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Scientists devise formula for the perfect pint

19th October 2012 Print
Pint

Boffins have finally put their minds to good use, and answered an age-old question- what makes the perfect pint? The result was the following formula, created to figure out just what you need to make your tipples the tops:

E = - (0.62T2 + 39.2W2 + 62.4P2) + (21.8T + 184.4W + 395.4P + 94.5M – 90.25V) + 50(S + F + 6.4)

Scientists translated all perfect pint essentials such as the number of people present, the volume of the music, and the person’s mood into a not-so-simple calculation.

The equation also takes into account the availability of snacks, the ambient room temperature, and the number of days until you are required back at work.

Researchers calculated that the higher the final score for ‘E’, the greater the enjoyment of the pint will be.

Dr David Lewis, who calculated the formula at Mindlab on behalf of pub chain Taylor Walker, said: “Following all of our research we developed a formula for the perfect pint.

“In this formula E equals the amount of enjoyment you get from the pint.

“So if you perform this calculation ‘E’ will give you a figure for the amount of enjoyment you’re going to experience when drinking that perfect pint.”

The initials in the equation stand for the following:

E = factor describing overall enjoyment
T = the ambient temperature in degrees Celsius
W = the number of days until you are required back at work
P = the number of people with whom you are drinking
M = related to your mood whilst drinking the pint
V = related to the volume of the music being played
S and F are related to the availability of snacks and food.

The research team polled 1,000 volunteers from up and down the country and asked them about the conditions they preferred when drinking their pint.

Those results were then subject to a complex calculation by mathematicians and physicists in order to concoct the perfect formula.

The study also revealed that where you live plays an important role in how a drink is enjoyed.

Dr Lewis continued: “Scots are the hardest drinkers when it comes to ambient temperature with over one in 10 Scots preferring to drink at an ambient temperature of below 0C.

“Central England is the place to enjoy a pint at lunch time with 14% favouring lunchtime on a work day.

“At 8% Welsh respondents scored the lowest on one to one drinking and most preferred drinking with a group.”

He also added that those in the South West were ranked as the slowest drinkers in the country, with 10% taking more than 30 minutes to finish a pint.

On the other hand those in the South East were the fastest drinkers with only 4% taking longer than half an hour to enjoy a pint and 5% enjoying a pint in less than five minutes.

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Pint