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What if AI revolutionized beer ? In Belgium, researchers have developed artificial intelligence capable of identifying chemical compositions capable of improving the taste or quality of a given beer, by adding components, so that it is perceived as better by consumers.
Led by Professor Kevin Verstrepen, from KU Leuven University, the team first selected 250 Belgian beers. Chemical properties, such as alcohol concentration, PH, sugar, and the presence of more than 200 components were studied for each beer. Each beer was also evaluated by a panel of judges, who scored them on 50 different characteristics. And to complete the data, the researchers also relied on more than 180,000 notes left by Internet users.
Then, the researchers used all this information to train AI models, based on machine learning. The goal was to have technology capable of predicting the characteristics of a beer, and especially its commercial success (based on its appreciation by consumers), based on chemical properties. Thanks to their models, the researchers have also identified elements that can help improve the taste of a beer. Furthermore, according to The Guardian, Belgian researchers have also discovered that certain chemical elements which were considered as hindrances can actually help to improve the taste of a beer if they are present in small quantities.< /p>
Validated by a jury
To validate the technology, the researchers used their models to improve a lager available on the walk. “In the first set of experiments, we adjusted the concentrations of compounds that were the most important predictors of overall liking (ethyl acetate, ethanol, lactic acid, ethyl acetate, ;#8217;ethylphenyl) as well as correlated compounds (ethyl hexanoate, isoamyl acetate, glycerol)”, can we read, in this regard, in the publication.
Compared to the unmodified beer, the one whose composition was modified by the researchers was better rated by the jury. He noted “increased intensity of ester flavors, sweetness, alcohol and body fullness”. In another experiment, the researchers repeated the first, but without adding ethanol. However, the jury still noted an increase in the perception of alcohol in the drink, and a general improvement. Finally, the researchers carried out the same experiment on a non-alcoholic beer: an improvement was also noted.
In essence, if the study is limited to Belgian beers, researchers have demonstrated that thanks to AI, breweries can improve the properties of their drinks, by exploiting the information provided by these models. However, these models are not close to replacing brewers. “AI models predict chemical changes that might optimize a beer, but it’s still up to brewers to make that happen from of the recipe and brewing methods”, explained Kevin Verstrepen, quoted by The Guardian.
- Can we design the perfect beer using artificial intelligence? Belgian researchers answer this question
- They studied 250 beers, then developed AI models capable of predicting the consumer's appreciation of a beer based on its chemical properties
< li>To validate the technology, they modified an existing blonde beer by correcting the concentrations of the elements which predict a good appreciation: a jury noted an improvement on the modified beer
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