β-GLUCAN AND β-GLUCAN SOLUBILASE IN MALTING AND MASHING

During malting the water-insoluble β-glucan of barley is diminished whilst water-soluble gum is little decreased. The amount of β-glucan surviving into malt depends on variety but barleys rich in glucan give malts with high β-glucan levels. The β-glucan content of barley depends on variety and growth site. β-Glucan solubilase survives mashing and catalyses the release of hemicellulose into solution. There is no correlation between the β-glucan content of malt and the amount released into wort. However, barley adjuncts containing high levels of β-glucan give worts rich in β-glucan. β-Glucan dissolution in mashing is dependent on time, temperature, grist particle size and liquor: grist ratio. Use of adjuncts derived from barley contribute relatively more β-glucan in wort, coinciding with reduced rates of wort separation, but these can be increased by using a β-glucanase produced by growing the fungus Trichoderma viride on spent grains.     

小麦与小麦芽的添加量对12°P麦汁非淀粉多糖和蛋白组分的影响

在原料中分别添加5%、10%、15%、20%、25%、30%和35%的小麦和小麦芽,糖化制备12°P麦汁,比较研究小麦和小麦芽使用量对麦汁非淀粉多糖和蛋白组分的影响。结果表明,随着小麦或小麦芽添加量的增加,麦汁的β-葡聚糖含量下降,总糖、阿拉伯木聚糖、总氮含量和黏度增加,小麦的添加量与阿拉伯木聚糖含量呈显著正相关(R=0.806),小麦芽的添加量与阿拉伯木聚糖含量呈极显著正相关(R=0.918)。添加小麦的麦汁α-AN含量、色度和浊度有所下降,小麦添加量与α-AN呈极显著负相关(R=-0.975);添加小麦芽的麦汁色度和浊度增加,α-AN含量变化趋势不明显,与小麦芽添加量没有显著相关性。随着添加量的增加,添加小麦的麦汁高分子氮含量增加,中分子氮含量变化不大,低分子氮含量降低;添加小麦芽的麦汁高分子氮、中分子氮和低分子氮含量均增加。小麦添加量与高分子氮的含量呈极显著正相关(R=0.932),小麦芽添加量与总氮(R=0.940)、高分子氮(R=0.994)和中分子氮(R=0.909)均呈极显著正相关。     

Carbohydrate content and structure during malting and brewing: a mass balance study

A holistic view of the fate of barley starch, arabinoxylan and β-glucan throughout malting and brewing is largely missing. Here, an industrial scale malting trial and pilot brewing trial were performed, and the concentration and structural characteristics of carbohydrates were analysed at 28 key points in the process. The barley starch content decreased during malting from 75.0% to 69.7%. During mashing, malt starch was converted to fermentable sugars (75.3%), dextrin (22.8%) or was retained in spent grains (1.8%). Arabinoxylan was partially hydrolysed during malting. Despite mashing-in at 45°C, no further solubilisation of arabinoxylan was observed during mashing. However, the average degree of polymerisation of the soluble arabinoxylan fraction decreased slightly. During fermentation, the arabinoxylan content decreased to 2.5 g/L. The amount of barley β-glucan decreased gradually in time during malting. Of the solubilised β-glucan, 31% was retained in the spent grains during wort filtration, slightly lowering the β-glucan content in the wort. The β-glucan content remained at 0.5 g/L during fermentation. Sucrose was hydrolysed during mashing, probably by barley invertases. From the total amount of malt used, 41.0% was converted to fermentable sugars. This mashing yield could have been improved by the full hydrolysis to fermentable sugars of the present β-glucan (to 41.1%), the remaining starch in spent grains (to 42.0%) and dextrin in wort (to 50.3%). These results provide more insight into the carbohydrate conversions during malting and brewing and can act as a baseline measurement for future work. © 2020 The Institute of Brewing & Distilling     

THE VISCOSITY OF WORTS IN RELATION TO THEIR CONTENT OF β-GLUCAN

A procedure is given for assessing that proportion of wort viscosity which is attributable to β-glucan. Worts obtained from unkilned samples of malt which have been processed for 54 or 72 h show enhanced viscosity. This is principally due to β-glucan although the contribution of other constituents, absent from the wort of fully modified malt, is of significance. Barley variety is shown to have a pronounced effect on wort viscosity. Insoluble β-glucan is brought into solution in mashes at 65° C. The β-glucan isolated from malt which has been inactivated using aqueous ethanol prior to extraction at 65° C, is of higher specific viscosity than that isolated from control worts prepared at the same temperature. The introduction of a rest by mashing initially at 40° C results in the production of wort of lower viscosity, a decrease in the β-glucan content of the wort and a reduction in the specific viscosity of the β-glucan. There is no apparent relationship between the endo-β-glucanase content of the malts and either the viscosity of derived worts or the degree of breakdown of β-glucan which occurred during malting and mashing. Abrasion of barley, which is a factor assisting the distribution of enzymes during malting, acts to reduce wort viscosity.     

Changes in crude arabinoxylan during cloudy wheat beer brewing on a production scale

As one of the major non‐starch polysaccharides in the cloudy wheat beer, arabinoxylan has a crucial influence on the wort viscosity, foam profile and stability of the beer. In this study, the cloudy wheat beer was fermented on a production scale with a ratio of barley to wheat malt of 1:1, during which the changes in arabinoxylan were monitored in order to determine the key steps which influence the content, substitution degree of arabinoxylan (A/X) and average degree of polymerization (avDP) value of crude arabinoxylan during cloudy wheat beer brewing. The results show that the total contents of crude arabinoxylan, arabinose, xylose and galactose increased until the end of mashing and then dropped with the addition of spent grain sparging water. The crude arabinoxylan decreased during the saccharification, and then stabilized at ~10.00 mg/g. During fermentation and storage, the content of crude arabinoxylan did not change remarkably. The A/X remained at ~0.50 in the process of wort preparation and brewing and the avDP value of crude arabinoxylan decreased during saccharification and then stayed at ~3.00 in the fermentation and storage phases, which was lower because the contents of free arabinose, xylose and galactose were not subtracted from the total contents of the sugars. Therefore, wort preparation is shown the key step influencing the changes in crude arabinoxylan during cloudy wheat beer brewing. Copyright © 2017 The Institute of Brewing & Distilling     

Unmalted triticale cultivars as brewing adjuncts: effects of enzyme activities and composition on beer wort quality

The applicability of three selected triticale cultivars (Trinidad, Lamberto, Fidelio) for use as brewing adjuncts was investigated in comparison with wheat adjunct and barley malt. Fermentable substance, crude protein and arabinoxylan levels of starchy materials were determined as well as their native potencies (amylolytic, proteolytic, pentosolytic) to solubilise and degrade grain components during mashing. Laboratory‐scale experiments were performed to evaluate the influence of the adjuncts (composition, enzyme potency) on beer wort quality by mashing mixed (1:1) grists of malt and adjunct. Barley malt was rated as the superior raw material, possessing considerably higher enzyme activities and yielding the lowest wort viscosity. Among the triticale cultivars cv Trinidad was identified as the most suitable to serve as a brewing adjunct due to its improved starch solubilisation properties and its ability to generate low wort viscosities. Compared with the potent malt enzymes, the enzyme activities of unmalted triticale (such as amylases, pentosanases and proteases) had little affect on the composition of the sweet worts. In contrast, the contents of crude protein and fermentable substance of the triticale varieties greatly affected wort quality. Furthermore, the adjunct moiety determined the level of wort viscosity when mashing a combination of malt and triticale. In general, the brewing properties of triticale cv Trinidad were comparable with those of wheat. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry     

INHIBITOR OF FLUORESCENCE REACTIONS BETWEEN CALCOFLUOR AND β-(1,3)(1,4)-D-GLUCAN IN BEER AND WORT

An inhibitor of calcofluor fluorescence reaction in beer and wort was shown by analyzing beers and worts containing no β-glucan. The inhibitory activity was enhanced against the fluorescence reaction which is intensified by linkage of calcofluor with β-glucan compared to the fluorescence of calcofluor itself. The investigation indicated that the inhibitor was derived from malt and is produced during the germination process. The inhibitory activity in beer and wort changed with the degree of malt modification and the ratio of malt in the grist. Japanese beers had a wide range of inhibitory activities against the calcofluor fluorescence, lowering the apparent β-glucan contents by 12 to 20%. The inhibitor in beer and wort appeared to be an acidic compound with a molecular weight of less than 1000 daltons.     

Comparison of the impact on the performance of small‐scale mashing with different proportions of unmalted barley,Ondea Pro®, malt and rice

The impact of using different combinations of unmalted barley, Ondea Pro® and barley malt in conjunction with a 35% rice adjunct on mashing performance was examined in a series of small scale mashing trials. The objective was to identify the potential optimal levels and boundaries for the mashing combinations of barley, Ondea Pro®, malt and 35% rice (BOMR) that might apply in commercial brewing. Barley and malt samples used for the trials were selected from a range of Australian commercial barley and malt samples following evaluation by small‐scale mashing. This investigation builds on previous studies in order to adapt the technology to brewing styles common in Asia, where the use of high levels of rice adjunct is common. Mashing with the rice adjunct, combined with differing proportions of barley, Ondea Pro® and malt, resulted in higher extract levels than were observed for reference mashing, using either 100% malt reference or 100% barley reference and Ondea Pro® enzymes. Synergistic mashing effects between barley, Ondea Pro® and malt were observed for mash quality and efficiency parameters, particularly wort fermentability. The optimum levels of barley in the grist (with the relative level of Ondea Pro®) were assessed to be in the range 45–55% when paired with 10–20% malt and 35% rice. When the proportion of malt was reduced below 10% of the grist, substantial reductions in wort quality were observed for wort quality parameters including extract, lautering, fermentability, free amino nitrogen and haze. Extension of this new approach to brewing with rice adjuncts will benefit from further research into barley varietal selection in order to better meet brewer's quality requirements for the finished beer. Copyright © 2016 The Institute of Brewing & Distilling     

Effects of Mashing Parameters on Mash β‐Glucan,FAN and Soluble Extract Levels

To gain further technological knowledge of mashing, pilot scale mashing trials were carried out varying mashing programme (upward/isothermal mashing), milling procedure, grist:liquor ratio, time of mash stands, and grist modification level (well and poorly modified malt). During mashing β‐glucan, free amino nitrogen (FAN) and extract contents were analysed as key indicators for cytolysis, proteolysis, and amylolysis, respectively. The malt modification was of major impact for the β‐glucan release in contrast to a variation of milling procedure and of grist:liquor ratio. Extended stands lead to increased final values only for poorly modified malt. Similarly, FAN release was predetermined by malt modification while variation of milling and of grist:liquor ratio was not relevant in contrast to stand extension. None of the variations applied influenced extract yield as long as gelatinization temperature was reached. Greatest gains occurred around 57°C. In conclusion, wort quality is critically determined by malt modification. Mashing with well modified malt in combination with short stands should result in a mash of low β‐glucan and sufficient FAN level without losing extract yield. However, for poorly modified malt the variation of mashing parameters has an impact on the key indicators in which cytolysis plays the dominating role.     

EXTRUDED SORGHUM AS A BREWING RAW MATERIAL

Small scale mashes (50 g total grist) with grists containing up to 50% by weight of extruded whole sorghum produced worts of high extract yield and low viscosity. Increasing the proportion of extruded sorghum in the grist resulted in decreasing wort filtration volume, total nitrogen and free amino nitrogen content. The wort filtration behaviour of mashes containing sorghum extruded at 175°C was superior to that of mashes containing sorghum extruded at 165°C or 185°C. The results from such small scale mashing experiments suggested that extruded sorghum compared favourably to extruded barley and extruded wheat as a brewing adjunct. Worts and beers were produced on a pilot brewery scale (100 1) from grists comprising 70% malt + 30% extruded sorghum and 100% malt under isothermal infusion mashing conditions. Mashes containing sorghum extruded at 175°C showed comparable wort filtration behaviour to that of the all malt control mash whereas mashes containing sorghum extruded at 165°C or 185°C showed poor wort filtration behaviour. Worts produced from grists containing extruded sorghum fermented more quickly than the control wort and attained lower values of final gravity. The resulting beers were filtered without difficulty. Beers produced from grists containing extruded sorghum contained lower levels of total nitrogen and free amino nitrogen compared to the control beer consistent with extruded sorghum contributing little or no nitrogenous material to the wort and beer. Beers brewed from grists containing extruded sorghum were of sound flavour and showed reasonable foam stability behaviour.     

COMPOSITION OF NON-STARCH POLYSACCHARIDES IN WORT AND SPENT GRAIN FROM BREWING TRIALS WITH MALT FROM A GOOD MALTING QUALITY BARLEY AND A FEED BARLEY

Worts and spent grains were obtained from pilot-scale brews using malts of two barley varieties differing in malting quality. Triumph was used as an example of a good malting quality barley and Golf as a typical feed grade barley. Arabinoxylan concentrations were similar in worts of both varieties, whereas (1–3), (1–4)-β-glucan concentrations were much higher in wort prepared from Golf malt than in wort from Triumph malt. From the worts, polysaccharide fractions were isolated by ethanol precipitation and characterised. Results indicated the presence of high molecular weight arabinoxylans and (1–3), (1–4)-β-glucans. The arabinose to xylose ratios in the precipitates were considerably higher than in total worts. Methylation analysis showed little differences between precipitated wort arabinoxylans from both varieties. In comparison to water-insoluble arabinoxylans extracted from barley and malt, the precipitated wort arabinoxylans were richer in xylopyranose residues substituted with arabinose residues at both 0–2 and 0–3. Viscosities of the hopped worts of both varieties decreased after treatment with endoxylanase 1 from Aspergillus awamori. This confirms that arabinoxylans play a role in determining wort viscosity, possibly through interactions with (1–3), (1–4)-β-glucans.     

Effect of kilning on the composition of protein and arabinoxylan in wheat malt

To explore the effect of kilning on the quality of wheat malt, wheat variety LM21 was malted with three different kilning programmes. Protein composition and arabinoxylan, xylanase (EC 3.2.1.8) activity, diastatic power and free amino nitrogen (FAN) were evaluated. Arabinoxylan content and xylanase activity were monitored during the kilning process. The results showed that the malt obtained from the kilning programme A showed the highest diastatic power, Kolbach index, FAN and lowest wort viscosity. Total arabinoxylan content showed no significant change during the kilning process, while the water extractable arabinoxylan and the xylanase activity reached the maximum values at the kilning temperature of 55°C, after which the xylanase activity decreased with the increase in kilning temperature. Extending kilning time at 40–50°C increased the diastatic power, FAN and Kolbach index and reduced the wort viscosity. © 2019 The Institute of Brewing & Distilling     

SMALL SCALE MASHING EXPERIMENTS WITH GRISTS CONTAINING HIGH PROPORTIONS OF RAW SORGHUM

Small scale mashes (50 g total grist) with grists containing high proportions of raw sorghum (50%–80% malt replacement) showed high values of extract recovery and produced worts of lower total nitrogen, free amino nitrogen, viscosity and colour but higher values of pH compared to worts produced from all malt mashes. Increasing the proportion of raw sorghum in the grist relative to malt resulted in a decline in extract recovery, wort total nitrogen, free amino nitrogen and an increase in wort pH. Addition of industrial enzyme preparations to mashes containing raw sorghum resulted in higher values of extract recovery (enzyme preparations containing α amylase and β glucanase), higher values of wort total nitrogen and free amino nitrogen (enzyme preparations containing a neutral proteinase) and decreased wort viscosity (enzyme preparations containing β glucanase or cellulases) compared to worts produced from untreated mashes. Worts and beers were produced on a pilot brewery scale from 50% malt and 50% polished (whole) sorghum (single decoction mashing regime) and 20% malt and 80% raw sorghum supplemented with an industrial enzyme preparation (double mashing regime). Mashes comprising 50% malt and 50% polished sorghum showed comparable wort filtration behaviour (lautering) to that of control mashes (70% malt and 30% maize grists) whereas wort produced from 20% malt and 80% raw sorghum filtered slowly. Worts produced from grists containing sorghum were of high fermentability and showed lower levels of total nitrogen and free amino nitrogen compared to control worts. Analysis of worts produced from small scale mashes containing raw sorghum and a pilot brewery scale mash comprising 20% malt and 80% raw sorghum demonstrated that the levels of total nitrogen and free amino nitrogen were higher than expected from the reduction in the malt content of the mash, consistent with the release of nitrogenous components (polypeptides, peptides and amino acids) derived from sorghum into the wort. Beers produced from 50% malt and 50% polished sorghum and 20% malt and 80% raw sorghum were filtered without difficulty and were of sound flavour. Beers produced from 50% malt and 50% polished sorghum contained lower levels of isobutanol, 2-methylbutanol, dimethylsulphide and higher levels of n propanol and diacetyl compared to control beers.     

糖化温度对7°P麦汁阿拉伯木聚糖、β-葡聚糖的影响研究

小麦是良好的啤酒酿造原料,在我国种植面积广泛,价格较低,品种多,富含蛋白质、淀粉。本文设计添加10％小麦芽进行糖化,研究不同糖化温度和糖化时间对7^oP麦汁理化指标的影响。实验结果表明,52℃15mm、63℃110min、72℃20min、78℃过滤糖化工艺中,7^oP麦汁阿拉伯木聚糖含量最多,为1034．33mg／L;52℃15min、63℃100min、72℃20min、78℃过滤糖化工艺中,β-葡聚糖含量最高,为72．96mg／L。当阿拉伯木聚糖产生919．33mg／L、β-葡聚糖产生两为72．96mg／L时,7^oP麦汁的粘度最大,此时,过滤速率为81．52mL／30min。     

THE INFLUENCE OF β-GLUCANASE ON EFFICIENCY OF WORT SEPARATION

Treatment of mixed grists of malt and either barley flakes or barley flour with β-glucanase during infusion mashing at 65°C improves both the rate of run-off of wort and the total yield of extract. The total amount of non-starchy polysaccharide in solution is increased but the high molecular weight β-glucan fraction is decreased by the addition of β-glucanase. An improvement in wort separation is associated with a lowering of wort viscosity but it is concluded that the major factor influencing wort separation is the structure of the mash bed and the presence of inert material to which protein, glucan and pentosans can bind. A micro-mashing unit is described which simulates the problems of wort separation encountered with certain grists in deep infusion mash tuns.     

The Impact of Malt Derived Proteins on Beer Foam Quality. Part II: The Influence of Malt Foam-positive Proteins and Non-starch Polysaccharides on Beer Foam Quality

Pilot (50 litre) and small scale (700 mL) brewing trials conducted using, similar brewing protocols with 25 different malts, indicated that differences in malt quality influenced foam stability (Rudin head retention value) by up to 24%. In addition to conventional measures of malt quality, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) were used to measure the level of the putative foam-positive proteins, BSZ4 (protein Z4), BSZ7 (protein Z7), BSZ7b and lipid transfer protein 1 (LTP1). Regression analysis performed on the combined pilot and small scale data sets identified that malt BSZ4, wort β-glucan and wort viscosity, and beer protein, β-glucan and arabinoxylan were positively correlated with foam stability, while malt Kolbach index (KI), and beer FAN were negatively correlated with foam stability. Potentially foam-positive proteins such as BSZ7 and LTP1 were not correlated with foam stability. The negative correlation of BSZ4 level with KI suggested an additional role for BSZ4 in influencing protein modification. Step-wise multiple regression indicated that up to 82% of the variation in foam stability could be predicted from the malt and beer characteristics measured, demonstrating that there are a number of inter related malt derived factors that influence beer foam stability.     

HYDROPHOBIC POLYPEPTIDE EXTRACTION DURING HIGH GRAVITY MASHING— EXPERIMENTAL APPROACHES FOR ITS IMPROVEMENT

The aim was to establish if a substantial increase in hydrophobic polypeptides could be achieved during high gravity mashing. When worts with gravities ranging from 5–20°P were analysed for hydrophobic polypeptide content it was found that there was no appreciable increase in hydrophobic polypeptide levels. Remashing of the spent grains from low and high gravity mashes demonstrated that this resulted from inefficient extraction of hydrophobic polypeptide levels during the mashing process. For example, wort produced from remashed high gravity spent grains contained 150 mg/L hydrophobic polypeptides compared to only 10 mg/L in the low gravity remashed spent grains. Experiments were conducted, employing standard mashing techniques, in an attempt to increase the extraction of hydrophobic polypeptides during high gravity mashing. Thus the use of gypsum, proteolytic stands, varying liquor to grist ratios and wheat malt addition were all investigated for their effect on hydrophobic polypeptide extraction during high and low gravity mashing. Wort analysis demonstrated that none of the techniques employed had a significant effect on hydrophobic polypeptide extraction. When wort from remashed spent grains was used as mashing in liquor for a fresh mash and the resultant worts analysed for hydrophobic polypeptides it was observed that no increase in hydrophobic polypeptide extraction was achieved. For example, wort from the remashed high gravity spent grains, containing 140 mg/L hydrophobic polypeptides, when used as mashing-in liquor, produced no increase in hydrophobic polypeptide levels in the resultant high gravity wort (230 mg/L) when compared to a high gravity wort produced using distilled water as mashing-in liquor (255 mg/L). It is therefore concluded that a saturation point has been reached and no more hydrophobic polypeptides can be extracted during mashing regardless of the procedures employed.     

Application of statistical experimental design to optimize culture requirements of Aspergillus sp. Zh-26 producing xylanase for degradation of arabinoxylans in mashing

The objective of this study was to isolate and characterize a strain of Aspergillus capable of producing xylanase. According to the morphology and comparison of ITS (Internal Transcribed Spacer) rDNA gene sequence, the strain Aspergillus sp. ZH-26 was identified as a strain of Aspergillus awamori. Statistically based experimental designs were applied for the optimization of xylanase production from A. awamori ZH-26. The considered medium components included 17 components as follows: yeast extract, tryptone, urea, NH(4)Cl, (NH(4))(2)SO(4), NaNO(3), KH(2)PO(4), K(2)HPO(4), NH(4)NO(3), MgSO(4), CaCl(2), CuSO(4), ZnCl(2), FeSO(4), MnSO(4), vitamin B(1), and EDTA. Yeast extract, tryptone, (NH(4))(2)SO(4), KH(2)PO(4), and CaCl(2) were identified to have significant effects on xylanase production using the Plackett-Burman experimental design. These 5 major components were subsequently optimized using the Box-Behnken experimental design. By response surface methodology and canonical analysis, the optimal concentrations for higher production of xylanase were yeast extract 5.95 g/L, tryptone 6.79 g/L, (NH(4))(2)SO(4) 13.37 g/L, KH(2)PO(4) 1.14 g/L, CaCl(2) 0.81 g/L. Under optimal conditions, the xylanase activity from A. awamori ZH-26 reached 47.3 U/mL. A small-scale mashing was carried out to evaluate the performance of the xylanase on degradation of arabinoxylans in mashing. Results showed that polymeric arabinoxylan content and wort viscosity in mashing with grist containing wheat malt sharply decreased to the basal level (from 470 to 185 mg/L) with the addition of xylanase.     

Differences in protein content and foaming properties of cloudy beers based on wheat malt content

To investigate differences in protein content, all barley malt beer, wheat/barley malt beer and all wheat malt beer were brewed, and the protein during mashing, wort, fermentation and beer determined. It was shown that protein was mainly extracted during mashing and the protein rest phase, decreased in the early stages of fermentation and remained almost steady during wort boiling and cooling, in the middle and late stages of fermentation. By separating beer foam from beer, similar protein bands of 51.7, 40.0, 27.3, 14.8, 6.5 and < 6.5 kDa appeared in the three beers, defoamed beers and beer foams using the sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Quantitatively, protein bands of 6.5–14.8 and <6.5 kDa had the highest contents in the three beers. Unique bands at 34, 29.2, 23.0, 19.7 and 17.7 kDa were found in beer, defoamed beer and beer foam from wheat beer and all‐wheat malt beer, respectively. Wheat beer foam showed the best foam stability and the protein in all barley malt beer showed the best migration to the foam. The beer foam properties were influenced by not only protein content but also protein characteristics and/or origin. It is suggested that the barley malt contributed the beer foam ‘skeleton protein’ while protein components from wheat malt kept the foam stable. © 2018 The Institute of Brewing & Distilling     

COLD STERILE FILTRATION: A SMALL SCALE FILTRATION TEST AND INVESTIGATION OF MEMBRANE PLUGGING

Beer brewed from 24 commercially and bag malted samples by a small scale brewing method was assessed by a micro-filtration efficiency (MFE) test designed to emulate the cold-sterile (membrane or micro-) filtration process. The level of malt derived beer components with the potential to reduce MFE, such as β-glucan, arabinoxylan, protein and polyphenol, were consistent over duplicate beer batches suggesting that beer quality was reproducible using the small scale method. The small scale MFE test was able to differentiate (P<0.001) between beer brewed from distinct malt samples in a reproducible fashion, suggesting that the test is effective in assessing beer MFE in the laboratory. Subsequently, the effects of various malt derived beer components on micro-filtration were investigated. MFE (measured as <i>V_max) was negatively correlated with beer arabinoxylan content (r=–0.62, P<0.01), suggesting that the arabinoxylan content of malt, and subsequently beer, may influence MFE. Total beer β-glucan was not significantly related to beer MFE (r=-0.36). However, it was likely that β-glucan molecules of high molecular weight influenced MFE more so than the total β-glucan content. Beer viscosity, which was correlated to both beer β-glucan and arabinoxylan content (r=0.86, P<0.001 and r=0.68, P<0.05, respectively), correlated with V_max (r=-0.81, P<0.001) .