A taste of things to come: the effect of extrinsic and intrinsic cues on perceived properties of beer mediated by expectations

Before consuming a food or beverage, consumers are exposed to many sources of information related to the product. Such product-related cues can generate expectations, some of which can improve consumers' sensory perception and liking of the product. The question posed in the current study is whether labelling and colour of beer can be used to modify consumers' expectations and improve perception of its taste, flavour and mouthfeel, as these properties can be problematic in reduced alcohol beers. The aim of the current study was to explore how the most salient extrinsic and intrinsic cues affect expectations and perception in the context of beer. Using a repeated measures design, 72 participants viewed label-based sensory information and tasted 16 beer samples differing in colour and bitterness. Participants rated expected and perceived liking, bitterness, refreshment, and body. As predicted, both sensory descriptor and beer colour generated sensory and hedonic expectations. We have also demonstrated that expectations mediate the effect of product related cues on perception and liking. Beer colour affected perceived liking, bitterness, refreshment, and body both directly and indirectly, yet the sensory descriptor ‘bitter’ only affected sensory perception and liking indirectly. Overall, we conclude that extrinsic and intrinsic cues can together change expectations and more importantly perception and thus potentially compensate for the perceived deficits in taste, flavour and mouthfeel commonly found in reduced alcohol beers