Abstract 039
Correlation of Sensory and Instrumental Data in Elucidating the Effect of Varietal Differences on Hop Flavor in Beer
J. Amer. Soc. Brew. Chem. 47: 18-26, 1989
T.L. Peppard, S.A. Ramus, C.A. Witt, and K.J. Siebert
Despite evidence that both the composition of the essential oil of hops and hop flavour in beer are influenced by variety, correlating these analytical and sensory data, and relating them to the varietal factor, are difficult because many of the major constituents of hop oil are not normally found in finished beer. This study sought to differentiate between a number of hop var. on the basis of flavour attributes used to describe hoppy flavour in beer, and to search for correlations between the latter and individual hop oil-derived flavour constituents found in beer. A series of pilot-scale beers was brewed using 4 domestically grown US and 4 imported European hop varieties. Sensory and compositional data were collected using experimental protocols specifically devised for the purpose and were examined using a number of multivariate statistical techniques. The beers brewed with domestic hops were readily distinguishable from those brewed with imported hops, on the basis of either sensory or instrumental data. Using the technique of partial least squares analysis, a number of strong statistical correlations were noted to exist between particular hoppy flavour attributes and certain hop oil components.
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