beverages.

Objectives: To evaluate the associations of status, amount, and frequency of alcohol consumption across different alcoholic beverages with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) risk and associated mortality.Methods: This study included 473,957 subjects, 16,559 of whom tested positive for COVID-19. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the associations of alcohol consumption with COVID-19 risk and associated mortality. The non-linearity association between the amount of alcohol consumption and COVID-19 risk was evaluated by a generalized additive model.Results: Subjects who consumed alcohol double above the guidelines had a higher risk of COVID-19 (1.12 [1.00, 1.25]). Consumption of red wine above or double above the guidelines played protective effects against the COVID-19. Consumption of beer and cider increased the COVID-19 risk, regardless of the frequency and amount of alcohol intake. Low-frequency of consumption of fortified wine (1–2 glasses/week) within guidelines had a protective effect against the COVID-19. High frequency of consumption of spirits (≥5 glasses/week) within guidelines increased the COVID-19 risk, whereas the high frequency of consumption of white wine and champagne above the guidelines decreased the COVID-19 risk. The generalized additive model showed an increased risk of COVID-19 with a greater number of alcohol consumption. Alcohol drinker status, frequency, amount, and subtypes of alcoholic beverages were not associated with COVID-19 associated mortality.Conclusions: The COVID-19 risk appears to vary across different alcoholic beverage subtypes, frequency, and amount. Red wine, white wine, and champagne have chances to reduce the risk of COVID-19. Consumption of beer and cider and spirits and heavy drinking are not recommended during the epidemics. Public health guidance should focus on reducing the risk of COVID-19 by advocating healthy lifestyle habits and preferential policies among consumers of beer and cider and spirits.

Le houblon ou les prix des céréales ? Expliquer la hausse de la consommation de bière en Brabant et en Flandre (1300-1500)

There is a consensus in international historiography that the arrival of hopped beer in Brabant and Flanders during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries was the major technical innovation in the brewing sector at the end of the Middle Ages. This hopped beer is assumed to have been responsible not only for the rapid increase in beer consumption and the simultaneous decline of wine consumption, but also for the growth of a beer export industry. The purpose of this article is to critique this traditional story of product innovation that attributes the success of beer in the late Middle Ages only to technical factors and cultural preferences, and instead to present an alternative hypothesis. Here, it is argued that the success of beer consumption in these regions was due to declining grain prices and to the decreasing production costs of the brewers.

Advances in dry hopping for industrial brewing: a review

highly hopped and dry hopped beer production and consumption has increased steadily for the last twenty years, following the rise of craft breweries in the United States of America and the trend they set over the world. This overuse of hops offers some environmental, technological, and economic challenges for the beer industry. Researchers have been studying several ways to make beer more ecofriendly by promoting reuse of spent hops and increasing extraction yields. Dry hopping is a size-dependent process, making it feasible for craft breweries with their small scale production, but quite a challenge for larger tanks and breweries. Based on the literature and industrial experience from brewers, the aim of this research was to analyze and discuss different dry hopping methodologies for the brewing industry and how the parameters affect the final product. In order to shed light on this trending topic and to better aid brewers in choosing the most suitable, efficient, and environmental-friendly dry hopping process for their brewery, this work approaches the main variables that promote aroma transfer from hops into beer and how to optimize it.

Abstract PO-161: A community-based liver cancer education initiative led to healthier dietary and alcohol use behaviors among racial/ethnic minority community members

Abstract Background: There is an increasing body of literature that suggests a relationship between modifiable dietary behaviors and alcohol use and liver cancer. We designed and implemented a culturally tailored community-based education program to promote liver cancer prevention. Methods: Through NCI funded U54 TUFCCC/HC Cancer Partnership Community Outreach Core program, using CBPR approach, we engaged community-based organizations and community stakeholders serving underserved African, Asian, and Hispanic American communities in the Philadelphia metropolitan area and New York City. The community-based education incorporated in-person and virtual hybrid education workshops to address COVID-19 pandemic barriers. We conducted pre-education surveys and follow-up assessments at 6 months post-education. Participants' dietary behaviors, alcohol use, and sociodemographic characteristics were examined at both time points. Results: 526 participants were recruited including 92 African Americans, 247 Asian Americans, and 187 Hispanic Americans, with an average age of 59. We found that at 6-month follow-up assessment, participants had average decreased intake of red meat (3.148/6 vs. 2.685/6, p < 0.001), and average increased intake of vegetables (4.484/6 vs. 5.044/6, p < 0.001) and fruits (4.327/6 vs. 4.877/6, p < 0.001), compared to their intake at pre-education assessment. Additionally, average change in beer (-0.252) and spirit (-0.905) consumption substantively decreased from pre-intervention to 6-month follow-up assessment. Conclusion: This community-based education showed significant effects in improving healthy dietary behaviors and reducing alcohol intake among community members through CBPR community engagement from the two metropolitan areas. Future efforts are needed to sustain the positive changes in modifiable lifestyle behaviors and liver cancer prevention in these medically underserved communities. Citation Format: Tiffany Li, Wenyue Lu, Lin Zhu, Ellen Kim, Kerry Traub, Steven Zhu, Nathaly Rubio-Torio, Evelyn Gonzalez, Marilyn A. Fraser, Ming-Chin Yeh, Grace X. Ma, Olorunseun O. Ogunwobi, Yin Tan. A community-based liver cancer education initiative led to healthier dietary and alcohol use behaviors among racial/ethnic minority community members [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Conference: 14th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2021 Oct 6-8. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2022;31(1 Suppl):Abstract nr PO-161.

Comparative study on the impact on mouse livers of different amounts of Chinese Baijiu, beer, and wine consumption

Due to chronic alcohol consumption, alcoholic liver disease (ALD) has become the second most common liver disease in the world. The study was to explore the effects of consuming different amounts of various alcoholic beverages on the liver of mice. Results showed wine contained far more polyphenols and organic acids than beer and Chinese Baijiu. When daily alcohol consumption was low (less than 100 mL/60 kg/day), the liver and serum indicators of mice treated with alcohol, beer, Chinese Baijiu, and wine were not significantly different from those in saline group. At 250 mL/60 kg/day, beer used significantly damaged the liver and caused adverse changes in serum components, while wine did not cause changes in serum, indicating that it may cause less damage due to the existence of a large number of polyphenols. When the daily consumption exceeded 500 mL/60 kg/day, all four alcoholic beverages significantly increased serum markers of hepatic injury and decreased serum total antioxidant capacity and liver antioxidant enzyme levels, resulting in liver fat accumulation and serious pathological damage. At this level, beer used caused the most damage and wine the least. This study explores the appropriate drinking amount of different alcoholic beverages and provides a scientific reference for alcohol consumption.

Principal Covariates Regression for Causal Case Studies

Researcher and analyst are often interested in estimating the effect of an intervention or treatment, which takes place at the aggregate level and affect one single unit, such as country and region. Thus, comparative case studies would be their first choice in practice. However, comparative case studies could fail to yield an estimate in the effect that is unbiased and consistent, as in some contexts; there are not suitable control units that are similar to the treated. The econometric literature has taken synthetic control methods and panel data approaches to this problem. In this study, we developed a principal covariate regression estimator, which exploits the cross‐sectional correlation, as well as the temporal dependency, to reproduce the dynamics of the treated in the absence of an event or policy. From a theoretical perspective, we introduce the statistical literature on dimensional reduction to make a causal inference. From a technique perspective, we combine the vertical regression and the horizontal regression. We constructed an annual panel of 38 states, to evaluate the effect of Proposition 99 on beer sales in California, using the principal covariate regression estimator proposed here. We find that California’s tobacco control program had a significant negative and robust effect on local beer consumption, suggesting that policymakers could reduce the use of cigarette and alcohol in the public using one common behavioral intervention.

Differentiated Excise Taxation in the Beer Market

This paper studies excise tax policy that applies different tax rates to differentiated products. We propose a general method, from the revealed preferences perspective, that allows the identification of the policy maker’s unobserved preferences when setting excise tax rates. We use it to evaluate excise beer tax policy in the Canadian province of Ontario, which differentially taxes local craft beer and large manufacturers’ beer. We identify the government’s preferences over the total surplus and net externalities associated with the production and consumption of different types of beer products. The results show that the government believes the positive externality associated with the production of local craft beer, outweighs the negative externality associated with its consumption, whereas it goes the other way around for large manufacturers’ beer. This means that the government’s subjective per-litre cost of reducing the equilibrium consumption through local craft beer is significantly higher than through the large manufacturers’ beer. The observed gap in excise taxes is aligned with the discrepancy in the percentage decreases in equilibrium quantities of two types of beer with respect to a dollar increase in own excise tax, respectively, given different beer market sizes. We also identify the increasing share of local craft beer consumption with respect to household income as a unique source of the regressiveness of the differentiated excise taxes. The regressiveness does not seem large in terms of the extra tax payment imposed on lower-income households even though the regressiveness of the effective tax rate itself is not insignificant.

Identificación de atributos extrínsecos e intrínsecos en relación con la producción de cerveza artesanal mexicana

The purpose of this paper is to identify concordances between producer and consumer perceptions on the importance of craft beer’s intrinsic and extrinsic attributes. Although beer is Mexico’s most popular alcoholic beverage and craft beer consumption has increased, craft beer producers still face challenges for growth. We therefore examine how extrinsic and intrinsic attributes influence consumers’ purchases and producer behavior. To analyze the producers’ perspective, data were collected from a focus group of craft beer brewers; the results were evaluated with Nvivo and Atlas.ti software; then, semantic scales were designed for craft beer consumers. Main findings showed that craft beer’s most relevant attributes, for master brewers and manufacturers, are style diversity, complexity, abundant hops and abundant malt, exotic ingredients, no additives, carbonated, non-industrial, independent, high-alcohol content, strong smell, and flavor, thirst-quenching, more expensive than industrial beer, artisan-made aesthetic, sold directly by the producer at a low volume. Craft beer brewers hold the central idea that this type of product ought not to be in any way associated with industrial beer. This artisanal mindset is not limited to craft beer elaboration and production but also encompasses administration and marketing. Craft beer brewers see themselves as a sort of elite, who manufacture beer for elite consumers. It seems that craft beer brewers choose to distance themselves from any idea or process, which is related to industrial processes or marketing concepts. The inclusion of these attributes would take them away from the realm of artisan-made products and include them in industrial-made ones. These results allow us to ascertain that the perceptions of brewers and manufacturers partially overlap with those of consumers. The main differences between consumers and producers lie in the greater importance consumers give to extrinsic attributes, which are of little relevance to master brewers, who believe intrinsic attributes and other specific traits lead to consumer satisfaction. This creates issues for craft beer brewers’ success.

The Effect of craft beer consumers' well-being lifestyle on purchase intention: consumer satisfaction mediatiing effect

본 연구는 수제맥주 소비자에 대한 라이프스타일이 구매의도에 미치는 영향과 라이프스타일과 구매의도와의 관계에서 소비자만족의 매개효과를 밝혀내기 위해 대구·경북에 거주 중인 수제맥주 소비자를 대상으로 실증분석을 시행하였다. 수제맥주전문점을 방문한 경험이 있는 대구·경북에 거주하는 소비자들을 대상으로 2021년 1월 1일부터 1월 30일까지 설문조사를 실시하였으며, 총 300부의 설문지를 배포하여 277부가 분석에 사용되었다. 분석결과 수제맥주 소비자에 대한 라이프스타일은 소비자만족과 구매의도에 유의한 정(+)의 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났으며, 소비자만족 또한 라이프스타일과 구매의도와의 관계에서 부분매개효과 나타내는 것으로 분석되었다. 따라서 수제맥주 소비자의 구매를 체계적으로 평가하고 효율적인 정책을 개발하기 위해서는 수제맥주 소비자들의 구매의도의 결정요인에 관한 연구가 절실히 요구되며 특히, 기존의 맥주전문점들의 시장상황에 중점을 두고 이루어진 정책적 관심과 연구는 수제맥주전문점의 실질적인 성과창출과 경영에 반영하는 방향으로 확대될 필요가 있다고 하겠다.

Changes in morphofunctional and genetic indicators of ejaculate in men with disorders of reproductive function depending on kind of alcohol drinks consumed

Purpose of the study. Due to the scanty information and the lack of precise data on etiology and pathogenesis of fertility in men consuming alcohol this research was aimed at studying the changes in morphofunctional and genetic parameters of ejaculate in men with impaired ejaculate fertility depending on the type and amount of alcohol consumed
 Materials and methods. The article contains the data of researching ejaculate fertile properties and features of spermatozoa DNA fragmentation in 110 men being divided into three groups depending on kind and amount of alcohol consumed.
 Results. According to the obtained data the degree of spermatogenesis disorder and tendency to increase level of spermatozoa DNA fragmentation depends on the kind, rate and an amount of alcohol consumed. Thus, the low level in consumption of alcoholic drinks was accompanied by variations of admissible values in spermogram. The most evident changes in ejaculate fertile properties were being observed at middle and high risk in consumption of beer and alcohol mixed, as teratozoospermia has been revealed as a result not only from the ethanol effect but from the impact of components free alcohol character. Revealed tendency of increasing spermatozoa DNA fragmentation level extends our view concerning disorders of ejaculate fertile properties that is obviously connected with alcohol consumption.
 Conclusions. Thus, alcohol consumption in great amounts, especially, consuming beer with mixed strong alcohol and also pattern of consuming alcohol as “great doses for short time” contribute to a considerable damage to ejaculate fertile properties.

Circular economy in the brewing chain

The main aim of this review was to check for the applicability of the concept of circular economy to brewing chain. By analyzing the beer brewing process, it was possible to identify the main brewery wastes formed and packaging materials used as well as their range of composition and yields. In order to reduce the contribution of packaging material to the carbon footprint of beer, it would be necessary to replace one-way containers used nowadays with lighter, reusable, or recycled ones. Even if the contribution of beer consumption phase was taken into account, there was no definitive solution about the less environmentally impacting beer packaging format. The direct management of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) packaging for liquid foodstuffs could make available 100% recycled PET flakes to be reconverted into food-grade bottles with minimum downcycling to other non-food usage. The countless potential uses of brewery wastes in nutritional and biotechnological fields were tested in laboratory by disregarding any cost–benefit or market analysis. This was mainly because the estimated market price of dried brewer’s spent grain (BSG) resulted to be about 450% higher than that of conventional lignocellulose residues. All the alternative uses hailed in the literature appeared to be more useful for publishing articles than for defining any economically feasible reusing procedure for all brewery wastes. Owing to their high moisture content, such wastes are so perishable as to prevent their safe usage in the human food chain. Currently, their use as-is in animal feeding is the disposal method not only economically feasible but also able to reduce the greenhouse gas load of beer packed in glass bottles (GB) by about one-third of that associated with packaging materials. Not by chance, it is practiced by most industrial and craft breweries.

The alcohol consumption of wine drinkers with the onset of Covid-19

The onset of Covid-19 has been the most evident global crisis of the current decade so far. This study explores the difference between professionals in the drinks industry and non-professional wine lovers and the impact on their consumption behaviour of wine and other alcoholic beverages in the early stages of the pandemic, particularly in the context of anxiety. A survey by questionnaire was administered worldwide from the end of March to the end of June 2020 to test four research hypotheses. Results are relevant for the alcoholic beverage industry and public policy. They highlight a higher incidence of unchanged alcohol consumption among non-professionals. They also reveal similarities and differences in changes in consumption behaviour and trends among the two cohorts. Anxiety has an impact on the wine consumption of professionals, and on beer consumption of non-professionals, where the gender and age of respondents are also relevant. The findings of a short qualitative data-collection process enrich our understanding of the results.

Alcohol consumption and risk of inflammatory bowel disease among three prospective US cohorts.

There are limited data on alcohol dose and types and risk of Crohn's Disease (CD) and Ulcerative Colitis (UC). We therefore sought to comprehensively examine the association between alcohol consumption and risk of CD and UC. We conducted a prospective cohort study of 237,835 participants from the Nurses' Health Study, Nurses' Health Study II, and Health Professional Follow-Up Study. Alcohol consumption was obtained through questionnaires submitted every four years; additional covariates were obtained at two or four-year intervals. Cases were confirmed independently by two physicians through medical record review. We used Cox proportional hazards regression to estimate age and multivariable-adjusted hazards ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Across 5,170,474 person-years of follow-up, 370 cases of CD and 486 cases of UC were documented. Increased consumption of alcohol intake was not associated with CD (Ptrend=0.455) or UC (Ptrend=0.745). Compared to non-users, the MV-adjusted HRs for 15.0+g/day of alcohol intake group were 0.84 (95% CI 0.56, 1.24) for CD and 1.08 (95% CI 0.77, 1.51) for UC. In analyses of alcohol subtypes, we observed that only moderate consumption of beer (>1-4 servings/week) was marginally associated with reduced risk of CD, while consumption of >4 servings/week of liquor was associated with an increased risk of UC. This prospective study did not identify a relationship between overall alcohol consumption and risk of CD or UC. Our suggestive associations between alcohol types and risk of CD and UC deserve additional investigation.

Associations between alcohol and liver enzymes are modified by coffee, cigarettes, and overweight in a Swedish female population

Purpose To examine whether positive associations between alcohol and liver enzymes were modified by coffee consumption, smoking, or weight status in a female population. Methods Regular consumption of beer, wine, and spirits was assessed in a representative cohort of 1462 Swedish women aged 38–60 in 1968, and re-assessed in 1974. In 1980, gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) and aspartase transaminase (AST) were measured in 1130 women. Exposures were averaged over values obtained in 1968 and 1974. Multivariable linear regression linked total ethanol intake to log-transformed enzyme values, including interactions by coffee, smoking, and overweight in mutually adjusted models. Results Coffee consumption significantly modified the association between ethanol intake and liver enzymes. One g/day higher ethanol intake was associated with 5.5 (3.5, 7.5)% higher values of GGT, and 1.2 (0.4, 2.1)% higher values of AST in women consuming 0–1 cups of coffee per day, while smaller or no effects were observed in women consuming ≥2 cups/day. Synergistic interactions were observed for ethanol and smoking, and for ethanol and overweight. Average alcohol-related effects on GGT in smokers and non-smokers were given by 3.8 (2.7, 4.9)% and 2.1 (0.9, 3.2)% per g ethanol/day, and by 0.9 (0.4, 1.4)% and 0.2 (−0.3, 0.7)% for AST. Similarly, in overweight women, 1 g/day higher ethanol intake was associated with 4.3 (3.0, 5.6)% higher GGT compared to 1.6 (0.7, 2.5)% in non-overweight women. Conclusions The results suggest that coffee consumption reduces the enzyme-raising effect of ethanol in the presence of synergistic interactions with smoking and overweight, specifically in women.

Risk of incident atrial fibrillation with low-to-moderate alcohol consumption is associated with gender, region, alcohol category: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The association between low-to-moderate alcohol consumption and atrial fibrillation (AF) has yet to be fully elucidated. The main purpose of this meta-analysis was to estimate the risk of incident AF related to low-to-moderate alcohol consumption. A meta-analysis was performed on 13 publications discussing the estimated risk for AF with habitual low-to-moderate alcohol intake in 10 266 315 participants. Graphical augmentations to the funnel plots were used to illustrate the potential impact of additional evidence on the current meta-analysis. Thirteen eligible studies were included in this meta-analysis. We found that moderate alcohol consumption was associated with an increased risk of incident AF in males [hazard ratio (HR) 1.09, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.07-1.11, P < 0.00001], Europeans (HR 1.32, 95% CI: 1.23-1.42, P < 0.00001), and Asians (HR 1.09, 95% CI: 1.07-1.11, P < 0.00001). Moderate beer consumption was associated with an increased risk of developing AF (HR 1.11, 95% CI: 1.02-1.21, P = 0.01). Low alcohol consumption conferred an increased risk of AF in males (HR 1.14, 95% CI: 1.01-1.28, P = 0.04) and Europeans (HR 1.12, 95% CI: 1.07-1.17, P < 0.00001). This analysis represents the increased risk of incident AF in males, Europeans, and Asians at moderate alcohol consumption levels and in males and Europeans at low alcohol consumption levels. Those who drink any preferred alcohol beverage at moderate levels should be cautious for incident AF. More studies are warranted to find those factors that influence alcohol's effect on predisposing AF.

Craving mediates the association between attentional bias to alcohol and in vivo alcoholic beverage consumption in young social drinkers.

Franken's attentional bias hypothesis proposes that attentional bias to alcohol (ABA) activates craving, which motivates alcohol consumption behavior. While this hypothesis was put forward to account for alcohol dependence, the present study tested whether Franken's model may potentially contribute to explaining variation in beer consumption among young social drinkers.ABA was measured by presenting participants with dual videos, one showing alcoholic beverages and the other non-alcoholic beverages, and assessing relative attention to each using a visual probe procedure. Self-reported alcohol craving was assessed four times over the session. In vivo alcoholic beverage consumption was assessed by the remaining weight of alcohol bottle following consumption, measured at conclusion of the experiment.The study revealed that ABA positively predicted alcohol craving (p < .01) and in vivo beer consumption (p < .01). The relationship between ABA and beer consumption was fully mediated by craving (β = .63, 95% CI [.04, 1.29]).To our knowledge, this is the first study to show that the relationship between ABA and in vivo alcoholic beverage consumption is fully mediated by alcohol craving. Future research can extend understanding of the causal relationship between ABA, craving, and consumption, by determining whether direct modification of ABA influences alcohol consumption by altering craving. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Moderate Beer Intake Downregulates Inflammasome Pathway Gene Expression in Human Macrophages.

Simple SummaryModerate consumption of fermented beverages is associated with prevention against diseases involving inflammation and immunity. Conversely, for high drinking levels, an increase of inflammatory mediators and the susceptibility to infections occur, which tend to offset the benefits in terms of health. Unfortunately, this area remains poorly understood. Inflammation is now recognized as an overwhelming burden for public health. Thus, subcellular molecular complexes such as the “inflammasomes” have been identified as key players in cellular stress and tissue damage, and as regulators of immune and inflammatory responses. Here, we investigated the impact of moderate intake of alcohol-free and traditional beer in humans on the inflammasome pathway of activated pro-inflammatory human macrophages. The results of this study showed that macrophages submitted to a pro-inflammatory stimulus to activate the inflammosome had a mitigated inflammatory response in the presence of blood serum obtained from healthy volunteers after consuming alcohol-free or traditional beer for four weeks (women one can and men two cans per day) compared to the response found in the presence of blood serum obtained before beer intake. This was shown by a decrease in end components of the inflammasome cascade (IL-1β and TNF) at gene expression and protein level as found with alcohol-free and traditional beer, respectively.Inflammasomes are key components of the innate immunity system that trigger the inflammatory response. Inappropriate activity of the inflammasome system has been linked to onset and perpetuation of inflammation in atherosclerotic plaques and cardiovascular disease. Low-to-moderate beer consumption is inversely associated with cardiovascular event presentation, while high levels of alcohol intake are associated with increased cardiovascular risk. Although fermented beverages have been suggested to exert their beneficial effects through their anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, little is known regarding the capacity of beer to modulate innate immunity cell responses. To this aim, primed or activated THP-1 macrophages were conditioned with human serum obtained from a prospective two-arms longitudinal crossover study to investigate the effect of a moderate and regular daily intake of beer, either alcohol-free or traditional, in the regulation of TLR-mediated inflammatory responses in healthy but overweight individuals. Conditioned macrophages with serum obtained after four-week intervention with alcohol-free beer significantly reduced the transcription of pro-inflammatory interleukins such as IL-1β and TNF. The serum of traditional beer consumers did not exhibit the same capacity as the serum of alcohol-free beer consumers to reduce gene expression of pro-inflammatory interleukins; however, serum from traditional beer consumers showed a regulatory effect at the protein level by significantly decreasing the intracellular protein levels of pro-IL-1β in primed macrophages and preventing cleaved-IL-1β protein release.

Business Cycles and Alcohol Consumption: Evidence from a Nonlinear Panel ARDL Approach

AbstractThis study revisits the relationship between economic variables and alcohol consumption from a macro perspective. Focusing explicitly on the asymmetries of the responsiveness of alcohol consumption during the expansion and contraction phases of the business cycle, asymmetric panel estimators are employed. We employ a nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag model for a panel of 24 countries for the period 1961 to 2014. Findings show that expansion leads to a long-term increase in average alcohol consumption, while during contraction, the level of average alcohol consumption persists. Expansion, together with a pronounced reduction in the unemployment rate could, however, lead to a net reduction of gross alcohol and wine consumption. Nonetheless, if the recession corresponds with a surge in unemployment, this leads to a long-run increase in the level of total gross alcohol consumption but a decrease in wine and beer consumption. Reduction in unemployment does not lead to a reduction in beer consumption, as pre-expansion levels of beer consumption persist. (JEL Classifications: E32, I19, L66)