Rise of the machines: can artificial intelligence replace tastemakers
No one disputes that neural networks are taking over the world. But many people still believe that in some professions, humans are irreplaceable — for example, in creativity, where it is not the quality of the work that is valued above all, but the emotions that the creator has put into it. And what about tasters, particularly of alcoholic beverages — can artificial intelligence fully replace them? Let’s get to the bottom of it.
Pros and cons
Machines have been used in the production of alcoholic beverages for a long time — for example, technology monitors the temperature of fermentation and many other processes. But the final decision — whether to release the product into the world or not — is still made by a human being. It is professional tasters who taste the finished drinks and give a verdict on how well they are made.
It is known that there have been many attempts to create an artificial «nose» that would capture and recognize the aroma of drinks. But as experiments have shown, it is too early for it to compete with humans — humans are capable of capturing up to a trillion flavors. In addition, experienced tasters can make predictions on the smell, how the drink will evolve with longer aging, and this artificial intelligence is all the more beyond the control.
As experts themselves say, they have been learning the art of tasting for dozens of years. And it is simply impossible to put so much experience into a program so that it could evaluate a product in the same way as a human being. In addition, everyone evaluates drinks differently, focusing on their individual preferences, sensitivity, approach. Trying to systematize this is like having only one critic evaluate art, books, or movies. Neural networks can derive the perfect formula for drinks, but are hardly able to properly evaluate the diversity from different angles, as humans can.
It is also important to remember that the sense of taste is made up of many elements. Among them are sight, smell, touch and even individual associations. In addition, it takes a very extensive vocabulary to not just recognize but also describe a flavor correctly.
Professional tasters are very careful with their «working tools» — the taste buds. For example, they do not use perfume during tastings, do not work with colds, and the process itself usually takes place in the morning, because at this time the receptors are most sensitive. This is why experienced professionals are so valued around the world. And this once again proves that so far artificial intelligence can’t even come close to competing with them.
And all amateur tasters are invited to the beer restaurants of the Lambic chain, Hundreds of the best beers from all over the world are waiting for you to try them!
Porter beer: from the working class to the aristocrats
If you ask beer connoisseurs what a porter is now, many will answer: a noble dark beer whose flavor is dominated by notes of chocolate, fruit, coffee beans, biscuit and toast. But all these flavors did not appear at once, and far from always the variety was considered refined. How porter came to be and when it acquired a recognizable flavor profile — we’ll tell you in this article. Back in the past The first mention of porter dates back to the early 18th century. It went down in history as the first style to be aged — brewers used to put their products on the counter immediately after production. Porter got its name from the English porter — loader. The point is that the new style became especially popular among the working class and port movers because of its high caloric content. The first London Porters were much stronger than modern ones — about 6.6%. At first they were made exclusively from brown malt, then they switched to a mix of light and black malt — 95 and 5 percent respectively. Until now, this recipe is not considered strict, but many producers use it. Sometimes caramel, chocolate, brown and other varieties of malt are added instead of black malt, but not roasted, as it adds undesirable notes to the drink. Hops and yeast are usually English, but in other countries producers often change them to local ones. At the end of the 18th century, porter became popular in Russia. In our country it was considered the drink of aristocrats. After World War II the drink was practically stopped being produced, and its triumphant revival took place in 1978 thanks to the efforts of the Penrhos craft brewery, which was later joined by other producers. Types of Porter There are several official types of porter: — brown — the weakest, with a strength of about 4.5%;— strong — existed until 2015, now conditionally divided into English with a strength of 4 to 5.4% with a pronounced malt character and American (bitter, dry, strength up to 6.5%);— «pre-dry» — reminiscent of American, but milder, strength up to 6%;— Baltic — the strongest porter up to 9.5%, with pronounced fruity tones. How to drink? Porter is recommended to be consumed chilled to 8-12 degrees. It goes well with mature cheeses, various meat dishes, including steak, chocolate desserts. You can try a quality porter in any of Lambic beer restaurants. Our list includes hundreds of varieties from all over the world, as well as many delicious dishes, pleasant atmosphere and excellent service. Come — we will find something to surprise you!
09 August 2024
Hook Norton Double Stout beer: twice the fun
Dark, dense, with hints of coffee and chocolate — of course, we are talking about stout. This English ale has long been on the menus of all beer restaurants and in the personal top of true beer connoisseurs. There are hundreds of stout varieties, each of which is unique in its own way. We will tell you about one special variety — Hook Norton Double Stout — in this article. What’s unique about it? Hook Norton Double Stout is produced by the British brewery of the same name using an ancient recipe dating back centuries. It is kept in strict secrecy, and it is not surprising: Hook Norton Double Stout differs significantly from other similar brews. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that two types of malt are used: brown and black. The first one gives the drink dryness and characteristic mild bitterness, the second one is responsible for rich dark color and aroma. The flavor of Hook Norton Double Stout is rich, tantalizing, with notes of toast and roasted coffee beans. A bit of history Hook Norton Brewery traces its history back to 1849, when founder John Harris bought a farm with a malt house in Oxfordshire. At first, he focused solely on selling malt, but in 1856, he began brewing his own beer. Today, the Hook Norton complex has dozens of buildings, including its own visitor center. The brewery is especially proud of its Hooky line. This is a series of English ales of the highest quality, which includes Hook Norton Double Stout. How to drink Double stout is recommended to drink from tall glasses, which allow to better reveal the aroma and taste of beer. However, the ideal glass for a stout is the Irish pint or pint tulip. This glass widens slightly in the middle — its top is slightly wider than the bottom. The drinking temperature is room temperature or slightly lower (around 12-14 degrees Celsius). Hook Norton Double Stout beer goes well with a variety of meats — pork, beef, game, as well as barbecue dishes and dark chocolate desserts. You can try the unique Hook Norton Double Stout beer at any beer restaurant in the Lambic chain. We have hundreds of beers on the menu, as well as delicious food and great atmosphere. We are waiting for you!
09 August 2024