Flavour changes of six Belgian pale lager beers were studied in order to estimate the importance of different parameters and reactions in relation to the ageing process. An attempt was made to link analytical data with sensory evaluation using multivariate statistical analysis. Partial least squares regression techniques (PLSR) were employed on the analytical and sensory data. As apparent from the PLSR model, significant indicators of lager beer ageing are aldehyde markers (especially total aldehydes, furfural, hexanal, 2-methylpropanal, 2-methylbutanal, and 3-methylbutanal), cold and permanent haze, and beer colour. Conversely, compounds or parameters that load negatively in the PLSR model for beer ageing are trans-isohumulones, cis-isohumulones, total bitterness, the T/C-ratio, polyphenolic markers (especially proanthocyanidins), the flavanoid content, and, to a lesser extent, the TB-index and reducing power (TRAP). The integrated analytical-sensorial methodology is proposed as a useful tool for evaluation of the flavour instability of pale lager beers.

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