The World of Beer: A Data-Driven Journey into Global Preferences

The Data's Grand Reveal

A snapshot of the dataset

Decoding the Crowd: What Everyone Really Wants

Is it the aroma or is it the mouthfeel?

What do people truly love about beer? Is it the bold aroma that wafts from the glass? The golden clarity of its appearance? Or perhaps the complex flavors that linger on the palate?

When a beer is evaluated multiple aspects can be graded:

• Aroma: The beer's smell, scored out of 10.
• Appearance: Its color, clarity, head, and visual carbonation, scored out of 5.
• Taste: The flavor, including bitterness, palate, and finish, scored out of 10.
• Mouthfeel: The beer’s body, carbonation, and astringency, scored out of 5.
• Overall: A holistic score that captures the reviewer’s personal experience and the beer’s characteristics, scored out of 20.

These metrics combine for a total score of 50 which, after dividing by 10, gives us the rating which scored out of 5.

Users tend to prefer taste and aroma, with both distributions peaking near the higher end of the scale. Both have a median value of 7, meaning that half of the raters gave these attributes a score well above the passing grade. This highlights their central role in shaping a beer's impression, which is understandable, as they are the first things noticed when sipping and smelling. In contrast, mouthfeel and appearance are less appreciated, with both having a median of 3, suggesting these aspects are less memorable for beer drinkers. These factors are also more subjective and harder to evaluate, which may contribute to their lower ratings.

The overall experience follows a similar trend to that of taste and aroma, with a median score of 14 and a noticeable bias towards the positive end of the scale. This suggests that when taste and aroma are right, they strongly contribute to a favorable overall impression of the beer.

In general, despite varying median values, users tend to give high ratings across all categories. But why is this the case?

We believe two main biases play a significant role in this phenomenon:

• Central tendency bias: This bias leads raters to place most items near the middle of a rating scale. We observe this particularly with mouthfeel and appearance, where most ratings cluster around the middle value, with fewer ratings at the extremes.
• Social experience bias: Beer is often consumed in social contexts, which can lead to a more positive bias in ratings. For example, even if a beer was "average", a fun night with friends might influence a higher rating. This could explain why taste, aroma, and overall ratings tend to be more positive, while mouthfeel and appearance, which are harder to evaluate, may be rated more randomly.

Now that we know users generally prefer taste and aroma over appearance and mouthfeel, how are these factors connected? Given the similar distributions between aroma, taste, and overall experience, could there be an influence between them?

Everything is correlated

Previously, we observed that the overall ratings closely resembled the distribution of taste and aroma. Now, let's explore if there is any relationship between them.

With a correlation of 0.86 and 0.77 with the overall ratings, taste and aroma are the king and queen of the beer experience. If these aspects improve, the overall rating tends to follow suit, and they are also highly correlated with each other.

This makes perfect sense: taste and aroma are the most immediate and visceral aspects of enjoying a beer. Whether it's the hop-forward bitterness of an IPA or the rich malty aroma of a stout, these elements shape the essence of how a beer is perceived. If either taste or aroma falls short, the overall impression of the beer is unlikely to recover, no matter how appealing its appearance or mouthfeel may be.

We’ve established that taste and aroma are highly correlated with each other, but how important are they in determining the overall grade? Do they have the same influence on the overall rating?

To answer these questions, we can use a powerful tool: linear regression. By fitting a linear regression model to our data, we find that taste and aroma can accurately predict the overall score, with an R² of 77.32%. This means that most of the variance in the overall experience is explained by these factors.

We also see that the coefficient for taste is 1.7843, while aroma, the second most important factor, has a coefficient of 0.7184. This indicates that taste is more than twice as important as aroma, meaning if a beer’s taste isn’t right, the overall experience is likely to fail.

Now we know that the taste has a big impact on the overall experience, but how the rating have evolved in time? Do people appreciate the beers more and more, or are they becoming more and more critical?

Endless Evolution

Ratings are not static — they tell a story, evolving alongside trends, technology, and the expanding beer market. To begin, we take a step back and observe how ratings have changed over the years.

How many different insights from just a map!

• Beer lovers evolution: We see that people over time prefer the beers more from beer loving countries such as United States, Belgium, United Kingdom and Canada and are enjoying more and more beers from european or US breweries bringing these countries to the top of the list.
• I'm never going to like your beers: In all the other parts of the world it seems that the ratings are not increasing over time and in some cases they are decreasing. We see some improvements in some specific countries (such as Brazil or Australia) but in general these countries doesn't follow the positive trend of the countries from either EU or US.

Let's go deeper and let's see how the different rating metrics have evolved over time too.

We can see that the mean for all categories is increasing over time, and for aroma, taste, and overall, the median has shifted from 13 to 14. This, along with the increase in the mean, clearly shows that over time there has been a shift in the bias towards the higher end of the scale. In general, the rise in the average mean indicates a trend of all ratings moving towards the higher values meaning that people are increasingly enjoing the beers produced!

Is it the aroma or is it the mouthfeel?

When it comes to beer, alcohol by volume (ABV) plays a significant role in shaping preferences. Over the years, we've observed a fascinating trend: as time progresses, beer enthusiasts increasingly gravitate towards higher ABV beers.

The two main considerations that we have are:

• The higher the better: We see that over time the higher ABVs are always associated with higher ratings. This observation can be validaded by observing that, if we exclude 2002, the linear correlation between the ABV and the average rating for that specific ABV is very high and it's close to 0.9 with a minor variability over the time period.
• In the middle stands the abv: Even if we see that users tend to prefer higher ABV beers in terms of rating we see that most users go for beers that have fall into the 5-10 ABV range. Most ratings are indeed of beers that are within this range.
• Positive trend: All the ABVs tend to have a higher rating over time, which is coherent with what we discovered in the previous section, but we see that also that the ABV seems to have a positive trend towards higher values.

As pointed out before it seems that the average ABV is increasing over time, suggesting a shift in ABV preference over time at global level. Is this true?

ABV evolution globally ABV evolution map

It seems like the positive trend is real! We see that the average ABV of produced beers increases over time in most countries, in particular in Europe and United States.

It's interesting to observe another very peculiar thing: countries such as Belgium, Germany and England, historically the most famous for their beers, don't have a significant increase in ABV, meaning that from these countries the favourite beers are the traditional ones, with a small change over time.

So far we have explored the ratings, how they evolved over time and the impact of ABV on the ratings but we have missed one very important aspect: the style of the beer.

The style of a beer is a key factor in shaping its taste, aroma, and overall experience but also, as we will see, the ABV. From the hoppy bitterness of an IPA to the rich maltiness of a stout, the style of a beer is a defining characteristic that influences how it is perceived and enjoyed.

Wow! Such diversity! Let's do a couple of considerations:

India Pale Ale (IPA) dominates, reflecting a worldwide trend toward hoppy, flavorful beers driven by the craft beer movement. It's followed by Imperial Stout's whose strong presence highlights a growing appreciation for rich, high-alcohol beers. Meanwhile, Pale Lager maintains its steady reign as a light, approachable option, serving as the default choice in many cultures.

The dominance of "Ale" styles tells a story of tradition and innovation. Among the oldest beer types, ales trace their roots to European brewing, particularly in the UK and Belgium, where they flourished. Their warm fermentation creates fruity, complex flavors, making them perfect for modern craft brewers and adventurous drinkers seeking unique, bold experiences.

Additionally there seems to be a significant market share of beers dominated by niche styles with more than 40% of beers being from a style that has a market share smaller than 1.90%. This reflects a global thirst for novelty, with consumers that are looking for unconventional flavors and brewing techniques.

But what about the favourite beer style for each country?

Wow, only a couple of beer styles really dominate!

Pale Lager is the favourite style in vast regions, especially across South America, southern Africa, and much of Asia. This style’s accessibility and light, refreshing profile make it universally appealing, explaining its widespread popularity in regions with warmer climates.

India Pale Ale (IPA) emerges as the favorite in North America and much of Europe. The bold flavors and hoppy character of IPAs resonate with a market that increasingly values craft beer and innovation.

Even so we see that in countries with a strong beer culture, they prefer local artisanal beers. In Germany the favourite one is the Pilsener while in UK all the pubs need to have at least a Bitter beer. In Belgium the Belgian Ale is the king of all while in Czech Republic the Czech Pilsner is what really dominates the market.

Preferences are not static but they change over time and they evolve. Let's see how the favourite beer style for each country has changed over time.

What a rise for the India Pale Ale (IPA) and the imperial Stout! We see that over the years the number of ratings for these two beers have significantly increased and at the end of 2016 they were the two preferred beer styles of the world.

We see on the other hand that other styles such as the Pale Lager or the Belgian Strong Ale had a different evolution over time. From being the favourites, they have lost rankings year after year and the Belgian Strong Ale, once in the top 3 is at the end of 2016 is not even on the podium anymore.

The evolution in style preferences over time not only highlights how user tastes have shifted but also explains the increase in average ABV from 2002 to 2016. This change is driven by the fact that the most popular styles in 2016 have a significantly higher ABV compared to those in 2002, indicating that users have progressively favored beers with higher alcohol content.

So far we have taken a look at many factors of what makes a great beer. However, when you ask someone what their favorite beer is, they might reply with "German beers" or "Czech beers". These answers reveal an important connection we have to investigate: do the beers from a country influence the preferences of the people from other countries?

The influence of beer heritage

German beers are known for their adherence to the Reinheitsgebot, stating that beers can only be made from barley, hops and water. On the other hand, Belgian beers are a bit more outlandish, and may contain herbs and/or spices. For example, Witbier often contains coriander and orange peels.

To investigate these relations on a global scale, we can perform a network analysis. If people from a given country would have to choose one other country they would say produces their favorite beer, who would it be?

We clearly see that only a couple of hubs are formed! A lot of countries like beers from the USA and Belgium but also UK and Germany are quite popular!

The results show that a beer's country of origin significantly influences user preferences, with only a few countries producing standout hits in the beer world!

Brews from the Backyard or Beyond

But the story does not end here. So far we only considered preferences of other countries in terms of quantity drunk. However, users from certain countries might have a far stronger preference for foreign beers than users from other countries! This is worth investigating as well.

In countries with renowned beer cultures like Czechia, the USA, Ireland, Belgium, and the UK, beer lovers clearly favor local beers, rating them higher than foreign ones. Conversely, in countries with less established beer traditions, foreign beers tend to receive significantly higher ratings than local brews.

Before we conclude our journey into beer preferences we have a little surprise for you!

We have created an interactive website where you can explore what users say about beers of specific countries, explore the breweries of your favourite country or see which countries rate similar to it.

Click on the image below and let's explore the world of beers together!

And here we are, at the end of our data-driven journey through the world of beer. From uncovering the preferences of millions of beer enthusiasts to analyzing trends that shape the global beer landscape, we’ve seen how beer connects cultures, defines traditions, and sparks innovation.

We started by diving into what makes a great beer: its taste, aroma, mouthfeel, and style. These attributes revealed how personal and sensory experiences shape preferences, with taste and aroma leading the charge. Moving further, we explored how these preferences evolved over time, showing the rise of higher ABVs and the growth of bold styles like IPAs and Imperial Stouts.

Our exploration also took us across the globe, mapping the cultural fingerprints of beer styles and showcasing how local traditions shape tastes. From Pale Lagers dominating warm-climate regions to the unique hubs of beer culture like Belgium, the USA, and Germany, the data highlighted the incredible diversity of the beer world.

But it’s not just about what’s brewed but it’s also about where it’s brewed. We saw how countries interact with foreign beers, creating global networks of influence and preference. From the interconnected hubs of Belgium and the USA to the curious outliers of beer culture, every story was a reminder of how beer unites us across borders.

As our journey concludes, one thing is clear: beer is not just a drink; it’s a dynamic cultural artifact that evolves with us. Whether you’re a seasoned beer connoisseur or a casual enthusiast, there’s always something new to discover, savor, and enjoy. So, let’s raise a glass to the past, present, and future of beers.

Cheers!