Study of the influence of hop polyphenols on the sensory stability of lager beer

Improving the sensory stability of beer is still a motivating challenge for brewing research Some hop constituents, polyphenols and alpha-acids are considered to be substances that can slow the aging process of beer due to their antiradical and metal chelating properties. In pilot brewing experiments (200 l), with a variable dose of polyphenols (five hop varieties and CO2 extract), at a constant dose of alpha-acids, the effect on carbonyl formation and flavour deterioration of 12% pale lager beer during aging was investigated. The results showed the inter-relationships between the dose of hop polyphenols during wort boiling, the antioxidant status of beer evaluated by RC-DCPI and ARA-DPPH methods, suppression of the formation of both Strecker aldehydes and unsaturated carbonyls derived from fatty acids and off-flavours associated with beer aging. A significant effect of aromatic hop varieties with a high polyphenols/alpha-acids ratio on the deceleration of sensory aging of pale lager was demonstrated.