Why does craft beer have excessive alcohol taste and aroma?
When a brewer mentions alcohol without any other conditions, we usually refer to ethanol (CH3CH2OH), which is the main alcohol by-product produced by the yeast fermentation process. But ethanol is not the only alcohol. Alcohol is a general term for any organic compound with free hydroxyl (-OH). Other alcohols may also appear during the fermentation process, including the so-called Fusel Alcohols:
- Isoamyl alcohol
- Propanol
- Isobutanol
- Butanol
What are the factors that affect the production of fusel?
Higher-order fusel alcohols
So, the main reason for the formation of Fusel Alcohol is because the fermentation temperature of yeast is too high. To avoid them, you need to scientifically manage the fermentation temperature. Generally, the temperature of the fermenter is usually 10°F (5°C) higher than the noodle temperature. In an ideal fermentation environment, you want to keep the internal temperature of the fermentation tank within the recommended range of the yeast used for brewing.
Proper gravity and malt balance
Extend yeast contact
How to reduce the fusel alcohol in beer?
- Choose yeasts that produce low levels of fusel alcohol. As we all know, fusel is largely a metabolite of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Selecting yeast with low fusel alcohol is the primary means to reduce the fusel alcohol in beer.
- Choose the correct method of yeast propagation. In addition to increasing the number of yeasts, yeast expansion must also increase the activity of yeasts and their ability to adapt to the environment. When carrying out the expansion of yeast, the production conditions should be simulated more so that the yeast has more ability to adapt to the actual production.
- The appropriate amount of yeast was added. Too much-added amount yeast will cause the fermentation speed to be too fast and increase the fermentation metabolites. Too little addition will increase the number of yeast propagation and cause the appearance of fusel.
- Proper wort oxygenation. The brewer needs to gradually increase the amount of dissolved oxygen in the yeast, not to make the activity of the yeast too strong, nor to make the activity of the yeast too weak.
- Lower the pH of the wort. The pH of the wort is controlled at around 5.4 by the acid adjustment technology, and the mashing time is shortened as much as possible to reduce the dissolution of buffer substances in the wort. In addition, the most suitable pH for yeast is around 5.4, which is also conducive to the normal reproduction of yeast.
- Choose an appropriate fermentation temperature. In general, the higher the fermentation temperature, the more fusel alcohols will be produced.
- Appropriately increase the pressure in the fermentation tank. When the pressure of the fermenter is increased, the yeast activity is inhibited and the metabolites are reduced. However, the increase in pressure is not conducive to the volatilization of acetaldehyde and will increase the content of acetaldehyde. In addition, the increase in pressure will accelerate the sedimentation of yeast, which may cause difficulty in diacetyl reduction.
- Properly extend the time of beer in the high-temperature period. This will help the yeast consume the sugar more thoroughly and make the beer flavor purer. In addition, this is also conducive to the volatilization of fusel alcohol.
- Try to make the wort clearer and brighter. Because the turbid wort contains a lot of fatty acids or sediments, they will be adsorbed on the surface of the yeast, making it difficult for the yeast to carry out breathing and metabolism. This will cause the fermentation process to be slow and at the same time produce a large amount of fusel alcohol.
- Recovering yeast as early as possible is also an important means to reduce fusel alcohol. Because after fermentation, the yeast will settle at the bottom of the cone, high pressure, alcohol, and CO2 will reduce yeast activity, and beer’s solubility for fusel alcohol will increase. Also, prolonged high temperatures will cause yeast autolysis, increase the fusel alcohol in beer and produce unpleasant odors.
- Reduce oxygen inhalation in beer. During the beer filtering and filling process, the inhalation of oxygen will increase aldehydes, leading to an increase in fusel alcohols in the beer.
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No matter how many times you have brewed beer in the past when you open the first bottle of a new batch, it is always exciting. Maybe the aroma of hops will be as good as expected, maybe the beer will be muddy, or the beer will taste like vinegar. Beer that tastes like vinegar
Beer always contains some form of phenols (phenols and polyphenols, etc.), such as tannins (directly derived from hops and malt). Although low levels of polyphenols can increase the taste of beer, high levels of polyphenols can cause dryness and astringency. When beer glasses are described as phenols, they usually refer to volatile phenols. Volatile phenols
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