New studies reveal significant findings on beer’s taste components including the effect of coriander sourced from various countries, the impact of barley proteins on hop bitterness, and the exploration of probiotic-rich beers. This research aids in developing tailored beers that could enhance both flavor and health benefits.
Frothy or smooth, bitter or sweet, light or dark: There’s a beer for most palates. As people around the world pour over the best brews at Oktoberfest celebrations or ferment about their favorite fall-themed beers, three papers published in ACS journals crack open new insights into these beverages. And if you’re hop-ing to conduct studies to find which beer is good for what ales you, please drink responsibly.
Three Beer-Related Discoveries To Celebrate Oktoberfest
1. Coriander’s Origin Changes Beer Flavor
Just like simmering a stew, brewing a beer with herbs and spices can enhance its flavor. A study in ACS Food Science & Technology reports that coriander seeds harvested from different countries (Bulgaria, Canada, Morocco and India) impart varying amounts of sweet, herbal and/or cooling flavors in Belgian white beers.
The research group found that adding three compounds specific to Bulgarian coriander seeds could also enhance flowery characteristics in a model beer they created.
2. Barley Proteins Impact Hop Bitterness
Researchers in ACS’ Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry explored how malt from two different barley cultivars interacted with hop extracts during the wort-boiling stage of the brewing process. They found that wort prepared from the higher-protein barley malt had lower acid levels, which suggests the proteins trap and remove some of the bitter-tasting hop compounds that influence the beer’s final flavor.
The researchers say these results could help brewers tailor the taste of their suds; for example, they could select low-protein barley for a hoppy beer.
3. Testing Microbes for a Probiotic Beer
Functional beverages, such as prebiotic sodas, kombucha, and fermented dairy drinks, are popular right now. To create a probiotic beer, researchers screened several different lactic acid-producing bacterial strains.
Their comprehensive brewing experiments published in ACS Food Science & Technology demonstrated that five of the 21 strains tested could reach cellular counts associated with probiotic activity. But these counts were only reached in lightly hopped beers (below 2 international bitterness units (IBUs), a level that’s insufficient to give beer its signature bitterness).
The next step for the researchers is testing the viability of the probiotic bacteria after carbonation, storage, and consumption.
References:
- “Study on Characteristic Aroma in Special Beers Brewed with Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) Seeds: Profiling of Flavor Compounds Derived from Coriander Seeds in Different Growing Areas” by Kiyoshi Takoi, Haruna Kumamaru, Atsushi Tanigawa, Ayako Sanekata, Masahide Sato and Toru Shioi, 26 September 2024, ACS Food Science & Technology.
DOI: 10.1021/acsfoodscitech.4c00579 - “The Influence of Barley Proteome on Hop Bitter Acid Yield during Brewing” by Mariana B. C. Pinto, Flavio L. Schmidt, Zhuo Chen, Juri Rappsilber, Brian Gibson and Philip C. Wietstock, 16 September 2024, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.4c04396 - “Enhancing Probiotic Viability in Beer Fermentation: Selection of Stress-Resistant Lactic Acid Bacteria and Alternative Approaches” by Carlo R. Hinojosa-Avila and Tomás García-Cayuela, 17 July 2024, ACS Food Science & Technology.
DOI: 10.1021/acsfoodscitech.4c00246