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GOURMET NEWS SEPTEMBER 2015 www.gourmetnews.com NEWS & NOTES 8 Looking to prove a long-held theory among brewers that the bitterness in hops affects the perceived heat of spicy food, the brew- ers at Samuel Adams turned to The Culi- nary Institute of America (CIA) to scientifically examine the correlation be- tween hops and heat. The experiment in- volved a clear scientific method and two key ingredients: a flight of Samuel Adams Rebel IPA beers and Buffalo-style chicken wings. Who knew science could be this fun? To conduct this test, Samuel Adams Brewer and Director of Brewery Programs, Jennifer Glanville, traveled to the CIA cam- pus in Hyde Park, New York, to join a group of distinguished chefs and culinary experts in a sensory tasting panel of epic proportions. The group sampled three Samuel Adams West Coast-style IPAs – Rebel IPA, Rebel Rider Session IPA, and Rebel Rouser Double IPA – alongside Buf- falo wings that foodies might describe as "medium hot." The panel set out to specif- ically test how a beer's International Bitter- ing Units (IBUs) and alcohol by volume (ABV) affect the perceived spiciness of spicy foods like Buffalo wings. The pan- elists concluded that, together, the greater IBUs and higher ABV do 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. In addition to Brewer Jennifer Glanville of Samuel Adams, the tasting panel in- cluded CIA experts Douglass Miller, Profes- sor of Hospitality and Service Management; Chef Dave McCue, Associate Professor of Culinary Arts and a homebrewer; Chef Thomas Vaccaro, Dean of Baking and Pas- try Arts; and Chef Jonathan Zearfoss, Pro- fessor of Culinary Science. The method was simple and the materials – delicious. A plate of spicy Buffalo wings, which served as the constant in the study, was tasted in compar- ison with each Rebel brew. The beers were tasted in ascending order of ABV and IBUs – start- ing with Rebel Rider Session IPA, moving to Rebel IPA, and ending with Rebel Rouser Dou- ble IPA. The study determined that the three unique IPA styles af- fected the perceived spiciness of hot wings differently. Rebel Rouser Double IPA (8.4 percent ABV/85 IBUs) produced far and away the highest spiciness rating and dra- matically increased the heat intensity of the pairing. The panelists summarized that this complex pairing is perfect for hop heads and spicy food enthusiasts, and may be overwhelming for those that are less adven- turous when it comes to beer and food. Rebel Rider Session IPA (4.5 percent ABV/45 IBUs), with its lighter body and lower alcohol content, allowed the beer and wings to complement each other nicely. Panelists also noted an increase in heat or a longer lasting heat from this pairing, compared to the other brews, likely be- cause 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 percent ABV/45 IBUs), which showcases a balance of malt and hop flavor rather than aggressive bitterness, was the most complementary pairing, which the panelists believed would appeal to al- most 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. Ameri- cans love this pairing, and we were thrilled to work with Samuel Adams to see first- hand how the bitterness found in hops af- fects 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 pair- ings 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 op- portunity 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 ele- vated pairing experi- ence," said Glanville. "The pairing of wings and Rebel IPA struck me as the one that craft beer drinkers and hot wing lovers alike would enjoy frequently – at home watching the big game or out playing trivia at a bar – and now we know why we enjoy this pairing so much! There's a nice interplay between the beer and wings. The beer's malt char- acter ensures that the hops and the wings' spiciness never overpower one another. In- stead, they allow both the bitterness and heat to really be evident on their own. When it comes to craft beer and food, half the fun is experimenting with different in- teractions and flavor combinations. The range of flavors in our family of Rebel IPAs showcased that the possibilities for pairing are endless." GN Samuel Adams and The Culinary Institute of America Study Correlation Between Hops and Heat FSMA Continued from PAGE 1 business disruptions," says Dr. Jim Gorny, Vice President of Food Safety and Technol- ogy for the Produce Marketing Association (PMA). According to Gorny, whose trade organ- ization represents companies in every seg- ment of the global fresh produce chain, those in the food industry are concerned that FSMA won't achieve its expected re- sults. Since the mandate is a whole new re- structuring of how the FDA performs inspections, Gorny says we're facing a sit- uation where there is a law in the books and no money to implement it correctly. Providing a Better Food Supply Chain Every year, infections from deadly pathogens like Salmonella, E. coli and Lis- teria lead to an estimated 48 million ill- nesses and 3,000 deaths in the U.S. – with an annual price tag of $70 billion. Recently, fears over foodborne illness and bacterial contamination have been highlighted in the news with outbreaks at Jeni's Ice Cream, Blue Bell Ice Cream and Aspen Foods that resulted in massive recalls. "If a foodborne illness occurs in a spe- cific market, it affects everybody," says Gorny, "Even the people that have no re- sponsibility over it." Comprising seven major rules that will modify food safety practices from all seg- ments of the industry, from prevention- based requirements for food processors and import regulations to transport of products, the major overhaul – five years in the mak- ing – is aimed at providing a safe and uni- form standard of quality food throughout the country. Sandra Eskin, Director of Food Safety with the Pew Charitable Trusts, is a propo- nent of FSMA and has advocated for in- creased funding. She says the FDA is moving in the right direction, but it will take a while for the new rules to reduce the number foodborne illnesses in the U.S. "These are prevention based rules that are moving away from reactive based rules, but if the FDA does not get all the money that the President asked for they will have to prioritize implementation. Funding will be made on a rule by rule basis," she says. The result will be uneven implementation in various segments of the industry. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) offered an amendment that would have increased funding for food safety activities by nearly $69 million dollars in addition to the $45 million finally allocated for FSMA. The amendment failed along party lines to re- ceive the votes needed to be included in the final bill. According to Durbin, "The food safety allocation bill falls short of what is needed to reduce foodborne illness in the country." Gorny was blunter in his assessment: "Congress has to walk the walk. This will lead to chaos for the entire food supply in- dustry.... This is a complete restructuring. This money is meant for the industry to work more closely with states, and the states need money and training to imple- ment verification exercises." According to Gorny, states play a major role to implement compliance, and if state governments don't get the necessary funds, they won't be able to provide educational outreach to food producers so that they can comply with the specific regulations. "This will lead to an uneven business playing field with inequities throughout the supply chain," says Gorny, "There is a possibility for business disruptions and lack of regu- latory compliance instructions." GN

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