Consumer testing of commercial lager beers in blind versus informed conditions: Relation with descriptive analysis and expert quality ratings

American beer consumers (n=170) evenly distributed into six categories base d on age (20s, 30s, 40s) and gender, tasted 24 commercial, domestic/ice, im ported and speciality lagers first blind (week 1) and then with knowledge o f brand and price (week 2). They rated overall degree of liking (DOL) and D OL of the appearance, carbonation, aroma, taste, body/mouthfeel and afterta ste of the beer on a 9-point hedonic scale, and purchase intent (PI) on a 5 -point scale, and indicated in which situation they would consume the beers . Relationships between consumer ratings and descriptive analysis and quali ty ratings by brewing experts were then analysed with multivariate statisti cs. Gender differences were observed, with men preferring stronger-flavoured be ers (speciality > imported > domestic) regardless of quality, whereas women 's hedonic ratings paralleled expert quality ratings. DOL and PI ratings of some domestic and imported beers decreased and increased respectively, fro m the blind to the informed condition, suggesting American consumers view i mported beers as superior products, even though blind tasting suggested oth erwise. In all age and gender groups, liking for taste was the best predict or of overall liking.