November 2022

Some ales, particularly those of Belgian origin, are known to be highly attenuated and have a crisp, dry finish. But what makes these beers so highly attenuated compared to other beers also fermented with Saccharomyces cerevisiae? The answer is a yeast strain capable of producing extracellular glucoamylase, an enzyme that degrades dextrins and soluble starches in …

High-attenuating brewing yeast: STA1 and extracellular glucoamylase Read More »

At the beginning of the brewing process, brewers combine hot water and crushed malted barley in a process called mashing. During the mash, enzymes naturally present in the malted barley convert starches into fermentable sugars. Table of Contents Boiled Down Summary Enzymes are protein catalysts that increase the rate of a specific chemical reaction by …

From Starch to Fermentable Sugars: Enzymes in the Mash Read More »

One of the key features of beer is carbonation. Carbonation has many functions in beer, from enhancing aroma and flavor to increasing beer’s visual appeal to providing a palate-cleansing effect when pairing a beer with a meal. While beer carbonation is simply carbon dioxide dissolved into beer, its use in various beer styles and traditions …

Beer Carbonation Basics Read More »