DIFFERENTIATION OF ALE AND LAGER FLAVOURS BY PRINCIPAL COMPONENTS ANALYSIS OF FLAVOUR CHARACTERIZATION DATA

Abstract

The application of principal components analysis to flavour characterization data has been examined by comparing and contrasting 32 beer samples. These comprised two samples of each of 16 brands of beer selected to represent 4 different types, contrasting ales and lager beers of two different strengths. Two-dimensional plots of results using the first two principal components as axes showed resolution of the four groups of beers and the close proximity of the majority of the duplicate samples. Differences between samples thus revealed are in accordance with known differences between the beer flavours.