Use AI to create more flavorful beers

Artificial intelligence (AI) is playing an increasingly important role, supporting people in many different fields. Now, scientists are looking to AI to help create better beers.

Artificial intelligence is increasingly achieving impressive milestones, with the ability to support human work and even create works of art - a job that requires creativity and thinking ability. .

Now, artificial intelligence can also help people create drinks with better flavors.

Accordingly, scientists from KU Leuven University (Belgium), led by Professor Kevin Verstrepen, asked for the help of an AI system to help improve the taste of beer , a familiar drink of the country. many people on hot summer days.

AI can help create beers with better flavors, meeting the strict requirements of demanding people (Illustration: Getty).

Professor Kevin Verstrepen said that based on data provided by humans, the AI ​​system can help decode the complexity of people's taste perception and find what they have in common.

"Beer, like most other foods and drinks, contains hundreds of different aroma molecules that are picked up by our tongue and nose, and the brain then combines them into a whole picture, creates flavor when we drink beer ," Professor Verstrepen shared.

"However, these compounds in beers are similar, so we perceive flavor depending on different concentrations of the compounds," Professor Verstrepen added.

Professor Kevin Vestrepen and his colleagues analyzed the chemical structure of 250 commercial beers available on the Belgian market, with 22 different styles, including lager beer (a type of beer fermented at low temperatures), beer fruit beer, dark beer, golden beer, non-alcoholic beer. This analysis aims to study the characteristics of beer types, such as alcohol concentration, pH, ratio of chemical compounds.

In addition, the team looked at the presence and concentrations of more than 200 different compounds related to beer flavor, such as ester compounds from yeast and terpenoids from hops. These are two important organic compounds that contribute to the flavor of beers.

Research participants tasted and evaluated 250 types of beer based on 50 different factors and criteria, such as beer flavor, sweetness, acidity, ability to cause excitement after drinking.

After collecting the data, the research team used this data to ask an artificial intelligence system to analyze and predict the concentration of compounds in beer to meet the preferences of many people. best. Scientists firmly believe that this will help create the most delicious beer that meets the preferences of many people.

"Small changes in the concentration of chemicals can have a big impact, especially when many ingredients start to change ," said Professor Verstrepen. He emphasized that some substances created during traditional beer fermentation can cause discomfort to drinkers, but changing the concentration of these substances will help the beer have a more attractive flavor.

Scientists tried to create a beer with chemicals in the correct ratio suggested by the AI ​​system and let a group of volunteers drink it. The results showed that test drinkers highly appreciated the beer created according to AI advice, both in terms of sweetness and strength.

However, scientists say the AI ​​system only acts as an advisor , while creating delicious-tasting beer still requires the brewer's skills, so AI cannot replace it yet. replace people in the process of creating delicious beers.

" AI models only predict and suggest chemical changes to help optimize the quality and flavor of beer , but to do that still depends a lot on the brewer, starting with formula and brewing method ," Professor Verstrepen shared.

"Therefore, AI still cannot replace humans to create delicious batches of beer. But in the future we can absolutely enjoy delicious beer created by AI from start to finish," Professor Verstrepen added.