Germans love their beer, and in some regions of the country, locals will pledge allegiance to their home brew. It is an attachment that sometimes leads to towns forming rivalries with each other, claiming their beer is better, but can they really tell a difference?
One of the most recognized rivalries between Düsseldorf’s Altbier and Cologne’s Kölsch were put through a taste test to see if there is indeed a taste preference.
50 men from Düsseldorf and 50 from Cologne were selected for Professor Helmut Quack’s study at the Düsseldorf University of Applied Sciences, and to no surprise, 78-percent of the men picked their home beer when they were told which was which. When a blind taste test was conducted though, it was essentially 50-50.
The results won’t end the longstanding rivalry, but it does speak volumes to the power of presentation and marketing.
Now the question is which beers will be brave enough to test the tastebuds?
