News & Jukebox Chart

I like the sound of this beer!

Could music affect the taste of beer? Pete Brown, Beer Writer of the Year in 2009 and 2012 believes this might be the case.

Brown put his theory to the test at a recent event at Brewers’ Hall, hosted by ITA – an exclusive event booking and catering service based in the Capital. “Pete is a big music fan, and has been working on a fascinating experiment pairing music with beer. Pete’s research suggests that music can influence the flavour of the beer we drink,” says an ITA release.

Brown argues quite convincingly that since taste and smell are so intrinsically linked to memories and emotions, as too is music, the sounds you hear can have a direct effect on the way you taste food and beer.

The evening started with Chapel Down Curious Brew Brut. British lager is on the up, and this one is brewed with champagne yeast creating a light, fruity zing. The music match was Sugababes – Dancefloor.

At the other end of the scale was Rochefort 10, at 11% abv it’s a strong beer that Pete describes as “a monster, but not a frightening one…a post dinner beer best drunk from a brandy balloon”. Heavy, massive, brooding and dense, Pete decided only something like “All Along The Watchtower” by Jimi Hendrix could match this flavour profile.

Other pairings included Racer 5 IPA, paired with Porcelain by Moby, and the incredibly sour Gueuze (7%) with the haunting Paranoid Android from Radiohead.

Chris – from the fine blog The Guest Ale – attended the event and enjoyed the pairings of music and beer.  “The meaty Duvel (8.5%) from Belgium was paired with The Pixies seminal album opener Debaser, a band I will be seeing at Hammersmith Apollo this weekend in fact. The segue here is that Debaser – as with the whole Doolittle album it intros – is punchy and aggressive,” he wrote.

At Soundnet, our job is to provide music to pub jukeboxes that punters want to stay and drink beer to. We know that the ambience created by music affects the drinking experience but we are fascinated by the idea that it could also affect the taste of beer. So here are a few of my ideas for perfect beer and music pairings.

Crouch Vale Amarillo – sublime, strangely warming citrus hops, this beer is brilliant and is probably best enjoyed in the sun. It’s a great summer drink and therefore I would suggest you listen to something with a slow beat and a smile on its face – No Diggetty by Blackstreet is a good idea.

Thornbridge Jaipur – this is an big hoppy IPA. It’s intense and interesting… You can still taste this beer 5 mins after you’ve drunk it – which is a  good thing.  Magical beer needs magical music that gives you the space to contemplate what’s what in life and beer, and music – Into The Mystic by Van Morrision followed by Autumn Stone by The Small Faces,please.

Brew Dog Punk IPA – a well balanced beer with citrus and pine flavours to the hops –  I could drink this all day. You can find this at Brew Dog Camden, just round the corner from Soundnet’s offices. The background music at Brewdog is a little insipid; there is nothing punk or exciting about the music at BrewDog. They need something with an edge, something a little unpredictable, inspired and possibly local to match their brilliant craft beers. In this case I would suggest Monkey Man by Amy Winehouse.

So, whatever beer you serve in your venue we at Soundnet have the music to make it taste superb! Our leading VenueHub jukebox has access to over 7 million tracks. So there is bound to be something to tickle the tastebuds of even your most discerning beer drinking customers!

Tagged in: Beer & Music