He beer taste It is certainly quite peculiar. We are many people who agree that the first time we tried this drink, the taste Not that we would like muchbut that in the long run ended up. But tastes go further: there are people who He likes a beer guy and others prefer to opt for another type. Science wanted to give light on this.
Confirming what was suspected. A recent study Made by a team of scientists from Ohio State University, it has shed light to what many thought, not everyone perceived the taste of beer in the same way. The investigation, presented at the meeting of the American Chemical Society in Washingtonreveals that whoever consumes beer is divided into two different fields, and everything is reduced to chemistry.
An investigation as objective as possible. To get to this conclusion, the researchers recruited 135 beer enthusiasts and gave him 18 different types of beer Lager In three tasting sessions. These beers are characterized by using yeasts to Ferment at low temperature and that need a longer time to give the final result. The result is the characteristic transparent gold color. To guarantee objectivity, all beers had a similar percentage of alcohol and a similar level of bitterness.
The participants evaluated in this characteristic case as the sweetness and intensity of the aroma, while the researchers used mass spectrometry to identify the chemical compounds that predominated in each of the beers. From here it was only crossing the data collected.
Two divided factions. The results were surprising, since the tasters were divided into two very clear groups according to their preferences. A group preferred beers with more intense and complex flavors, while the other opted for the softest and most subtle. Interestingly, the beers that one group described as their favorites, the other placed them in the last positions of their ranking. A great disparity, which in the end makes sense in chemistry.
What differentiates these two groups of ‘brewers’? The answer is in your sensitivity to certain chemical compounds. Intense flavors lovers showed a preference for the Furaneolwhich is a compound associated with the aroma of strawberries and jam. On the other hand, those who preferred the softest flavors bowed to the ETYL-3-methyltiopropionato that provides pineapple notes. This second group, in addition, showed an aversion at high doses of α-terpineol, a compound with pine aroma.
Good news for the beer industry. These findings are not just a curiosity for beer fans, but also open a world of possibilities for the beer industry. According to Devin Peterson, researcher at Ohio State University and study director, “this research allows us to better adapt the products to the different consumer cohorts.”
In this way, brewers could develop beers specifically designed to satisfy the palates of each of these two groups.
The rise of craft beer in Spain. In a market like Spanish, where Artisanal beer is increasingly present in our day to daythis type of studies takes on a special relevance. Artisanal beer producers, which are characterized by their innovation and their search for unique flavors, could use this information to create new variables that fit consumer preferences.
Although, the artisanal beer sector in Spain still represents a small portion of the total market, Its constant growth It shows that there is an increasingly interested audience in trying new things and getting out of traditional industrial beers. The key to success for these small brewers lies, to a large extent, in their ability to connect with consumers’ tastes and science can be a great ally in this regard.
There is science behind what we know. The perception of flavor is a much more complex phenomenon than might seem to the naked eye. The neurogastronomya discipline that studies how our brain creates the perception of flavor, teaches us that this is a multisensory experience. Not only does taste influence, but also smell, sight, touch and even the ear.
Our past expectations and experiences also play a crucial role. For example, the same wine can know different if we drink it in a plastic glass or in a glass, or if we know its price in advance. In the same way, the way we perceive a beer can be influenced by its label, the shape of the vessel or even the music we are listening to at that time.
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