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Very cool! I thought it was interesting that you're getting good, usable data despite using untrained tasters - have you ever experimented with using some kind of calibrated tasters, like BJCP judges or something? Do you think it would lead you to get the same kind of data, but with a smaller sample size? Or would it not really make a difference?

EDIT: never mind, I just saw in another comment that you're using your own, trained staff - I miss-read the article.

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We use our own staff for R&D (training the models), but semi-trained tasters are reviewing the product at the brewery;

we weight individuals on a verity of factors and have a pre-processing method that controls for experience level in expected flavor perception per flaw.

So experience level is important, but we often have to work around it. Most of the employees of a brewery or other beverage manufacturing are relatively experienced anyway!

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