The Effect of Protein and Carbohydrate Levels on the Chemical and Sensory Properties of Beer

Abstract

The influence of interactions between volatile compounds and different levels of beer carbohydrates and proteins was evaluated. Two beer treatments containing different concentrations of proteins (pro) and carbohydrates (CHO) (low pro/low CHO and high pro/high CHO) and known levels of five volatile compounds (ethanol, myrcene [dry hop], ethyl hexanoate [apple], isoamyl acetate [banana], and benzaldehyde [almond]) were created and evaluated using GC/MS and a trained sensory panel. With the exception of benzaldehyde, the GC/MS analysis showed significantly lower headspace concentrations of the volatile compounds in the high pro/high CHO beer treatment (P ≤ 0.05). Trained sensory panel evaluation results revealed that, in the high pro/high CHO beer treatment, apple and almond aromas were perceived as more intense, along with increases in apple, almond, and dry hop flavors. A significant decrease in the intensity of banana flavor was also observed (P ≤ 0.05). The results highlighted the difference between data collected by instrumental and sensory analysis, suggesting the need for caution when correlating results between the two methods. This study also provided detailed assessment of important flavor component interactions in beer, and contributed to the limited knowledge about the interaction between nonvolatile (carbohydrates and proteins) and volatile components in beer.

• Aroma
• Beer
• Carbohydrates
• Flavor
• Gas chromatography
• Proteins