Impact of Flavor Factorized by Alcohol Level and Flavor Type on ‘Beer Refreshing Perception’ in a Model Study and the Exploration of Sensory Drivers for ‘Refreshing’

One key reason consumers enjoy beer is for its perceived refreshing characteristics; however, understanding the refreshing perception of beer is very limited. This study aimed to 1) investigate the impact of flavor traits factorized with alcohol levels (0%, 2.5%, 5.0%, 7.5% abv) and flavor types (citrus, cucumber, lime) on the liking and intensity of refreshing perception and other sensory attributes, and 2) explore the sensory drivers for refreshing perception of the flavored beers. The consumer test was divided into three sessions, with beer users n = 114, 105, and 103, respectively. The results showed 1) the refreshing liking and intensity were above the middle point of the scale for the flavored beers with ≤ 5.0% abv. Alcohol level showed a negative impact on refreshing liking and intensity. 2) Refreshing liking was positively correlated to the liking of six flavor attributes. The alcohol level was a determining factor influencing the hedonic ratings. 3) Both alcohol level and flavor type significantly increased the intensity of five sensory attributes. All six attribute intensities had significant penalization on refreshing liking and intensity. 4) CATA (check-all-that-apply) with ten descriptors further characterized the sensory profile of flavored beers, with their corresponding tested flavors being the most important, followed by clean and crisp flavors. 5) Refreshing intensity was positively driven by carbonation, clean, crisp flavors, and negatively driven by the flavor intensities in general, as well as sourness, astringency, and bitterness. This study demonstrated flavor drivers for beer refreshing perception, creating opportunities for new beer product development.