DOES CONSUMPTION OF BEER, ALCOHOL, AND BITTER SUBSTANCES AFFECT BITTERNESS PERCEPTION

The relation between consumption of beer, alcohol, and bitter substanc es was investigated by comparing 20 each of male adults, low users (< 720 ml/week) and high users (> 3.6 l/week) of beer for sensitivity to and like/dislike for the bitterness of isohumulones. Intake of beer, a lcohol, and bitter substances was measured with a food frequency quest ionnaire and a 14-day recall journal. Intake of alcohol (including alc ohol from sources other than beer) and bitter substances was higher fo r high users of beer than for low users. The average bitterness units (BUs) in the beers consumed by the two groups did not differ, indicati ng that high users do not consume more bitter beers than low users. De tection thresholds for isohumulones in water did not differ between th e two groups, but high users had higher difference thresholds for isoh umulones in beer (p < 0.10). In time-intensity measurements of bittern ess in beer, low users of beer recorded significantly higher maximum i ntensities (p < 0.001) and shorter total durations (p < 0.001) than hi gh users, with no difference between the two groups for time to maximu m intensity and area under the TI curve. There was no significant diff erence between the two groups for BUs of beers produced by ad lib mixi ng of low- and high-bitterness beers, or for mean hedonic ratings of v arious concentrations of isohumulones in beer. These results suggest t hat intakes of beer, alcohol, and bitter substances are not major dete rminants of taste responses to the bitterness of isohumulones.