Perception Of Beer Research Articles

Effect of Recipient’s Tactile Properties and Expectations on Beer Perception

Our perception of food is influenced by various factors, including its sensory properties, the environment in which it is consumed, and the tools we use to consume it (cutlery, glasses, etc.). The purpose of this study was to examine how the texture of the glass used to drink beer affects the perception and emotions generated by the experience. Two tasting sessions were conducted, where participants were served two types of beer (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) in four glasses with different textures. The participants rated liking, the perceived differences in several sensory attributes using a Just-About-Right scale, and the emotions elicited by the drinking experience using a Check-All-That-Apply question. The results indicated that the texture of the container did not affect the participants’ perception of the alcoholic beer. However, for the non-alcoholic beer, participants liked the sample served in the glass with a plain surface over the ceramic glass. Participants’ awareness of drinking a non-alcoholic beer did not affect any of the studied attributes. The results of this study suggested that different textured glasses could be used to differentiate brands, restaurants, etc., from competitors and create a unique identity without significantly affecting the perception of beer properties.

Impact of Flavor Factorized by Alcohol Level and Flavor Type on ‘Beer Refreshing Perception’ in a Model Study and the Exploration of Sensory Drivers for ‘Refreshing’

One key reason consumers enjoy beer is for its perceived refreshing characteristics; however, understanding the refreshing perception of beer is very limited. This study aimed to 1) investigate the impact of flavor traits factorized with alcohol levels (0%, 2.5%, 5.0%, 7.5% abv) and flavor types (citrus, cucumber, lime) on the liking and intensity of refreshing perception and other sensory attributes, and 2) explore the sensory drivers for refreshing perception of the flavored beers. The consumer test was divided into three sessions, with beer users n = 114, 105, and 103, respectively. The results showed 1) the refreshing liking and intensity were above the middle point of the scale for the flavored beers with ≤ 5.0% abv. Alcohol level showed a negative impact on refreshing liking and intensity. 2) Refreshing liking was positively correlated to the liking of six flavor attributes. The alcohol level was a determining factor influencing the hedonic ratings. 3) Both alcohol level and flavor type significantly increased the intensity of five sensory attributes. All six attribute intensities had significant penalization on refreshing liking and intensity. 4) CATA (check-all-that-apply) with ten descriptors further characterized the sensory profile of flavored beers, with their corresponding tested flavors being the most important, followed by clean and crisp flavors. 5) Refreshing intensity was positively driven by carbonation, clean, crisp flavors, and negatively driven by the flavor intensities in general, as well as sourness, astringency, and bitterness. This study demonstrated flavor drivers for beer refreshing perception, creating opportunities for new beer product development.

Consumer Preferences for Craft Beer by Means of Artificial Intelligence: Are Italian Producers Doing Well?

To identify the key drivers of consumption, we analyzed consumer preferences and estimated the willingness to pay for craft beer compared with industrial products in Italy. For this purpose, we conducted an ad hoc survey of 469 craft beer drinkers and set up an econometric strategy using a machine learning estimation technique. The main results show that young consumers, the ability to perceive and evaluate quality, and the frequency of consumption are the main profile elements that, more than others, orient preferences. In the meantime, sustaining local beer producers, sharing good time with friends, and the perception of beer as healthier compared with other drinks are also important. The most preferable product attributes are can packaging and the search for unique taste.

Drinking Behavior, Taste Preferences and Special Beer Perception among Romanian University Students: A Qualitative Assessment Research.

The transition from adolescence to adulthood can be a challenging period for many students. This period is associated with an increase in alcohol consumption (AC) which can develop a drinking behavior or shape the preferences for certain alcoholic beverages. The purpose of this study was to analyze the AC pattern among Romanian university students, by investigating the association between taste and consumption, including preferences for special beer. A 30-item omnibus-type questionnaire was distributed to undergraduate students and used to gather sociodemographic data, alcohol expectancies, drinking motives and consequences, and special beer consumption. Results showed a statistically significant relationship between the age of first alcohol use and the existence of an alcoholic family member. The main reasons for AC are taste, sensation, relaxation, and socialization. Both female and male students tend to drink occasionally, with a preference for public places. Female students prefer a sweet taste, choosing special beers over the regular ones. The students’ residence may also influence the choice of special beers. Understanding the students’ drinking behavior and taste preferences is essential to create useful strategies to discourage excessive AC. Special beer, a growing segment in the beverage industry, could represent a healthier and safety alternative to AC.

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEER IN RUSSIAN CULTURE AND ITS MEANINGS IN RUSSIAN PROVERBS

The paper deals with the semantic analysis of Russian paremia with a lexeme beerand gives a cultural representation of the meanings and use of beer as a Russian traditional beverage.For this work, two hundred paremia were collected in which the lexeme beer(пиво) appeared, and in the analysis are included representative examples concerning the characteristics of the beverage and the specifics of its preparation. The corpus of proverbs was collected from the collections of proverbs, dictionaries, scientific articles, doctoral dissertation, and internet sources.We are interested in the meaning of beer as a beverage in Russian culture, on which occasions is consumed, whether its use is characteristic of a particular social group and what status it has had throughout the centuries as well as its role in Russian traditional culture.Sincethe proverbs are born from the cultural tradition itself, in seeking answers to the questions we have used data from sources that deal with cultural aspects and customs.The results of the survey show that the perception of beer is related to folk beliefsand reflects the daily life of the community in which the potion is consumed. Beer is perceived as a favourite beverage that is often consumed. It is also a potion of celebration, which expresses the hospitality and is consumed in special occasions (seasons and holidays) in a larger amount for holidays such as Maslenitsa, Easter, Christmas, but the consumption is mostly related to rest and entertainment. The producers of their own beer are characterized as wealthy and generous people who are considered superior to others

Evaluating the Chemical Components and Flavor Characteristics Responsible for Triggering the Perception of "Beer Flavor" in Non-Alcoholic Beer.

Forty-two commercial non-alcoholic beer (NAB) brands were analyzed using sensory and chemical techniques to understand which analytes and/or flavors were most responsible for invoking the perception of “beer flavor” (for Northern Californian consumers). The aroma and taste profiles of the commercial NABs, a commercial soda, and a carbonated seltzer water (n = 44) were characterized using replicated descriptive and CATA analyses performed by a trained sensory panel (i.e., 11 panelists). A number of non-volatile and volatile techniques were then used to chemically deconstruct the products. Consumer analysis (i.e., 129 Northern Californian consumers) was also used to evaluate a selection of these NABs (i.e., 12) and how similar they thought the aroma, taste and mouthfeels of these products were to beer, soda, and water. The results show that certain constituents drive the aroma and taste profiles which are responsible for invoking beer perception for these North American consumers. Further, beer likeness might not be a driver of preference in this diverse beverage class for Northern Californian consumers. These are important insights for brewers planning to create products for similar markets and/or more broadly for companies interested in designing other functional/alternative food and beverage products.

The Influence of Bottle Design on Perceived Quality of Beer: A Conjoint Analytic Study

Research on the influence of packaging on consumer perception of beer and other alcoholic beverages suggest an important role in capturing consumers’ attention and generating expectations on perceived product quality, and in particular that color, bottle shape, and label design are key aspects. There is, however, a paucity of research looking at interactions between different aspects of packaging design. This is a topical issue given an increasingly saturated market where especially craft breweries strive for differentiation and brand recognition. Situated within this context, the present research used a conjoint analytic approach to investigate the effect of packaging design on consumer perceived quality and liking for beers. Beer images were designed to systematically vary in four design factors—label color, label shape, label complexity, and bottle shape—and evaluated in an online survey with a representative sample of Danish beer drinkers. Two of the design factors—label color and bottle type—significantly affected consumers’ product evaluations, whereas the other two factors did not. Post-hoc analyses of the main effects indicated that the combination of a “Bomber” bottle shape and a warm color scheme in the label as the optimal combination of design factors to maximize consumer preferences. Preference for the Bomber bottle was linked to a perceived premiumness associated with a preference for curvatures (as opposed to angularity), whereas the preference for warm colors was tentatively explained as due to crossmodal correspondences generating favorable sensory expectations for this color scheme.

Expectations mediate the effect of extrinsic and intrinsic cues on sensory and hedonic perception of beer

Expectations mediate the effect of extrinsic and intrinsic cues on sensory and hedonic perception of beer

Happy Hour? A Preliminary Study of the Effect of Induced Joviality and Sadness on Beer Perception

Our emotions influence our perception. In order to determine whether emotion influences the perception of beer, 32 participants watched either a scene from the movie Wall-E to induce joviality, or a short clip from the Shawshank Redemption to induce sadness. The participants were then required to sample up to 250 mL of Yenda Pale Ale beer and rate it on a variety of taste and flavor characteristics (e.g., bitterness), before completing the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule-X (PANAS-X). The data were analyzed using Bayesian t-tests and Null Hypothesis Significance Tests (NHSTs). After applying conservative corrections for multiple comparisons, NHSTs failed to reach statistical significance. However, the effect sizes suggested that inducing joviality, relative to inducing sadness, resulted in the beer being rated as (a) tasting more pleasant, (b) tasting sweeter, and (c) being of higher quality. Following the induction of joviality, participants were also willing to pay more for the beer. The Bayesian analyses indicated that induced emotion can influence flavor perception for complex taste stimuli. The effect sizes and Bayesian analyses are interpreted in terms of Feelings-as-Information theory. These preliminary findings can tentatively be applied to real-world environments such as venues that serve and/or market alcohol.

Determination of simple carbohydrates in beer using SPME, on fiber derivatization and gas chromatography mass spectrometry

Fermentable sugars directly contribute to the sweetness of beer, whereas carbohydrates with more than four glycosyl units can be beneficial to the perception of beer in that they contribute to body or mouthfeel. GC/MS has not been widely used for the analysis of carbohydrate contents in beer. The analysis of beer by using L-SPME, on fiber derivatization with bis(trimethylsilyl) trifluoroacetamide (BSTFA) and GC-MS showed the presence of some carbohydrates (D-arabinose, -D-arabinopyranose, D-galactose, Dxylose, and D-mannose) never detected in beer. The analysis of three different types of beer showed that the presence of these carbohydrates can represent a significant part of the total amount of carbohydrates present in the beer.

Pregnant Women's Risk Perception of the Teratogenic Effects of Alcohol Consumption in Pregnancy.

There is ample evidence of the teratogenic effects of prenatal alcohol exposure, with long-term consequences throughout the entire life cycle. Nevertheless, research on risk perception of alcohol consumption among pregnant women is scarce. In order to analyze risk perception of alcohol consumption during pregnancy, a cross-sectional study was conducted with a random sample of 426 pregnant women (in their 20th week of gestation) receiving care at the outpatient clinics of a public university hospital in the southern European city of Seville (Spain). Data were collected through structured face-to-face interviews conducted by trained health professionals using a customized questionnaire. Data analysis included structural equation modeling. Only 48.1% of the sample indicated that the sequelae from alcohol consumption during pregnancy were life-long. The structural equation model showed that a lower risk perception about beer and wine consumption, and a lower educational level, were related to more frequent alcohol consumption. Younger participants showed lower risk perception concerning beer consumption. Higher levels of education were related to a greater risk perception of beer. Healthcare institutions should articulate programs that facilitate health advice regarding alcohol consumption during pregnancy, particularly when providing care for women with low educational levels.

Variation in Orosensory Responsiveness to Alcoholic Beverages and Their Constituents—the Role of the Thermal Taste Phenotype

Orosensory perception strongly influences food and beverage liking and consumption. Differences between individuals in orosensation present an opportunity to conceptualize and commercialize products based on consumer “taste” responsiveness. The main objective of this study was to examine how the thermal taste phenotype associates with orosensory responsiveness to beer and cider, and more generally to examine differences in and relationships between responsiveness to alcohol-relevant stimuli and to beer/cider. Sixty participants (31 thermal tasters (TTs) and 29 thermal non-tasters (TnTs)) rated the intensity of aqueous solutions of beer- and cider-relevant tastants: iso-α-acid (bitterness), ethanol (irritation, bitterness, sweetness), dextrose (sweetness), and citric acid (sourness) at concentrations typically found in commercial products on generalized labeled magnitude scales (gLMS). Intensity ratings (gLMS) of multiple orosensations elicited by six beer and two cider samples differing in iso-α-acid and ethanol content were also collected. TTs scored the bitterness of ethanol more intensely than did TnTs (p(t) < 0.05) and rated the bitterness, sourness, astringency, and overall taste intensity of sampled beers and ciders higher than TnT (p(F) < 0.05). Thermal taste status is an important determinant in the perception of beer and cider flavor. These results may assist product developers in designing beers and ciders targeted to specific consumer segments that differ in orosensory responsiveness, and inform broader understanding of the sources of variation in human perception of alcohol constituents and beverages.

Application of TCATA to examine variation in beer perception due to thermal taste status

Thermal taste status (TTS) describes a phenotype whereby some individuals experience a thermally-induced taste on thermal stimulation of the tongue (thermal tasters; TTs) and some do not (thermal non-tasters; TnTs). TTs experience a range of orosensations elicited by aqueous solutions and some beverages more intensely than TnTs. Whether this extends throughout ingestion duration is unknown, despite the fact that the evolution of flavour on the palate is a key component of consumer acceptance of food/beverages. We sought to use temporal-check-all-that-apply (TCATA) to determine how beer perception varies with TTS. A secondary aim was to investigate the effects of serving temperature and a concurrent auditory cue on TCATA responses and how these may interact with TTS. Forty-one female participants (21 TTs, 20 TnTs) were trained to identify seven dominant sensations elicited by a de-alcoholized beer (astringent, bitter, carbonation, fruity/hops, malty, sour, sweet). Beer samples were served in duplicate at either 6 °C or 21 °C with or without a concurrent auditory cue consisting of a sound clip of effervescence. TTs cited astringent and bitter more frequently than TnTs (p(F) ≤ 0.01), and the area under the curve (AUC) was greater for TTs for several sensations (p(t) < 0.05). Samples served at 6 °C had higher carbonation citation frequencies (p(F) < 0.001) and AUC at 0–30 s (p(t) < 0.001) and 30.1–60 s (p(t) < 0.05) than the warmer samples, with responses for astringent following a same pattern. AUC for carbonation and astringent varied within the sound conditions at 0–30 s (p(t) < 0.05). Overall, these results show that the ‘taste’ advantage of TTs extends to beer, and that temporal methods are needed to more fully describe consumer variation.

Robotics and computer vision techniques combined with non-invasive consumer biometrics to assess quality traits from beer foamability using machine learning: A potential for artificial intelligence applications

Foam-related parameters greatly influence other sensory attributes of beer such as aromas, flavors and mouthfeel; therefore, the visual assessment of beers is one of the most important quality traits, since it creates the first impression of consumers in determining the willingness to taste the product and perceived quality. Sensory analysis has been extensively used to assess consumers acceptability; however, this can only obtain their self-reported conscious responses. Therefore, biometric techniques have been used to assess the subconscious responses, which provide more information from consumers when integrated with sensory evaluation questionnaires. In this study, non-invasive biometrics along with a sensory questionnaire were used to assess consumers perception to visual attributes of 15 beers from pouring videos obtained using the RoboBEER (automatic robotic pourer). The sensory session was conducted with 30 participants using an integrated camera system, which consists of an infrared thermal camera and video recording coupled with a Bio-sensory computer application (App) and an eye tracking device. Objective physical parameters from beer pouring were obtained using the RoboBEER and computer vision algorithms. Results from the Just About Right (JAR) and acceptance tests showed that consumers preferred top fermentation beers, which have a medium foam height and stability, and tend to highly penalize bottom fermentation beers with lower foam. The principal components analysis explained a total of 52% of data variability. A correlation matrix was developed to assess significant correlations between the conscious, subconscious and physical data such as the positive correlation between perceived quality and heart rate, and the negative correlation between foam stability liking and foam drainage. Furthermore, an artificial neural network model (ANN) with 82% accuracy was developed using 28 parameters from the subconscious and objective physical data as inputs to classify beers per participant according to their level of liking of foam height (low and high). The combined use of these techniques showed to be an accurate and rapid tool to assess the visual sensory perception of beers based on the RoboBEER and biometric outputs from consumers with significant potential applications for fast screening within the beer industry.

Assessing the Impact of Finings on the Perception of Beer

In recent years, a number of commentators have suggested that the use of finings to clarify beer can impair the flavour, because of the removal of key volatile aromatic molecules from the drink. However, are such claims necessarily correct? Unaware of any previous attempt to address this question empirically, we conducted both a blind and a sighted taste test. The test made use of two beers from the same batch, one made using finings and the other made without. In neither experiment did the use of finings affect flavour or liking ratings amongst the social drinkers (N = 235) tested. Thus, the present results clearly suggest that the use of finings does not necessarily impact either the sensory-discriminative or hedonic ratings of beer, despite its influence on the clarity of the finished product.

Glass shape influences the flavour of beer

It is often said that our perception of wine varies as a function of the receptacle in which it is presented. Indeed, glassware has been the subject of extensive study in this category. By contrast, the impact of glassware on the perception of beer has been largely ignored in the field of sensory science research. The current study was specifically designed to investigate the influence of the shape (specifically side curvature) of the glass on people’s perception of beer. Fifty-three Australian participants rated (on 10-point Likert scales) a beer presented in one of two glasses. The beer was perceived as being fruitier and more intense when served in a curved-sided glass. Given previous research showing that people match fruitiness with curvature (rather than straightness/angularity), these results fit within the existing literature on crossmodal correspondences between shape and taste properties.

Craft vs. industrial: Habits, attitudes and motivations towards beer consumption in Mexico

Food choices tend to be stable over time; they do not change fast, since consumers tend to act like creatures of habits. However, food habits can evolve, like currently the craft beer category. A change of habits involves a change of perception towards a product. Therefore, what is changing in the perception of beer? Two studies were conducted to address this question. First study was preliminary and aimed at exploring beer consumption habits in Mexico and a better understanding of craft beer representation among beer users. A questionnaire was administrated to 207 consumers in Mexico City during a beer festival. Results showed that respondents could be classified in: industrial beer (41.1%), occasional industrial (24.1%), and craft beer (34.8%) consumers. Craft cluster included mostly 25–35 years old men with high-income level. Among the craft beers cited by respondents from this cluster some are industrial, suggesting that the concept of craft beer might not be well defined, or defined in ideological terms. The second and main study was conducted using consumer ethnographies to understand the motivations and benefits of craft beer consumption. Opposite to industrial, craft beer emerges as an experience-based and symbolic product rather than a utilitarian one. The main motivation for drinking craft beer seems to be the quest of authenticity. Respondents’ motivations to drink craft beer are generated by three important factors: desire for more knowledge, new taste experiences, and move away from the mainstream beer consumption. Craft consumers do not drink the product for its functional attributes, they consume it for what it means and as a consequence they build an identity, perceived as more authentic and unique, in comparison to the mainstream industrial beer consumption in Mexico.

How Foam Appearance Influences the Italian Consumer's Beer Perception and Preference

The current study presents the results of a survey performed to investigate whether different patterns of foam and lacing affect consumer beer preference and the perception of beer characteristics. The impact of three different levels of foam (huge, medium and little) at pouring, and two lacing patterns (very laced to not laced) during consumption, was evaluated on a set of 26 attributes by a panel of Italian beer consumers. Overall, beers which delivered a medium level of foam at pouring were considered by Italian consumers as the best dispensed, the most liked for their visual appearance, the most attractive to consume and the most likely to be purchased. Cluster analysis determined four groups of consumers with different preference patterns for beer foam and expectations for sensory characteristics of the beer. It was found that 80% of consumers preferred a medium level of foam and no lacing, whereas 20% of consumers preferred a high level of foam and lacing. Furthermore, for nearly 40% of consumers, foam and lacing patterns generated expectations regarding beer sweetness, bitterness, fruitiness, perceived level of alcohol, effervescence and the thirst quenching character of the beer.

Alcoholic beverage preferences of drinking-driving violators.

Relationships between the preferred type of alcoholic beverage and various drinking-driving behaviors and attitudes were examined in a representative sample of 1000 licensed U.S. drivers interviewed in a national telephone survey. Substantial differences were found between subjects who preferred beer and those who preferred wine or distilled spirits. Those who preferred beer typically drank to higher levels of intoxication, were more likely to drive after drinking and tended to consider driving while intoxicated to be less serious. With few exceptions, these findings were true regardless of sex, age, education, income and marital status. These data contradict the popular perception of beer as a relatively harmless drink of moderation, and challenge policies of special concessions for the legal purchasing age and advertising of beer.