In this study, the chemical and sensory profiles of 42 different nonalcoholic beer (NAB) brands/styles already on the global market and produced through several different brewing techniques were evaluated. A trained panel (i.e., 11 panelists) performed standard-driven descriptive and check-all-that-apply analyses in triplicate to sensorially characterize the aroma and taste/mouthfeel profiles of 42 commercial NABs, a commercial soda, and a commercial seltzer water ( n = 44). These beers were also chemically deconstructed using several different analytical techniques targeting volatile and nonvolatile compounds. Consumer analysis ( n = 129) was then performed to evaluate the Northern Californian consumer hedonic liking of a selection ( n = 12) of these NAB brands. These results provide direction to brewers and/or beverage producers on which techniques they should explore to develop desirable NAB offerings and suggest chemical targets that are indicators of specific flavor qualities and/or preference for American consumers.

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Forty-two commercial non-alcoholic beer (NAB) brands were analyzed using sensory and chemical techniques to understand which analytes and/or flavors were most responsible for invoking the perception of “beer flavor” (for Northern Californian consumers). The aroma and taste profiles of the commercial NABs, a commercial soda, and a carbonated seltzer water (n = 44) were characterized using replicated descriptive and CATA analyses performed by a trained sensory panel (i.e., 11 panelists). A number of non-volatile and volatile techniques were then used to chemically deconstruct the products. Consumer analysis (i.e., 129 Northern Californian consumers) was also used to evaluate a selection of these NABs (i.e., 12) and how similar they thought the aroma, taste and mouthfeels of these products were to beer, soda, and water. The results show that certain constituents drive the aroma and taste profiles which are responsible for invoking beer perception for these North American consumers. Further, beer likeness might not be a driver of preference in this diverse beverage class for Northern Californian consumers. These are important insights for brewers planning to create products for similar markets and/or more broadly for companies interested in designing other functional/alternative food and beverage products.