Surprises in beer chemistry

2008/07/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Kimika

Experts do not know all the substances involved in the taste of beer, but it is interesting to know who gives good flavor and, above all, who knows bad. Some Venezuelan chemists, at Simón Bolivar University in Caracas, have taken a step in the knowledge of these substances by identifying the Maillard chemical reaction in the brewing process.

It is a known reaction between sugars and amino acids, but it was not thought that in the conditions in which beer is brewed this reaction could occur. Researchers wanted to know how this reaction affects the taste of beer by adding a compound that stops the reaction at the center of the process. After the reaction, 11 molecules belonging to the group of alpha dicarboniles have been found, including two molecules with a caramel and rose smell. However, if the reaction is not interrupted, a series of products are produced that give a bad taste, so chemists believe that one of the keys to preserving the quality of beer can be the control of Maillard's reaction in the brewing process.