A scientific experiment on beer and spicy chicken wings

THE BREWERY Samuel Adams and The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) proves an old theory that the bitterness in hops can affect the perceived heat of spicy food.

(Photo: Freeskyline I Dreamstime.com)

The tasting panel included CIA experts Douglass Miller, Professor of Hospitality and Service Management; Chef Dave McCue, Associate Professor of Culinary Arts and a homebrewer; Chef Thomas Vaccaro, Dean of Baking and Pastry Arts; and Chef Jonathan Zearfoss, Professor of Culinary Science, and Samuel Adams Brewer and Director of Brewery Programs, Jennifer Glanville. They sampled three Samuel Adams West Coast-style IPAs – Rebel IPA, Rebel Rider Session IPA, and Rebel Rouser Double IPA – alongside Buffalo wings that foodies might describe as “medium hot”.  The panel specifically tested how a beer’s International Bittering Units (IBUs) and alcohol by volume (ABV) affect the perceived spiciness of spicy foods like Buffalo wings. The panelists concluded that together, the greater IBUs and higher ABV, does increase how taste buds perceive spiciness. However, how the mouth perceives “heat” depends on other characteristics in a beer, like the hops, malt and alcohol content.  

The scientific method was simple: a plate of spicy Buffalo wings, which served as the constant in the study, was tasted in comparison with Samuel Adams Rebel IPA beers. The beers were tasted in ascending order of ABV and IBUs – starting with Rebel Rider Session IPA, the Rebel IPA, and ending with Rebel Rouser Double IPA.

The study determined that the three unique IPA styles affected the perceived spiciness of hot wings differently:

Rebel Rouser Double IPA (8.4% ABV/85 IBUs) produced the highest spiciness rating and dramatically increased the heat intensity of the pairing. According to panelists, this complex pairing is perfect for hop heads and spicy food enthusiasts, and may be overwhelming for those that are less adventurous when it comes to beer and food.

Rebel Rider Session IPA (4.5% ABV/45 IBUs), with its lighter body and lower alcohol content, allowed the beer and wings to complement each other nicely. Panelists noted an increase in heat or a longer lasting heat from this pairing, compared to the other brews, likely because of the lighter malt profile of the beer, as well as a refreshing interplay between the piney, citrus hop notes in the beer and spiciness of the wings.

Rebel IPA (6.5% ABV/45 IBUs), a balance of malt and hop flavor rather than aggressive bitterness, was the most complementary pairing, which the panelists believed would appeal to almost any craft beer lover and Buffalo wing eater. Rebel IPA’s big citrus, piney and resinous hop flavors accentuated and showcased the sweet, meaty taste of the chicken and just the right amount of heat from the Buffalo spice.

“If you visit any bar around the country, there’s a good chance you'll find someone perched on a stool next to a delicious craft beer and a plate of Buffalo wings. Americans love this pairing, and we were thrilled to work with Samuel Adams to see first-hand how the bitterness found in hops affects the spiciness level in food from a culinary standpoint,” said Chef David Kamen, CIA Project Manager, who oversaw the sensory tasting panel. “Each of the pairings was unique in its own way. One of our panelists described the pairing of the wings and double IPA as a ‘freight train’ of spice and hops.”

“At the brewery, we’ve known for a long time that beer and food interact and affect how we experience flavors. Having the opportunity to put this theory to a true test with experts from the CIA was wildly exciting as both a brewer and self-proclaimed foodie. This sensory tasting panel proved that beer’s complex flavor profile can truly create an elevated pairing experience,” said Ms Glanville.