STABILITY OF ESSENTIAL OIL OF HOPS

The stability of hop essential oil in beers, in hops and in aqueous emulsions has been investigated. Hop character of beers treated with hop oil emulsion has stability on pasteurization and storage similar to that of dry hopped beers. When bottled with high levels of headspace air, beers lose hop character. Beers dry-hopped with stored hops or with hops damaged during pelleting tend to develop sulphury flavours. However, hop oil emulsions prepared from such hops give rise to a sound hop character in beer. Hop oil emulsion produced by the new process shows good stability physically, chemically and biologically, particularly when mechanically homogenized and stored under an inert atmosphere. The extent of any chemical alteration due to contact with air may be estimated spectrophotometrically.     

INSTITUTE OF BREWING HOPS ADVISORY COMMITTEE BREWING TRIALS WITH WYE CHALLENGER,WYE TARGET AND NORTHERN BREWER HOPS

The Wye Challenger hops brewed in the 1972 trial had higher α-acid contents but produced similar bitterness (EBU's) when brewed at similar α-acid-into-brew rates as Northern Brewer hops. On average the Wye Challenger hopped beers drunk slightly less bitter than the Northern Brewer hopped beers but, overall, drinkers indicated no preference between these beers. The Wye Target hops used in the 1972 trial came from four growths of varying α-acid contents. However, at similar α-acid-into-brew rates as used for Northern Brewer hops similar levels of bitterness (EBU's) were obtained. On average, the drinkers thought the Wye Target hopped beers drank slightly less bitter but were equally preferred on general flavour grounds to the Northern Brewer hopped beers. All breweries thought Wye Challenger, Wye Target and Northern Brewer suitable as a copper hop for at least up to 50% of the hop grist.     

VOLATILE HOP CONSTITUENTS IN WORT

Using a distillation-extraction technique, a commercial wort, both before and after hopping, was analysed by GLC for the presence of volatile compounds contributed by hops. The hopped wort contained at least 0·32 p.p.m. of volatile hop constituents which is probably sufficient to influence flavour. Most of these belonged to a group of water-soluble compounds which have not previously been detected in worts or beers.     

USE OF EXTRACTS PREPARED WITH LIQUID CARBON DIOXIDE AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR DRY HOPS

Liquid carbon dioxide hop extracts were prepared for use as a substitute for dry hops. Many of these extracts were oil rich fractions containing up to 14% (w/w) hop oil. Extracts of Styrian Golding, Wye Target and Wye Northdown hops were used to treat ales prior to completion of beer processing and subsequent packaging. Emulsion/suspension systems were developed as carriers to facilitate addition of these extracts to beers before the chilling process. A loss of hop character from beer was found to occur during fining and filtration. Beers, treated with the extracts, exhibited natural though varietally distinct dry hop character. Production scale trials using these extracts have been successfully carried out to dry hop a brewery conditioned draught bitter and to match a traditionally dry hopped premium pale ale. The quantities of extract used indicated that economies in hop usage can be achieved when substituting liquid carbon dioxide hop extracts for dry hops.     

PILOT PLANT EXTRACTION OF HOPS WITH LIQUID CARBON DIOXIDE AND THE USE OF THESE EXTRACTS IN PILOT AND PRODUCTION SCALE BREWINGa

Several varieties of hop have been satisfactorily extracted using liquid carbon dioxide in a plant operating on the 1 kg scale. The extracts have been used in small scale (0·6 and 16 hl) and production scale (700–800 hl) brewing trials where both ales and lagers were produced. All beers were of sound quality and could not be distinguished organoleptically from controls brewed with either hops or commercial hop extracts.     

THE STORAGE OF PELLETED POWDERS MADE FROM WYE NORTHDOWN HOPS

Pelleted hop powder from seeded Wye Northdown hops of the 1976 crop shows small losses in lead conductance value (LCV) when stored in commercial packs for ca. 12 months after processing. The losses for hop pellets stored at ambient temperature are slightly more rapid than for those stored at 0 to 4°C. Losses in LCV of pellets during storage in the cold or at ambient temperature are substantially less than those of seeded Wye Northdown cone hops stored in pockets under comparable conditions. The hop pellets showed no significant loss in oil content or bittering potential over the storage period. Taste panels were unable to detect differences in flavour when comparisons were made of beers bittered with pellets stored in the cold and at ambient temperature.     

The Influence of Hopping on Formation of Carbonyl Compounds During Storage of Beer

Improving beer flavour stability is an important brewing goal. Pilot scale brewing trials (50 L) were performed that focused on the determination of the influence of hop pellet dosage and dosage timing on carbonyl compounds in stored beer. The reducing activity of experimental worts, beers and stored beers appeared to depend on the hop pellet dose. Brews with lower amounts of hop antioxidants showed an enhanced formation of carbonyl compounds over the course of beer storage. A correlation between DPPH reducing activity and the content of some carbonyls, including the important markers 2‐furfural and (E)‐2‐nonenal, was found. Fresh and aged beers hopped by different amounts of hop pellet doses were clearly distinguishable according to their carbonyl content using Cluster analysis. Results of the sensorial analysis corresponded to the analytical criteria values. Results of this study bring further evidence of the indispensable impact of hop antioxidants on the suppression of undesirable carbonyl compound formation in the course of beer staling, which can be significant in beers hopped by aroma hops. However, hop antioxidants are only one of many factors affecting beer staling.     

ESTIMATION OF α-, β- AND ISO-α-ACIDS IN HOPS,HOP PRODUCTS AND BEER USING HIGH PERFORMANCE LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY

Methods are described in which high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is used to estimate α-, β- and iso-α-acids in hops, hop products and beer. The chromatography relies on an isocratic elution of components from a polythene ‘cartridge’ column, and the method is calibrated with the pure substances as primary standards. Using such a column over 1000 analyses have been carried out without any significant loss in resolution or precision. The procedures are sufficiently rapid for use in commercial transactions and for quality control purposes. For hops and hop extracts coefficients of variation (%) of 2·5 and 0·8 were obtained respectively for α-acids. Values of 0·9 and 0·3 were obtained for iso-α-acids in isomerised extracts and beers respectively. For some isomerised extracts it has been observed that peaks in addition to those given by the iso-α-acids are present on the chromatogram. The current method recommended by the EBC over estimates the iso-α-acid content since these other constituents are included in the analysis.     

Kaffircorn malting and brewing studies XV.—The fusel oils of kaffir beer

A method for determining the fusel oil content of kaffir beer, based on the A.O.A.C. method for alcoholic beverages, was developed. The average fusel oil content of kaffer beer is high, 227 ppm in comparison with European type beer (average 110 ppm). The increase of fusel oil and ethanol content with time (0-72 h after seeding) was studied. Abnormally heavy yeast seedings reduced the fusel oil content from 290 to 190 ppm without affecting alcohol production. Combination of heavy seeding and ammonium phosphate reduced the fusel oil to 90 ppm, the level found in many European type beers. The ethanol content was reduced from 3·5 to 2·5% (v/v). Fusel oil produced relative to the amount of ethanol formed revealed that heavy seeding, with and without the addition of ammonium salts, reduced the amount of fusel oil formation by 2/3 and 1/3 respectively.     

DIFFERENCES IN UTILISATION OF THE ESSENTIAL OIL OF HOPS DURING THE PRODUCTION OF DRY-HOPPED AND LATE-HOPPED BEERS

Late-hopped and dry-hopped beers were prepared and their lipophilic constituents extracted using Amberlite XAD-2 resin. Examination of the volatile constituents by GC-MS confirmed that most of the hop oil added towards the end of wort boiling is lost by evaporation. Part of the material which survives boiling is chemically transformed by yeast during fermentation. Dry-hopped beer contained compounds more representative of the original hop oil than did the corresponding late-hopped beer. A liquid carbon dioxide extract of hops, rich in essential oil, has been fractionated by column chromatography on alumina-silica giving preparations which simulate either late-hop or dry-hop character.     

THE DETERMINATION OF α- AND β-ACIDS IN HOPS AND HOP PRODUCTS USING HPLC

A rapid reversed phase HPLC method for the analysis for α- and β-acids in hops and hop products is described and has been evaluated. The method uses citric acid in the eluent as a complexing agent to overcome the irreversible adsorption effects shown by some columns, thus allowing optimum eluent pH to be selected. The precision of the method for analysis of hop extract has been determined giving relative standard deviations of 1·0% and 2·1% for α- and β-acids respectively. General agreement with results obtained using a polarimetric α-acids analysis method for hop extracts and hops has been demonstrated.     

Influence of hop harvest date of the ‘Mandarina Bavaria’ hop variety on the sensory evaluation of dry‐hopped top‐fermented beer

To impart a special hop aroma to beer, dry‐hopping is a technique that is becoming more and more popular with commercial breweries. Nevertheless, until now little was known about the factors that influence the reproducibility (and consistent product quality) of dry‐hopping with flavour varieties. One factor that could influence the sensory impressions and aroma profile compositions of dry‐hopped beers is the hop harvest date. Therefore, to determine the effects of different harvest dates of the flavour variety ‘Mandarina Bavaria’ on the aroma of top‐fermented beer, laboratory‐scale dry‐hopping trials were performed. Besides tasting sessions of brewed beers, relative quantities of selected hop‐derived, as well as beer‐originated aroma compounds, were investigated by headspace–solid‐phase microextraction–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Duo–trio tests between the beers hopped with pellets of different harvest dates showed no significant differences (α = 0.05) between them. In addition, these beers had similar profiles in a five‐point profile tasting scheme. On the other hand, relative concentrations of some hop‐derived aroma compounds – especially myrcene, which is known to be able to contribute to beer flavour – increased corresponding to a later harvest date, while beer originated volatiles were not different between the beers. Analytical results combined with the results of sensory evaluations led to the conclusion that the harvest date of Mandarina Bavaria was not a dominant factor in the dry‐hopping aroma of top‐fermented beers. High amounts of fermentation by‐products are likely responsible for masking effects resulting in no sensory distinctness between the samples with different hop aroma compound concentrations. Copyright © 2016 The Institute of Brewing & Distilling     

THE BITTERNESS OF HOP-DERIVED MATERIALS IN BEER

The bitterness of trans- and cis-isohumulones obtained both from beer and by alkaline isomerization of α-acids has been compared with the bitterness of hop resins and other materials extractable from beer. Trans-isohumulones and cis-isohumulones, obtained either from beer or by alkaline isomerization of α-acids, and hulupones have been shown to be the most bitter materials. Hulupones were only slightly less bitter than trans-and cis-isohumulones, which showed little difference in bitterness value when prepared directly, although the collective tasting results show a bias for a greater bittering associated with the cis-component. The hulupones, like the parent β-acid, possessed a distinctive aromatic flavour. α-Acids and other unidentified materials obtained from beer brewed with hops of a normal age have been found to possess a much lower level of bitterness. The observation that aged hops impart normal levels of tastable bitterness to beer has been confirmed at significant brewery level (60 brl.) using grists consisting solely of six year old hops. Approximately 35% of this bitterness is provided by isohumulones and the greater part of the remainder arises from materials soluble in low-boiling paraffinic hydrocarbon solvents. A known β-acid oxidation material has been isolated from fresh and old hops and from beers brewed with either fresh or old hops.     

YEAST MUTANTS EXCRETING VITAMIN B1 AND THEIR USE IN THE PRODUCTION OF THIAMINE RICH BEERS*,†

In certain strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces uvarum (carlsbergensis), high doses of ultraviolet radiation induced stable mutants excreting thiamine from their living cells during the ethanol production. In S. cerevisiae, the first mutagenesis step yielded mutants with the production of 0·3–0·5 mg extracellular thiamine. HCL/litre minimum medium without thiamine and the second one increased the production up to 2·0–2·1 mg thiamine. HCL/litre. In S. uvarum (carlsbergensis), mutants producing up to 0·76 mg thiamine. HCL/litre 10% Plato hopped wort were obtained in the first mutagenesis step combined with mitotic recombinations. The increase up to 0·92 mg/litre was achieved here by repeated selections. Both laboratory and pilot plant fermentations in 10 and 4% Plato hopped worts showed the suitability of selected mutants for the production of thiamine rich beers which fulfilled all quality requirements and contained 0·67–0·80 and 0·22–0·33 mg thiamine. HCI/litre, respectively.     

FLAVOUR AND HAZE STABILITY DIFFERENCES DUE TO HOP TANNINS IN ALL-MALT PILSNER BEERS BREWED WITH PROANTHOCYANIDIN-FREE MALT

All-malt Pilsner beers were brewed with proanthocyanidin-free malt (ant 13 × 13 × Rupal). Hopping was with n-hexane tannin-free hop extract with or without n-hexane extracted hop residue or with whole leaf hops. The different beers were analysed chemically and presented to an expert panel to detect possible preferences and differences in bitterness and astringency. The impact of hop proantho-cyanidins on haze formation is comparable to that of malt proanthocyanidins. No differences between the beers were found in triangular tests. Statistical analysis of the paired comparison tests showed that hop proanthocyanidins do not contribute to the bitterness of beer since beer brewed with tannin-free hop extract is slightly more bitter than beer brewed with whole leaf hops. No differences in astringency were noted between beers brewed with or without hop proanthocyanidins and it was found that the panel expressed a very slight preference for beer brewed with n-hexane hop extract over beer brewed with both n-hexane hop extract and extracted hop residue.     

A Study of the Fate of Volatile Hop Constituents in Beer

SUMMARY— The volatile material from a pilot plant brewed beer (hopped) has been analyzed by the direct combination of capillary gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. None of the major volatile terpenoid hydrocarbons of hops (myrcene, caryophyllene, humulene) could be detected in the beer volatiles. The only volatile constituents in the beer which could be assigned to hops with some certainty were ethyl dec-4-enoate and ethyl deca-4,9-dienoate, which exist in the hop oil as the methyl esters.
A capillary gas chromatography analysis of a beer which was brewed without hops but with methyl dec-4-enoate (0.02 g/L) showed that this ester was converted to the ethyl ester by the fermentation.
A study was also carried out using model systems to parallel the "kettle boiling" step of brewing. This involved boiling hops with water for a set period and filtering the water extract from the hops. It was found that the pattern of volatile hop constituents in the filtrate (hopped water) was quite different from hop oil and consisted principally of free organic acids, humulene epoxide, humulenol, and other hop oil oxygenated components. With fine filteration through Celite, very little myrcene, humulene, or caryophyllene were transferred into the water, even though they form the major part of hop volatiles. If, however, only coarse filtration was used, a greater amount of these hydrocarbons were found in the filtrate.
It is concluded that the amount of volatile hop oil constituents reaching the final beer probably depends upon the exact conditions of the brewing process used. No evidence could be found in the present work to support the view that the tiny amounts that do survive in beer prepared by the typical American process could contribute more than a very minor amount to the characteristic beer aroma.     

HOP INDUSTRY ADVISORY COMMITTEE: ANALYSIS OF HOPS OF THE 1975 CROP

Analytical values for α-acid content of eleven varieties of hops from the 1975 crop are presented in relation to the district of production. For most of the varieties the variation within growths was lower than in the previous year. With amended sampling rates, the tolerance limits of ±0·5 % were achieved for all hop varieties and the results are acceptable for commercial purposes. Some α-acid values for seedless hops from the Seedless Hop Trials are included in the Report and comparisons with seeded hops are shown over a three year period.