The role of zinc in beer production I.

Abstract

The most sensitive and time-consuming technological step of beer production is the fermentation of wort. Problems during fermentation will not only prolong production time but it will lead to the deterioration of beer quality. Most often it is due to low zinc concentration of the wort or the yeast. Due to lack of zinc the fermentation lasts longer, composition of fermentation by-products changes, maltose intake slows down, sedimentation ability and heat sensitivity of the yeast increase. In Part I of our work, the factors affecting the degree of zinc supply of wort were examined. During the examination of zinc supply of wort two kinds of beer were produced: all-malt beer and beer with adjunct. Change of zinc concentration was followed throughout the brewing process at every technological step. It was found that concentration of zinc gradually decreases during production of wort, and only a small fraction of the calculated amount appears in it. Wort made with adjunct has even lower zinc concentration than all-malt wort. In all malt wort 3.4%, while in wort containing adjunt only 0.4% of the zinc appeared in the wort. Yeast can absorb only the ionic form of zinc during fermentation, thus we had elaborated a method for the separation of the organic and inorganic form of zinc, which was followed by the determination of the concentration of ionic zinc in wort prior to fermentation.