Innovations in the brewing industry: light beer

Abstract

The demand for light beers has led brewers to innovate by developing light beer. However, these products are not widely accepted in Europe compared to North America and Australasia because of their lack of fullness in the taste and low bitterness compared with conventional beer. The lower levels of some important compounds, present in light beer, can explain these features since they are responsible for the characteristics of the beer. These include alcohol soluble proteins, oligosaccharides, glycerol, polyphenols, iso-α-acids, fusel alcohols and trihydroxy fatty acids. Light beer is produced by several methods, the most commonly used is the addition of glucoamylase to the wort before or during fermentation. This enzyme metabolizes residual carbohydrates (mainly dextrins) transforming them into fermentable sugars and reducing the caloric and alcohol content in this type of beer. Recently pilot studies have been carried out with genetically engineered yeast strains in which amylolytic genes are introduced into the yeast genome in order to metabolize carbohydrate residues. When introducing amylolytic genes, a better fermentability occurs although the fullness of flavor still becomes reduced.

Progress and modelling of cold contact fermentation for alcohol-free beer production: A review

“…60.7% reduction in calorie content between a pale ale and a low-alcohol beer). 11 Therefore, the impetus for producing L/AFB is a function of cultural and societal changes but has beneficially led to the manufacturing of a product with improved nutritional benefits over standard types of alcoholic beer.…”

“…13 The malting process is performed first in order to simulate the grain's natural germination cycle. 11 The barley kernels are wetted and allowed to sprout, altering the starch filled interior. 11 This transformation breaks down the hard endosperm into natural malt sugars that are then liquefied during the mashing process.…”

“…11 The barley kernels are wetted and allowed to sprout, altering the starch filled interior. 11 This transformation breaks down the hard endosperm into natural malt sugars that are then liquefied during the mashing process. The malting process also produces the enzymes used in the mashing step.…”

“…14 The grist is then added to water and this mixture is then mashed by forcing stepwise increments in heating to activate carbohydrate and protein-degrading enzymes. 11 This process is highly controlled, with constant monitoring of parameters such as pH, water-grist ratio (affusion) and residence time. 14 The mash then enters the lauter tun, with the aim of performing the separation of the liquids (wort) from the solids (spent grist).…”

Enzymes of industrial interest

“…Pectinases, and cellulases also have an important role in the malting process for beer production. Other important enzymes in this industry are glucanases, used to breakdown barley, xylanases utilized for arabinoxylans degradation and proteases required to hydrolyze large chain protein molecules present in the cereal and therefore, influencing the flavors produced during fermentation (Blanco et al, 2014).…”