Production of Brewing Worts from Different Types of Sorghum Malts and Adjuncts Supplemented with β-Amylase or Amyloglucosidase

Abstract

Sorghum has been used in beer production despite its lower diastatic activity. However, it is viewed as an excellent choice for the production of gluten-free beers. In this research, worts produced with white or red sorghum malts and waxy or regular sorghum adjuncts, supplemented with β-amylase or amyloglucosidase, were evaluated using barley malt as control. Soaking and germination times to optimize sorghum diastatic activity were determined, and characterization of raw materials was assessed. Worts were obtained by a double-mashing procedure following combinations of malts, adjuncts, and extrinsic enzymes. Between sorghums, the red sorghum malt had the highest total amylolytic activity and yielded higher amounts of fermentable carbohydrates in worts compared with the white sorghum malt counterparts, especially when mashed with refined waxy sorghum adjuncts. Barley malt yielded up to 24% more wort adjusted to 12°P and similar free amino nitrogen and pH values compared with their counterparts produced with sorghum malts. As expected, the addition of β-amylase increased the amount of fermentable sugars in the sorghum malt worts. When amyloglucosidase was added, the total sugar content augmented 20%, the glucose content was five times higher compared with worts without exogenous enzymes, and treatments were comparable regardless of the malt type.