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Characteristics of forced ageing

Ageing behaviour | Forced ageing at 40 °C is one of the most common methods for assessing sensory stability of pale lager beers. However, different aroma profiles frequently arise in practice compared to natural ageing at 20 °C. The present article describes the ageing characteristics of pale lager beers during forced and natural ageing, both in sensory and in analytical terms. The contribution is based on research results that have been published in BrewingScience, May/June 2018, volume 71.

Do branched chain fatty acids invariably produce off-flavours?

Sensory research | Branched chain fatty acids (isobutyric acid, isovaleric acid, and 2-methylbutyric acid) are major metabolites that originate from various metabolic pathways. Thus, these compounds are contained in various foods and beverages. These compounds in beer have their origins in malts, hops, and also from yeast metabolism. It is well accepted that these fatty acids may give rise to some rancid off-flavours. However, an effect of these compounds on overall beer flavour has not yet been fully elucidated. The following article summarises a part of the research results which have already been published in BrewingScience, 2019, issue 6: November/December.

Tracking down beer-spoilage bacteria in yeast

Optimising evidence | Detection of beer-spoilage bacteria in the brewing process is of the utmost importance. These bacteria can cause, among other things, hazes, acid and off-flavours in the product. It is extremely difficult, especially in pure culture yeast and also in cropped yeast, to track down these beer spoilers because their growth is suppressed by yeast. In addition, these bacteria are often present as trace contaminants in such yeast. In this study, a method has been developed to detect beer-spoilage bacteria in pure culture yeast much faster and with a higher degree of reliability than has been the case with existing methods.

Arabinoxylan – a cytolytic parameter oftentimes disregarded?!

Establishing a measurement methodology | The arabinoxylan substance group has been hitherto largely disregarded in the area of beverage analyses and interpretation of technological repercussions, this is due in part to the limited availability of measurement methodology. However, it is a cell wall component that should not be underestimated and is possibly – in addition to β-glucans – another important indicator or technical parameter for cytolysis.

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Beer monopoly podcast No. 9: Direct to consumer

It was a remarkable admission by James Watt, one of the founders of Scottish craft brewer BrewDog: He said that in March 2020 he broke down in tears when the severity of covid-19 became clear: BrewDog had lost almost 70 percent of its revenue overnight, almost all of its 100 bars were closed, most of its export markets stopped ordering. Pivoting its website to prominently feature its online shop proved a way out. BrewDog ended a potentially ruinous year profitably. So what can craft brewers learn from BrewDog’s e-commerce model?