New animal research concludes that the appeal of beer has less to do with taste than its alcoholic content and effect on the brain's reward system, Science Daily reported Sept. 13.

Researcher Judy Grisel of Furman University said she and colleagues studying mice genes and behavior found that, "there is no significant correlation between the drinking patterns and the allelic status of the taste receptor on Chromosome 2, and many strains of mice voluntarily consumed enough alcohol to become dependent."

The ongoing study at Oak Ridge National Laboratory is aimed at mapping all of the genes responsible for differences in beer consumption.