The title could refer to beer, but for once, I’m talking about wine. Well, in a roundabout way, I’ve still got beer on the brain.
The BBC has published an article on the way music affects the perception of wine. Notably, the pairing of characteristics went parallel with the type of wine sampled and enhanced its enjoyment, according to a study conducted by Heriot Watt University. The example provided is Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana with a dense Cabernet Sauvignon. It also mentioned that “zingy and refreshing” sounds bring out the strengths of a chardonnay. Seems to make sense.
This naturally led me to thinking of how background music could influence the perception of anything consumed, namely another option in the beverage category: beer. In the article, it also mentions a prior study that the same professor had done on buying habits between French and German products, and how the music affected the decisions of the consumer.
But from my own experience, I can offer an example. I dig mostly every kind of music imaginable, but when I’m at Penny Lane Pub, the local Liverpool supporters bar in Richmond (owned by a true ex-Liverpudlian, I might add), I want to hear the Beatles, or even more so, the Kinks. (That and the fact that there isn’t much choice in the matter there anyway). Sure, they’re the same old tunes they’ve always been, but they’re the same old tunes I love to hear at different visits, in the company of friends. Could it be the English Premier League decor and the Fuller’s London Porter I’m sipping that puts me in this mood, or the other way around?
Regardless, it’s an aesthetic I seek out at times. This includes the effect that your environment has on your tastebuds; you’re likely to think more highly of a beer on a good night of quaffing with your pals in a comfortable, vivacious setting. Instead of opting for a better selection at a place up the road that plays mostly soft jazz and white-collar blues for its patrons, I’ll sometimes stop in to soak up the surroundings of Penny Lane, and get that cozy pub feel that you just don’t get with other places.
And it doesn’t hurt that music is good, either.
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May 18, 2008 at 6:18 am
Boak
Young’s ordinary bitter tastes much better on a sunny day than on a winters’ day. It’s pretty good any day, but I’ve been really craving it during our recent hot spell.
And how about all those bland holiday lagers that just hit the spot, the well-timed pint when you’re cultured out for the morning and need a sit down? I’m sure my deep love of Svyturys comes from a fabulous holiday there, and I also have fond memories of Dreher from Hungary. Even Cruzcampo can bring about waves of nostalgia.
A liverpool-themed pub? Whatever next! Looks like fun though.
June 11, 2008 at 9:04 pm
E.S. Delia
You know, I did like the Svyturys Ekstra more than others for some reason. It’s a quite drinkable pale lager, but I also was able to enjoy it at a place called Russia House in Washington, DC on a balmy summer day. Perhaps that had something to do with it.
And, in response to your comment about that wonderfully appointed establishment: you’ll never walk alone, my friend!