Archives for November 2013

This article is the continuation of this article. (They can be read in either order.)

Brewing ingredients are evaluated in a variety of ways before they reach the brewer. Malt is analyzed for it’s potential extract and protein content (and many other things). Hops are analyzed for their alpha acid and oil content (among other things). Yeast packages frequently give an estimate of the cell count and when the yeast were packaged (or will expire). Not all of this information reaches the average homebrewer, but it is out there if you’re willing to search for it.

Arkansas Cascades ready to pick

Although this information is useful, brewers should additionally assess the aroma and flavor of their brewing ingredients before using them. The numbers (alpha acid percentages, etc.) are highly useful pieces of information, but we don’t taste numbers when we drink beer. Determining whether or not ingredients are fresh or stale is something a brewer can easily do on his own, and has a big impact on the quality of the finished beer. It doesn’t take long to chew a few grains, sniff some hops and evaluate some starter beer. Focusing on your ingredient quality, as well as your process variables, will make you a better brewer.

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Test your ingredients for freshness.

To brew great beer, you need to pay attention to your process. Hitting the correct mash temperatures, boiling sufficiently vigorously, pitching an adequate amount of yeast and many other variables are important to the outcome of your beer. However, your ingredients are also important. No amount of skill as a brewer can turn substandard ingredients into quality beer. In order to brew the highest quality beer — but also to potentially understand where off aromas or flavors come from when they do arise — it pays to assess the quality of your ingredients by smell and taste.

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 OUR FIRST EVER DISCLAIMER!

This is an article containing information on gluten in the brewing process. This is offered as information only. I am not a medical doctor, nor do I know anything about your medical condition. I am not offering you medical advice, nor should you take this as medical advice. If you have celiacs disease or some form of gluten intolerance, follow the advice of your doctor. 

Bread. Nutritious, delicious bread. Made possible by gluten. (Photo by Fastily, via Wikipedia, under GNU free license.)

Gluten 

Gluten is a term for a collection of proteins found in wheat (including spelt), barley and rye. Triticale — a hybrid of wheat and rye — also contains gluten. All grains contain proteins similar to gluten, even “gluten-free” grains. However, the proteins from these grains do not seem to affect people with gluten intolerance. Grains commonly listed as gluten-free include rice, corn, sorghum, quinoa, millet, buckwheat, teff and amaranth. Oats are gluten-free, but are frequently processed in facilities (silos, mills) that also handle barley or wheat, so they are frequently cross-contaminated with gluten.

Glutenin, Hordein and Gliadins

In wheat, gluten is composed of glutenin and gliadins. Glutenin is responsible for 47% of the protein content of wheat, which is usually around 14% of the dry weight. In barley, gluten is composed of hordein and gliadins. Total protein in most malting barley varieties is 12% or less. (The protein content is higher in feed barlies.) Gliadens are a class of proteins, of which there are three major types. Gliadins are soluble in water, while glutenin and hordein are not. (Hordein is soluble in strongly alkaline solutions.) In wheat, the amount and elasticity of gluten allows rising breads to be made from it. These breads cannot be made from the other gluten-containing grains, barley and rye, nor gluten-free grains.

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