Effects of “craft” vs. “traditional” labels among beer consumers with different flavor preferences: A comprehensive multi-response approach

Abstract Common definitions of craft-style beers emphasize that they are brewed by small, local breweries and that they have complex, novel and, often, bold flavors. In recent research conducted with declared craft beer drinkers who tasted beers in a blind condition, Jaeger et al. (2020) [FQAP, 103884] identified the existence of two preference segments. One segment (Craft-style Likers) preferred the characteristic complex, novel and bold flavors of many craft-style beers, while the other segment (Traditional-style Likers) preferred the less complex and milder flavors associated with traditional-style beers. In the present research, a multivariate response approach that included the evaluation of liking, sensory, holistic / conceptual, and cognitive / emotional / situational responses, as well as beer-related attitudes and behaviors, was used to assess the same set of six beers in a similar sample of declared craft beer drinkers (n=122) as used in our previous study. However, beers were now labeled to reflect the style of the beer (craft vs. traditional) and the size (small vs. large) and regional origin (local vs. international) of the brewer. Results confirmed the existence of the same two preference segments. Although the effects of labeling the beers in accordance with their craft- vs. traditional-style natures did not influence sensory, holistic / conceptual or cognitive responses, they did influence emotional and situational responses. For craft-style beer likers, the information increased their positive emotions and the situational uses for craft-style beers, while for the traditional-style beer likers the labeling had a corresponding positive effect on their judgments of the traditional style beers. The results confirm previous findings on beer and product labeling, which show that sensory properties are less susceptible to extrinsic information effects than are affective, emotional and other, non-sensory product judgments. Implications for craft and traditional brewers are discussed and suggestions for future research presented.