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The Benefits of Building a Sensory Program with Lindsay Barr
In these days when brewers are concerned about maximizing efficiencies and cutting costs, a sensory program might not seem like the natural tool for brewers to utilize to optimize their brewing process. I sat down with Lindsay Barr, co-founder of DraughtLab and sensory science expert, to understand how a well-defined sensory program can help brewers gain greater understanding of their beers and thus their overall process.
What is your background in sensory and brewing?
I started my career in sensory/brewing at UC Davis, Calif., in the United States. I studied food science and technology with a focus on fermentation/brewing. I fell in love with sensory at Davis and wanted to apply it with my other passion, beer. I then worked for New Belgium Brewing as a sensory scientist for almost 10 years before co-founding the DraughtLab in 2016, a company built to make sensory science accessible for everyday use. Over the years, I’ve worked with hundreds of breweries and other food and beverage companies to develop practical, scalable sensory programs that support both innovation and quality. My approach has always been grounded in combining technical accuracy with real-world applications and it’s so fun to see this philosophy play out across industries.
At the “state of the industry” talk at the Craft Brewing Conference, flavor was cited as a principal driver of growth and innovation. How can a sensory program assist here? What do you see as the trending sensory drivers in the brewing industry?
Flavor is one of the most tangible ways a brand can differentiate itself, and sensory helps teams dial that in with clarity and confidence. When it comes to trends, I’m seeing a growing emphasis on flavor stability and reformulations. There’s also a real push toward cost-savings like increasing shelf life, changing suppliers, adjusting ingredients, or modifying processes to improve margins. Sensory plays a critical role here. It helps teams understand the real flavor impact of those changes so breweries can be confident that their quality continues to improve or be unchanged when making these adjustments.
What are the essential things brewers should have in their mind while building a sensory program?
- DraughtLab. We designed DraughtLab to help you solve real-world problems and get immediate value from your sensory program.
- Tasters who feel appreciated. Your panel is a huge asset. When people feel like their input matters, they stay engaged and consistent.
- Snacks. To support #2.
- A realistic objective and sampling plan. You don’t need to do everything at once. Start with a clear goal and build from there. A focused approach prevents programs from getting overwhelmed.
How can a sensory program help reduce brewery costs?
A lot of folks don’t realize that sensory can help you save money. Take this example: most would assume that switching from one hop product to a less expensive one will automatically come at a cost to quality, but that’s not always the case. In fact, changes like this can often be made with little to no impact on consumer perception or liking, but the only way to know for sure is through sensory testing. It gives you the confidence to make cost-saving decisions without guessing and without compromising what matters most to your consumers.
Are there any tools, in addition to DraughtLab, that you would recommend brewers take advantage of? (ASBC, MBAA, etc.)
Pat Fahey’s book “Building a Sensory Program” is a great place to start.
Sensory is strongly tied to memory. Do you have a core or special sensory memory that you would like to share?
I grew up in New Mexico and there’s nothing like the smell of piñon¹ wood smoke and roasted green chiles in the fall. It signals the beginning of the holiday season, which is always so festive in New Mexico.
If you were not a sensory scientist, what would you like to be?
A U.S. Postal worker! Meeting my neighbors, getting in my steps, and contributing to a useful public institution sounds like a dream to me. Not to mention the daily sense of accomplishment that comes from starting with a pile of mail and ending with an empty bag.
About Lindsay Barr
Lindsay is the CSO and Founding Partner of DraughtLab Sensory Software, where she helps food and beverage companies utilize tasting data for product development and quality control.
Recognized as an expert in sensory science, she began her career at New Belgium Brewing Company managing their sensory and consumer research program. As chair of the American Society of Brewing Chemists Sensory Committee, she led the publication of innovative sensory evaluation techniques.
Lindsay holds a B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of New Mexico and a master’s degree in Food Science and Technology from UC Davis, where she published studies on gluten-free beer production. In 2016, she released the Beer Flavor Map, widely adopted in the industry. Lindsay is committed to developing tools that help businesses leverage sensory insights for quality enhancement.
¹ Piñon: pine nuts variety
Published Jul 21, 2025 | Updated Sep 17, 2025