A Study Compares Consumer and Expert Beer–Food Pairing Judgments

In 2008, Gianluca Donadini, Giorgia Spigno, Maria Daria Fumi, and Roberto Pastori published a study of beer-and-food pairing in the Journal of the Institute of Brewing. They examined combinations involving 18 beers available in Italy and nine Italian dishes, comparing suitability ratings from 51 consumers and seven food experts. Both groups identified combinations they considered suitable, but their preferred beers and ratings often differed. Among consumers, suitability ratings were positively associated with liking the beer itself. The findings showed how judgments of a pairing could vary with the people assessing it.