Physicochemical and micronutrient characterization of commercial red fruit beers

Abstract

In this study, fourteen commercial red fruit beers, and a Witbier (as control) were analyzed. The brewing styles were “Lambic”, “Fruit and Field”, “Berliner Weisse”, “Belgian Witbier”, and “Belgian Farmhouse Ale”, while the red fruits were cherry, raspberry, strawberry, blackberry, elderberry or a mix of these fruits. Color (°EBC) ranged between 10 and 70, color density between 0.30 and 1.88, while hue tint was between 0.80, and 4.70. Alcohol content (%) was 2.5–8.5 %, °Brix were between 3.00 and 11.00. The total phenolic content was 25–97 mg/100 mL, antioxidant capacity was 282.38–1662.00 (DPPH), 393.30–1502.50 (ABTS) and 479.58–4459.26 (ORAC) µmol of TE/100 mL. Total monomeric anthocyanins ranged between 0.14, and 2.53 mg cyanidin-3-glucoside/100 mL. On average, K, and P were the most abundant minerals, while vitamin C ranged between 573 and 1822 µg/100 mL, and vitamin B-complex between 29 and 73 µg/100 mL.