Kirin Nodogoshi Drinkability R&D

Kirin has developed a method for measuring the drinkability or ease of drinking for various liquids. This is a hugely important subject in general, because many people (especially older people) have difficulty swallowing. So many applications for this new technique they have developed might be on the horizon, but as a first step it was used to measure and improve Kirin Nodogoshi Beer.
In the explanation, they go to great pains to explain that the concept of "nodogoshi" has no exact equivalent in English or German. The definition in Japanese refers to the sensation of liquid passing through the throat when being swallowed (and is usually considered to be a positive sensation). The new method was developed in collaboration with the Niigata Rehabilitation University and consists of basically an EKG for the muscles in the neck. The frequency of the signals was associated with what the participants described as nodogoshi. They started out with soft water, cold water and carbonated water, which are known to be relatively easy to swallow and then moved on to liquids with different ingredients.
As you could easily predict, this method shows what a high level of "nodogoshi" Kirin Nodogoshi Beer displays.

http://www.kirin.co.jp/brands/nodogoshi/product/oi_secret.html

Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.