A new study found that coffee drinkers are actually more sensitive to the bitter taste of caffeine.

Coffee is a complex beverage – and it’s experienced differently by everyone.

Your appreciation (or not) of coffee is largely driven by genetics, which control a host of factors raging from your caffeine tolerance to sensory perception.

A new study from Northwestern University, recently published in Scientific Reports, found that coffee lovers aren’t less sensitive to the bitter taste of coffee – instead, the opposite is true.

This suggests an interesting psychological phenomenon behind our love of coffee.

People with genes indicating high sensitivity to quinine and propylthiouracil tended to drink less coffee on average, Forbes reports.

But humans generally have a genetic “inborn aversion towards bitterness,” to stop us from eating  poisonous food. So why do we keep refilling our cups?

Researchers suggest a psychological phenomenon: “It is possible that coffee consumers acquire a taste for (or an ability to detect) caffeine given the learned positive reinforcement (i.e. stimulation) elicited by caffeine.”

This means that coffee is literally an acquired taste, driven by our Pavlovian response associating the bitterness to the subsequent energy boost over time.

Read more: The Funny Psychology Of Why We Love The Taste Of Coffee

Related: Is Caffeine In Your Genes?

Gif via Giphy 

4 in 5 consumers say they look forward to fall seasonal items the most

Is this the end of pumpkin spice?

By Amanda Topper, Mintel

The following is an edited excerpt from the Mintel Blog. Read the full post 

Wake up and smell the coffee: Pumpkin spice’s reign as top autumn coffee beverage may be coming to an end.

Menu mentions of pumpkin-flavored coffees declined 30% from Fall 2015-Fall 2017, according to Mintel Menu Insights. This decline was driven mainly by a few quick-service restaurants (QSRs).

Mintel’s US research on seasonal dining trends finds diners are more likely to gravitate toward salty/sweet, spicy/sweet, savory, and spicy flavored beverages during the fall and winter months.

While pumpkin-flavored coffees still appear on fall seasonal menus, operators are also expanding their fall seasonal coffee options to include non-pumpkin flavors.

Recently launched flavors include:

• Crème brûlée
• Salted caramel
• Horchata
• Maple pecan
• Smoked butterscotch
• Chestnut praline

Despite the expansion of fall seasonal coffee flavors, many operators recognize the affinity some consumers have toward the pumpkin spice flavor.

Four in five consumers say they look forward to fall seasonal items the most.

WHAT WE THINK

Good or bad, pumpkin spice is here to stay, with key operators likely to continue offering the ‘classic’ flavor during the fall season.

However, as these declines show, there is room for additional flavors that can appeal to consumers that are not among the pumpkin spice faithful.

Several recently launched fall limited-time offers (LTOs) provide a slightly different take on familiar flavors, such as caramel, vanilla, and butterscotch, offering consumers a sense of indulgence and adventure. Additionally, these menu items are bound to create buzz due to their limited availability.

Operators should consider offering a variety of fall seasonal coffee flavors, featuring new and classic options, to appeal to a wide consumer base.

Read the full post at Mintel

Amanda Topper is the Associate Director of Foodservice Research, responsible for overseeing all of Mintel’s foodservice offerings, as well as providing insight and competitive analysis across scheduled deliverables, and client and industry presentations.

Watch the NCA webinar: The Complexity of Flavor Labeling (member login required)