A SENSORY EXPERIMENT:
SAMUEL ADAMS AND THE CULINARY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA STUDY THE CORRELATION BETWEEN HOPS AND HEAT
Study results released in celebration of IPA Day
BOSTON, August 5, 2015
– Looking to prove a long-held
theory among brewers that the bitterness in hops affects the perceived
heat of spicy food, the brewers at Samuel Adams turned to The Culinary
Institute of America (CIA) to scientifically examine
the correlation between hops and heat. Today Sam Adams is eager to
share the results of its joint study with fellow brewers, foodies and
craft beer enthusiasts. The experiment involved a clear scientific
method and two key ingredients: a flight of Samuel
Adams Rebel IPA beers and Buffalo-style chicken wings. Who knew science
could be this fun?
To conduct this test, , traveled to
the CIA campus in Hyde Park, N.Y., to join a group of distinguished
chefs and culinary experts in a sensory tasting panel of epic
proportions. The group sampled three Samuel Adams West
Coast-style IPAs – Rebel IPA, Rebel Rider Session IPA, and Rebel Rouser Double IPA
– alongside Buffalo wings that foodies might describe as “medium hot.”
The panel set out to specifically test how a
beer’s International Bittering Units (IBUs) and alcohol by volume (ABV)
affect the perceived spiciness of spicy foods like Buffalo wings.
The panelists concluded that together, the greater IBUs and
higher ABV, does increase how taste buds perceive spiciness. However,
how the mouth perceives “heat” depends on other characteristics in a
beer, like the hops, malt and alcohol content.
In addition to Brewer
Jennifer Glanville of Samuel Adams, the tasting panel included CIA
experts Douglass Miller, Professor of Hospitality and Service
Management; Chef Dave McCue, Associate Professor of Culinary
Arts and a homebrewer; Chef Thomas Vaccaro, Dean of Baking and Pastry
Arts; and Chef Jonathan Zearfoss, Professor of Culinary Science.
The method was simple and the materials – delicious. A plate of spicy
Buffalo wings, which served
as the constant in the study, was tasted in comparison with each Rebel
brew. The beers were tasted in ascending order of ABV and IBUs –
starting with Rebel Rider Session IPA, moving to Rebel IPA, and ending
with Rebel Rouser Double IPA.
The study determined that the three unique IPA styles affected the perceived spiciness of hot wings
differently:
·
Rebel Rouser Double IPA
(8.4%
ABV/85 IBUs) produced far and away the highest spiciness rating and
dramatically increased the heat intensity of the pairing. The panelists
summarized that this complex
pairing is perfect for hop heads and spicy food enthusiasts, and may be
overwhelming for those that are less adventurous when it comes to beer
and food.
·
Rebel Rider Session IPA
(4.5% ABV/45 IBUs), with its lighter
body and lower alcohol content, allowed the beer and wings to
complement each other nicely. Panelists also noted an increase in heat
or a longer lasting heat from this pairing, compared to the other brews,
likely because of the lighter malt profile of the
beer, as well as a refreshing interplay between the piney, citrus hop notes in the beer and spiciness of the wings.
·
Rebel IPA (6.5% ABV/45 IBUs),
which showcases a balance of malt and hop flavor rather than aggressive
bitterness, was the most complementary pairing, which the panelists
believed would appeal to almost any craft beer lover and Buffalo wing
eater. Rebel IPA’s big citrus, piney and resinous
hop flavors accentuated and showcased the sweet, meaty taste of the
chicken and just the right amount of heat from the Buffalo spice.
“If you visit
any bar around the country, there’s a good chance you’ll find someone
perched on a stool next to a delicious craft beer and a plate of Buffalo
wings. Americans love
this pairing, and we were thrilled to work with Samuel Adams to see
first-hand how the bitterness found in hops affects the spiciness level
in food from a culinary standpoint,” said Chef David Kamen, CIA Project
Manager, who oversaw the sensory tasting panel.
“Each of the pairings was unique in its own way. One of our panelists
described the pairing of the wings and double IPA as a ‘freight train’
of spice and hops.”
“At the brewery, we’ve
known for a long time that beer and food interact and affect how we
experience flavors. Having the opportunity to put this theory to a true
test with experts from the CIA was wildly exciting
as both a brewer and self-proclaimed foodie. This sensory tasting panel
proved that beer’s complex flavor profile can truly create an elevated
pairing experience,” said Glanville. “The pairing of wings and Rebel IPA
struck me as the one that craft beer drinkers
and hot wing lovers alike would enjoy frequently – at home watching the
big game or out playing trivia at a bar – and now we know why we enjoy
this pairing so much! There’s a nice interplay between the beer and
wings. The beer’s malt character ensures that
the hops and the wings’ spiciness never overpower one another.
Instead, they allow both the bitterness and heat to really be evident on
their own. When it comes to craft beer and food, half the fun is
experimenting with different interactions and flavor combinations.
The range of flavors in our family of Rebel IPAs showcased that the
possibilities for pairing are endless.”
For the Buffalo Wing recipe used by the panel, visit:
How to get your hands on the Samuel Adams Rebel brews:
- Samuel Adams Rebel IPA is available
nationwide on draft, in six-packs for a suggested retail price of
$7.99-$9.99,
12-packs (bottles and Sam Cans) for a suggested retail price of $14.99-$17.99,
and in 16oz cans for a suggested retail price of $1.79 to $1.99. Price varies by market.
- Samuel
Adams Rebel Rider Session IPA is available nationwide in six-packs for a
suggested retail price of $7.99-$9.99, and in 12-packs for a suggested
retail price of $14.99-$17.99. Price
varies by market.
- Samuel
Adams Rebel Rouser Double IPA is available nationwide in six-packs for a
suggested retail price of $8.99-$10.99 Price varies by market.
ABOUT THE BOSTON BEER COMPANY:
The Boston Beer Company
began in 1984 with a generations-old family recipe that Founder and
Brewer Jim Koch uncovered in his father’s attic. Inspired and unafraid
to challenge conventional thinking about beer,
Jim brought the recipe to life in his kitchen. Pleased with the results
of his work, Jim decided to sample his beer with bars in Boston in the
hopes that drinkers would appreciate the complex, full-flavored beer he
brewed fresh in America. That beer was aptly
named Samuel Adams Boston Lager, in recognition of one of our nation's
great founding fathers, a man of independent mind and spirit. Little did
Jim know at the time, Samuel Adams Boston Lager would soon become a
catalyst of the American craft beer revolution.
Today,
The Boston Beer Company brews more than 60 styles of beer. It
relentlessly pursues the development of new styles and the perfection of
classic
beers by searching the world for the finest ingredients. Using the
traditional four vessel brewing process, the Company often takes extra
steps like dry-hopping, barrel-aging and a secondary fermentation known
as krausening. The Company has also pioneered
another revolution, the 'extreme beer' movement, where it seeks to
challenge drinker's perceptions of what beer can be. The Boston Beer
Company has been committed to elevating the image of American craft beer
by entering festivals and competitions around the
globe, and is one of world’s most awarded breweries at international
beer competitions. As an independent company, brewing quality beer
remains its primary focus. Although Samuel Adams beer is America's
leading craft beer, it accounts for only one percent
of the U.S. beer market. The Boston Beer Company will continue its
independently-minded quest to brew great beer and to advocate for the
growth of craft beer across America. For more information, please visit
www.samueladams.com.
ABOUT THE CULINARY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA:
Founded
in 1946, The Culinary Institute of America is the world’s premier
culinary college. Dedicated to driving leadership development for the
foodservice
and hospitality industry, the independent, not-for-profit CIA offers
associate degrees in culinary arts and baking and pastry arts;
bachelor’s degree majors in management, culinary science, and applied
food studies; and executive education through its Food
Business School. Its conferences and consulting services have made the
CIA the think tank of the food industry in the areas of health &
wellness, sustainability, world cuisines & cultures, and
professional excellence & innovation. The college also offers
certificate
programs and courses for professionals and enthusiasts. Its worldwide
network of 48,000 alumni includes leaders in every area of foodservice
and hospitality. The CIA has campuses in New York, California, Texas,
and Singapore.
Back in May, Sam Adams opened its "Brewers Vault" and asked beer drinkers to pick four retired beers from sixteen in the "Brewers Vault". From the sixteen beers, four have advanced to the final round. The four that have made it to the finals are Black & Brew Coffee Stout,
Black Lager, Hefeweizen and Scotch Ale.
“We’ve been brewing
boundary-pushing beers for over 30 years, but with 
