Sensory marketing: the influence of glass shape on the perception of beer by the consumers

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the issue of how the quality characteristics of glassware affect the consumer experience of drinking. The material, shape and colour of the vessel are important organoleptic features that affect the consumption of beverages. Six types of beer purchased from different producers were selected for the study: light beer, dark beer, porter, castellan, wheat beer, and Ale. Beer samples for evaluation were served in three glass vessels, which differed in shape. The study used beer mugs with a handle, tall glasses for wheat beer, and beer goblets (also called tulip glasses). A trained team performed the sensory evaluation of the beer with appropriate, verified sensory sensitivity, meeting the selection criteria according to the standardized method. The results obtained in this study indicate that the sensory characteristics of beers were rated lower compared to the ratings made by other authors. In the case of light beer, differences in the ratings of taste, palatability and bitterness were noted depending on the type of vessel in which they were served. Light beers' taste, palatability, saturation, and total quality (WJC) were evaluated as lower when this beer was served in a tulip glass. In the case of wheat beer, differences in the ratings of palatability and saturation were noted.