Comprehensive Review of the Potential of Sorghum in Malt and Beer Production

Abstract

Sorghum has a relatively lower price compared to other brewing cereals, and consequently has potential as an alternative substrate for lager beer brewing and especially represents an excellent option for gluten-free beers. Attributes such as extracts, proteins, total nitrogen and free amino nitrogen content of sorghum malt and the wort obtained from mashes indicate that sorghum is potentially an alternative substrate for conventional beer brewing in the tropics. In alcohol industry, some distillers prefer sorghum varieties with high starch and less protein contents. The variation in biochemical compositions among sorghum varieties affects the optimal malting conditions and characteristics of the grains. The degree of steeping and temperature, and germination capacity, kilning temperature and the intrinsic enzyme activity determine sorghum grain malt quality. The high degree of gelatinization temperature, poor saccarification, lower fermentability and filterability of sorghum malt could generally affects the acceptability of sorghum beer by the consumer than a beer brewed from malt barley.