JOSH ADLER (1), Bourque Chris (1), R. Alex Speers (1)
(1) Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
The presence of haze (turbidity) in beer is usually an objectionable
trait. However, the presence of a strong and persistent haze is normally
a distinctive and desirable sensory characteristic in Hefeweizen
wheat beers. A common dilemma observed in the production of these beers
is haze settling during the storage of the product in kegs. Previous
research has concluded that the most frequently observed constituents of
these hazes are suspended yeast cells and protein-polyphenol complexes.
This study analyzed haze suspension stability in order to develop
processing modifications that could increase haze intensity and
stability. A commercial Hefeweizen wheat beer was treated with an
assortment of post-production processes and their haze intensity and
stability was monitored and compared to untreated control samples. Some
of the processes included subjecting the beer to high shear and heating
the beer to 90°C. The immediate results of shearing the beer produced a
high turbidity that declined with time but retained a higher equilibrium
haze value than the control (P > 0.05). In addition, a
variety of other process modifications to enhance haze stability,
including mashing regime, freezing, homogenization, and pasteurization,
are currently under investigation. This poster will present the effects
of these experimental treatments and the modeling of their haze
stability over time. Proposed explanations of these observations will
also be presented.
Joshua Adler received a B.S. degree in biology from Dalhousie
University in Halifax, NS, Canada. While pursuing his degree, he became
very interested in food science and was the first Dalhousie student to
gain a minor in the discipline. His undergraduate thesis focused on
problems encountered in wheat beer production, and he is continuing this
research as an M.S. candidate. He hopes to contribute innovative
research to the science of brewing, as well as pass on valuable
knowledge as a teaching assistant for product development and quality
assurance courses. A second research interest is the study of beer
fermentability he is undertaking as part of a brewing research team at
Dalhousie University. When outside the laboratory, Joshua can usually be
found in the boxing ring training for an upcoming bout or enjoying a
pint with his friends. One of his life’s ambitions is to visit as many
of the world’s brewing and distilling regions as possible. He recently
returned from the Lowland Region of Scotland, where he visited a variety
of breweries and distilleries.
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