Navigate

Guinness tastes better when you listen to Irish music – and the taste even changes depending on the type of tune being played, scientists say ahead of St. Patrick’s Day

  • Revelers can enjoy a sweeter tasting pint while listening to Enya or The Corrs
  • Anyone who likes bitter beer should listen to The Irish Rovers and Van Morrison

By Chris Pollard for the Daily Mail

Published: | Updated:

This weekend, Irish people around the world will be pouring themselves a pint of Guinness as they celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.

And if you want the ultimate drinking experience, scientists say you should listen to Irish music.

Guinness tastes better when you listen to Irish music – and the taste even changes depending on the type of tune being played, say scientists at the University of Lincoln.

Revelers can enjoy a sweeter tasting pint of the black stuff while listening to Orinoco Flow by Enya, or What Can I Do by The Corrs.

But if you prefer a bitter beer, you should listen to songs like Drunken Sailor by The Irish Rovers or Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison.

This weekend, Irish people around the world will be pouring themselves a pint of Guinness as they celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. And if you want the ultimate drinking experience, scientists say you should listen to Irish music (stock image)

Revelers can enjoy a sweeter tasting pint of the black stuff while listening to Orinoco Flow by Enya, or What Can I Do by The Corrs (pictured)

READ MORE: Why you should only buy wine in DARK bottles

Clear bottles allow sunlight to reach the wine, which can lead to a phenomenon called “sunstroke.” At worst, your wine could taste like wet dog, boiled cabbage and drain – no matter how much you paid for it

Dr. Annemieke van den Tol, from the University of Lincoln, said: ‘Irish beer tastes best when accompanied by Irish music on St Patrick’s Day.

‘This is due to two psychological phenomena. The first is priming.

‘This is the idea that exposure to one stimulus can influence a response to a subsequent stimulus without conscious guidance or intention.

‘For example, exposure to German music increased the number of German wine bottles people bought in a wine shop, while exposure to French music did this for French wine.

‘The second psychological phenomenon is ‘musical fit’.

‘Our brains function better when things are as we expect, or are well put together.

‘For example, people are willing to pay more for their drinks if the music in a bar or restaurant matches the decor and the type of food being sold.’

The study, published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology, found that different singing styles can change the taste your brain perceives when you drink stout like Guinness.

Researcher Prof. Felipe Reinoso Carvalho said: ‘Certain frequency ranges, tempos, timbres and harmonies are associated by our brains with taste characteristics such as the sweetness, bitterness, sourness and perceived body and strength of the beer.’

those who like a bitter beer should listen to songs like Drunken Sailor by The Irish Rovers, or Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison (photo)

He said frothy, lighter-sounding tunes lead to a sweeter taste, while heavy, emotionally charged music makes the drink seem more bitter.

“Guinness has a lot of body to begin with, but to enhance the perception of bitterness you could listen to Sinead O’Connor or the Cranberries’ Zombie,” he added.

“The super heavy guitar and strong emotions will probably make your Guinness taste even heavier, stronger and more bitter.”

The research was presented by music streaming platform Deezer, which found that Grace, by Aoife Scott, Roisin O and Danny O’Reilly, is Britain’s favorite Irish song.

WHEN DID PEOPLE START DRINKING BEER?

People have a long history of alcohol consumption.

It is believed that the primitive cultures of Mesopotania could have brewed remains of malted barley as early as 10,000 BC, but there are no records of this.

The earliest evidence of beer drinking dates back 9,000 years ago to Northern China.

This ancient brew was made using hawthorn fruit, Chinese wild grapes, rice and honey, and is the oldest known fermented drink in history – even older than wine.

The earliest evidence of beer drinking dates back 9,000 years ago to Northern China

To make it, the corn was ground and moistened in the maker’s mouth to convert the starches in the corn into fermentable sugars – before being ‘spit’ into the beer.

Throughout history, the consumption of alcohol may have helped people become more creative, aiding the development of language, art and religion.

This is because alcohol lowers inhibitions and makes people feel more spiritual.

It is believed that the Egyptians began brewing beer around 5000 BC, according to the papyrus scrolls.

They brewed things like dates, pomegranates and other native herbs.

Around 3150 BC, the Egyptians used industrial-scale breweries to supply beer to the workers building the pyramids of Giza.

Eventually, beer made its way from the Middle East to Europe, where an abundance of barley crops provided brewers with plenty of raw materials.

Experts have now found evidence of brewing in Greece during the Bronze Age.

Researchers believe that these prehistoric people liked to make merry with alcoholic drinks during celebrations all year round and not just when the grapes were ripe.

Not only was it considered nutritious, it was also a safe alternative to drinking water.

It was in the Middle Ages that malted barley became the main source of fermented sugar and beer became the drink we know today.

Related Post
  1. The Science of Slot Machines: How They Work

    Slot machines have become a ubiquitous presence in the world of gambling and entertainment, gracing…

  2. Mind-boggling optical illusion tricks your BRAIN into thinking this trafflic light is red

    >When you see a traffic light while driving, it's quite important to be sure of…

  3. Driving posture affects electric scooter riders’ injuries in accidents

    Driving posture of electric scooter riders increases the risk of head or brain injuries during…