LOW & NO ALCOHOL BEER

A CRAFT APPROACH TO LOW & NO ALCOHOL BEER PRODUCTION

Mashing phase

The composition of the grain bill can be varied to produce a lower content of fermentable sugar.

Different cereals can be used in the mashing process to limit and control the saccharification potential of the wort. These include:

• malted cereals with lower saccharification potential
• un-malted cereals

The brewer must ensure that the composition of the mash does not produce imbalances in the flavour or alter the desired beer style too much.

Fermentation

To create a non-alcoholic beer in a crafty way, the best method is interrupted fermentation (combined with the alterations in the mash phase if necessary). The fermentation process can be interrupted and stopped through cold crashing when the desired alcohol level is approached. The temperature of the beer is brought to between 0°C and 1°C and held at that temperature constantly for at least a week. The low temperature deactivates the yeast, and the residual yeast that has accumulated at the bottom of the fermenter can then be easily removed.

With cold crashing, the aromas generated by hopping and dry hopping are preserved.

Choosing the right yeast

The aromatic yeasts in the AEB range are excellent used in conjunction with interrupted fermentation. If used in combination with the correct nutrient, they create distinctive warm and enveloping notes of ripe fruit, or fresher notes of tropical fruit, or even citrus, depending on the chosen strain.

These aromas are intense and complex, meaning that a good aromatic profile is achieved, even with partial fermentations.

Nitrogen nutrition of yeast

Some specific amino acids are precursors of flavour-active compounds produced by the yeast during fermentation. These amino acids both nourish the yeast and promote the production of pleasant fermentative aromas such as esters and secondary alcohols. The research at AEB has developed an aromatic nutrients range with a fully balanced amino acid composition, whereby only the desirable fruity and floral notes are enhanced.

Microbiological stabilization of the beer

In accordance with local brewing regulations, when the fermentation phase and cold crash are over, it is advisable to filter the beer, especially if you decide not to pasteurise it. Filtration is best carried out with cartridges of Polypropylene and a Polyether Sulfone, with a final micron rating of 0.45 µm. This ensures the biological stability of the beer before bottling, avoiding contamination by beer spoilage bacteria, wild yeasts or residual sediment from the production phase.