Craft Beer Research Articles

Volatiles organic compounds in craft beers produced in Basilicata (Southern Italy)

The volatiles organic compounds of 21 samples of craft beers coming from Basilicata were detected, using a HS-SPME-GC-MS technique. The analysis showed the presence of various compounds (esters, alcohols, and terpenes), which were useful to determinate the aroma profiles of these beers. In addition, this profile was matched with the aroma profile of commercial beers, in order to establish the difference of the aroma profiles.

Monitoring of rheological parameters in the anaerobic fermentation process to obtain bioethanol from craft brewer’s spent grain using brewer’s spent yeast and Saccharomyces cerevisiae S-04

Monitoring of rheological parameters in the anaerobic fermentation process to obtain bioethanol from craft brewer’s spent grain using brewer’s spent yeast and Saccharomyces cerevisiae S-04

Microbiome Evolution of Brewer’s Spent Grain and Spent Coffee Ground Solid Sidestreams Under Industrial Storage Conditions

Brewer’s spent grain (BSG) and spent coffee ground (SCG) are solid sidestreams from beverage production increasingly being upcycled into food, feed and other value-added products. These solid sidestreams are prone to microbial spoilage, negatively impacting their upcycling potential. Three samples each of BSG and SCG were obtained from generators and recycling facilities in Singapore, and their chemical, elemental, and microbial composition was characterized. The spoilage mechanisms were investigated during storage under anaerobic and aerobic conditions. Bacterial loads of sidestreams were low from craft brewery and café sources (<1 and 3.53 ± 0.03 log10 CFU/g) and high from recycling facilities (>6 log10 CFU/g). The microbiome of BSG from recycling facilities was dominated by Bacilli, and B. coagulans was identified as the most prevalent species. SCG from recycling facilities was dominated by lactic acid bacteria, with L. panis being the most prevalent species. Storage up to 14 days under anaerobic conditions led to further bacterial proliferation mainly by Bacilli, lactic acid bacteria, and acetic acid bacteria, while aerobic storage led to extensive fungal contamination, including potential aflatoxin-producing Aspergillus flavus. The results shed light on the spoilage mechanisms, while highlighting the short shelf-life and food safety risks of BSG and SCG to inform valorization strategies.

Follow which leader? Spatial mimicry and broad‐based equity‐ and profit‐sharing plans

AbstractOrganizations have both local and nationally prominent peers from which they can model their human resource management practices. How does a focal organization reconcile the influence of smaller, spatially proximate peer organizations with the influence of prominent, distant organizations? We develop the concept of spatial mimetic gravity to estimate the mimetic pressures a focal organization feels from its geographically proximate and distant peers. We examine the population of craft beer brewers in the United States between 2013 and 2019 and find that the propensity to offer a stock ownership or profit‐sharing plan is a function of a focal brewery's spatial proximity to its peers and their prominence. We help explain why some firms offer broad‐based equity‐sharing and profit‐sharing plans and others do not. In doing so, we argue that organizational spatial mimicry is best understood from a gravity approach, adding a field‐level explanation to previously individually focused theory about organizational choices.

Bioprospecting of Metschnikowia pulcherrima Strains, Isolated from a Vineyard Ecosystem, as Novel Starter Cultures for Craft Beer Production

Several studies in recent years have shown that the use of non-Saccharomyces yeasts, used both in single and in mixed fermentations with Saccharomyces cerevisiae, can help produce craft beers with distinctive compositional characteristics. The aim of this study was to evaluate the suitability of three Metschnikowia pulcherrima strains, isolated from Albanian vineyards, for use as starters in the brewing process. Because of its specific enzymatic activities (protease, β-glucosidase, and β-lyase) and its low production of hydrogen sulfide, M. pulcherrima 62 was selected as a starter culture for the production of craft beer. Specifically, the suitability of this yeast for use in sequential inoculation with S. cerevisiae S0-4 for the production of an American IPA-style beer and the main volatile compounds produced during fermentation were evaluated. The results show significant differences in the glycerol, isoamyl alcohol, and isoamyl acetate contents in beer obtained by sequential inoculum of M. pulcherrima 62 with S. cerevisiae S0-4 compared to beer obtained using S. cerevisiae S0-4 as a single starter. Therefore, these preliminary data support the candidacy of M. pulcherrima 62 as a new starter in the brewing process.

Temperature Control System for brewing beer using IoT

The problem addressed is the temperature monitoring of a craft beer brewing equipment and the corresponding use of cooling or heating systems, adding support for querying the temperature of the system through voice commands with the help of the intelligent assistant Alexa, developed by Amazon. This work allows you to remotely monitor the temperature, because its control is essential to obtain quality results. Which reduces human errors and errors due to equipment malfunction. The incorporation of voice command through the Alexa smart assistant allows the person in charge to monitor the temperature, be doing another task or even be able to hire people with a physical disability.

Brewing a service-identity: management controls in craft beer servitization

Purpose This paper aims to examine the management controls that support (and fail to support) a craft brewery’s servitization journey from start-up, through growth, to maturity. It enriches our understanding of how management controls can facilitate the discovery of a service-identity that provides the foundation for servitization. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on in-depth interviews, fieldwork and secondary data analyses, this paper reports on a longitudinal case study of a craft brewery. The authors trace the case company’s servitization journey using a service-dominant logic theoretical perspective. This perspective focuses us on how the value of a product is cocreated with customers, rather than being created by the firm and then distributed. Findings The study found that many management controls emerged at the craft brewery from start-up to maturity. Some management controls supported a goods logic, while others supported a service logic. The findings highlight how people and cultural controls in particular enabled the company to move toward a service logic focused on servitization. These management controls informed the evolution of offerings, structure reconfiguration and resources at the craft brewery necessary to support servitization. Originality/value Studying a craft brewery contributes an alternative type of manufacturing context and shows how service-identity features such as craftiness, collectiveness, neolocalism and innovation affect a company’s servitization journey.

Conjoint Analysis to Define Beer Label and the Influence of Labeled Bottles and Music on the Sensory Profile of Craft and Industrial Beers

ABSTRACTPackaging label and music influence product acceptance and sensory profiling. This study defined the ideal label for a craft beer using the modified choice‐based conjoint analysis (MCBCA), as well as the sensory profile of this craft beer and an industrial beer in two tests: a blind test and a test in the presence of the labeled bottle and of a sertanejo universitário song, using a rate‐all‐that‐apply (RATA) list. MCBCA revealed that craft beer label's most favorable attributes included information on harmonization with food, a traditional‐themed illustration, and a strong emphasis on the brand and beer type. The RATA list comprised descriptive attributes, affective terms, product‐relevant phrases, and feelings. Nonsensory characteristics had a positive impact on the craft beer description but a negative impact on the industrial beer, with descriptors such as “watery,” negative affective terms memories for it. The influence of labeled bottles and music on consumers' sensory descriptions underscores the importance of nonsensory characteristics in the product's evaluation and success.

Elaboration and characterization of Pitaya (hylocereus polyrhizus) witbier craft beer

ABSTRACT Beer is the most consumed alcoholic beverage in the world, containing numerous bioactive compounds. The market has innovated to provide better experiences for consumers, such as the development of craft beers with high levels of antioxidant compounds obtained by incorporating fruits. This study aimed to produce a craft beer of the Witbier type added with pitaya (Hylocereus polyrhizus) pulp in different concentrations, evaluating the effects of this addition on the physical-chemical characteristics, the content of phenolic compounds and the antioxidant activity of the drinks. The beers were analyzed for soluble solids, pH, total acidity, dry matter, mineral matter, foam, color, total phenolic compounds, flavonoid content and antioxidant activity using the FRAP, ABTS and DPPH methods. The soluble solids content decreased from 12°Bx to approximately 7.2°Bx, with higher pitaya concentrations (T2 and T3) showing slightly lower final values compared to control beers. The apparent attenuation and alcohol content were significantly higher in beers with 10% and 20% (v/v) pitaya pulp, reflecting more complete fermentation. Beers with higher pitaya concentrations also exhibited notable changes in color parameters, showing increased redness. Total phenolic content did not show statistical variation between treatments and the control, with values between 410 (T2) and 547 (T3) mg AGE L−1. Antioxidant activity, assessed via FRAP (79.7 mg AGE L−1 (T3)), DPPH (475 mg AGE L−1 (T3)), and ABTS (455 mg α-tocopherol L−1 (T3)) methods, and total flavonoids content (12.6 mg QE L−1 (T3)) increased with higher pitaya levels. Overall, pitaya pulp impacted several beer attributes, particularly affecting fermentation, color, and antioxidant properties.

Industrial-Level Brewing Using Oenological Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe as Mixed-Inoculum

The development of new food processes and formulations begins at the laboratory stage, progresses through pilot plant trials, and culminates in industrial production. Although the positive effects in terms of sensory characteristics and qualitative differentiation have been widely studied at laboratory level, fermentations conducted at the industrial level by oenological Saccharomyces cerevisiae and non-Saccharomyces strains have not been thoroughly investigated. Scaling up to the industrial level is a critical process that involves more than simply increasing the dimensions of the process itself. The purpose of our research was to compare laboratory and industrial-level brewing of a novel craft beer produced with the addition of common unmalted wheat and fermented by Schizosaccharomyces pombe and S. cerevisiae strains. Fermentation was carried out using a S. cerevisiae strain either of oenological origin alone or through sequential inoculations with S. pombe. Beers produced with the mixed starter showed greater reproducibility between the two production levels than those fermented by S. cerevisiae alone. According to the results, the main differences highlighted between laboratory and industrial-level trials with S. cerevisiae alone concerned the extent of starch degradation, fermentation efficiency, and alcohol production, which were higher in brewing at the laboratory level. In contrast, beers produced at industrial level using sequential inoculation received significantly higher scores for foam quantity and persistence, as well as overall olfactory intensity, while scoring significantly lower scores for saltiness and sourness. To our knowledge, this research is the first to explore the use of Sc. pombe for industrial beer production.

Brewing social capital: A case study of Thailand’s craft beer consumption community

This study explores the development of Thailand’s craft beer community through a sociological lens, focusing on social capital and power dynamics. Despite originating much later than Western craft beer movements, Thailand’s scene has evolved rapidly since 2012, shaped by unique socio-economic and regulatory contexts. The research reveals how the community transitioned from homebrewers to a complex network seeking cultural legitimacy. Using Putnam’s and Bourdieu’s theories, the study highlights social capital’s role in fostering both cooperation and competition. Privileged groups use networks for economic and symbolic gains, while intermediaries shape the movement. Gender dynamics affect women moderately compared to other contexts. The COVID-19 pandemic spurred geographically close clusters and affinity groups, showcasing resilience amid regulatory challenges. These findings offer insights into craft beer consumption in non-Western contexts, stressing the importance of understanding social capital in emerging cultural industries.

Effect of Physical Separation with Ultrasound Application on Brewers' Spent Grain to Obtain Powders for Potential Application in Foodstuffs.

Brewers' spent grain (BSG) is the primary by-product of beer production, and its potential use in food products is largely dependent on its processing, given its moisture content of up to 80%. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of physical separation with ultrasound application on the color, total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant activity, proximate composition, total dietary fibers, and particle size distribution of BSG powders. Wet BSG (W) was subjected to two processes: one without ultrasound (A) and one with ultrasound (B). Both processes included pressing, convective air-drying, sieving, fraction separation (A1 and B1 as coarse with particles ≥ 2.36 mm; A2 and B2 as fine with particles < 2.36 mm), and milling. The total color difference compared to W increased through both processes, ranging from 1.1 (B1 vs. A1) to 5.7 (B1 vs. A2). There was no significant difference in TPC, but process B powders, particularly B2, showed lower antioxidant activity against ABTS•+, likely due to the release of antioxidant compounds into the liquid fraction during pressing after ultrasound treatment. Nonetheless, process B powders exhibited a higher content of soluble dietary fibers. In conclusion, ultrasound application shows potential for further extraction of soluble fibers. However, process A might be more practical for industrial and craft brewers. Further studies on the use of the resulting BSG powders as food ingredients are recommended.

Craft Beer in Food Science: A Review and Conceptual Framework

Craft beer represents a dynamic and creative segment within the food and beverage industry, emphasizing quality, aroma, health, sustainability, locality, and tailored brewing techniques. This paper explores the multifaceted roles of craft beer’s production and consumption growth dynamics. Both a bibliometric analysis and a systematic literature review were conducted on a sample of 239 scientific papers to provide an in-depth evaluation of the main characteristics and influences that craft beer has in the field of food science. Based on the identified roles of craft beer/breweries in the selected sample of literature, a conceptual framework was constructed to serve as a guideline for policymakers and different stakeholders. In this way, our findings enrich the existing literature and contribute to a better understanding of craft beer production and surroundings, which can be beneficial for promoting sustainable policies and innovative strategies for the growth of small/micro-producers and entrepreneurs in this niche market. Furthermore, this evidence can stimulate clear and ethical information to enhance consumers’ knowledge and agendas to strengthen the identity of local communities.

From Conventional to Craft Beer: Perception, Source, and Production of Beer Color-A Systematic Review and Bibliometric Analysis.

Beer is a popular beverage consumed globally, and studies have emphasized the benefits of moderate consumption as well as its sensory effects on consumers. Color is a crucial sensory attribute, being the first aspect a consumer notices when assessing a beer's quality. This review seeks to offer detailed insights into how brewing methods, raw materials, and the chemical diversity of beer influence the production of beer color. The chemical mechanisms responsible for color development and how consumers and color systems perceive the color of beer were assessed. A systematic review following the PRISMA methodology, coupled with a bibliometric analysis, was performed using (Rayyan 2022) and (VOSviewer 1.6.20) software to assess and evaluate the scientific research retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection. The findings highlight the significant roles of malt types, heat brewing processes, control of chemical parameters, and innovative brewing techniques in conventional beer color production. Novel chromophores like perlolyrine, pyrrolothiazolate, and furpenthiazinate are thought to affect Pilsen-style beers, along with melanoidins, Strecker aldehydes, and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) in conventional beers. In craft beers, such as fruit- or herb-based beers, flavonoids like anthocyanins, along with other natural pigments and synthetic colorants, are identified as the primary sources of color. However, studies related to the influence of chromophores like perlolyrine, pyrrolothiazolate, and furpenthiazinate on beer color are scarce, and emerging additives, such as pigments from microorganisms, spices, exotic herbs, and leaves of plants, on craft beer offer insights for future research.

Inhibition of diastatic yeasts by Saccharomyces killer toxins to prevent hyperattenuation during brewing.

Secondary fermentation in beer can result in undesirable consequences, such as off-flavors, increased alcohol content, hyperattenuation, gushing, and the spontaneous explosion of packaging. Strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. diastaticus are a major contributor to such spoilage due to their production of extracellular glucoamylase enzyme encoded by the STA1 gene. Saccharomyces yeasts can naturally produce antifungal proteins named "killer" toxins that inhibit the growth of competing yeasts. Challenging diastatic yeasts with killer toxins revealed that 91% of strains are susceptible to the K1 killer toxin produced by S. cerevisiae. Screening of 192 killer yeasts identified novel K2 toxins that could inhibit all K1-resistant diastatic yeasts. Variant K2 killer toxins were more potent than the K1 and K2 toxins, inhibiting 95% of diastatic yeast strains tested. Brewing trials demonstrated that adding killer yeast during a simulated diastatic contamination event could prevent hyperattenuation. Currently, most craft breweries can only safeguard against diastatic yeast contamination by good hygiene and monitoring for the presence of diastatic yeasts. The detection of diastatic yeasts will often lead to the destruction of contaminated products and the aggressive decontamination of brewing facilities. Using killer yeasts in brewing offers an approach to safeguard against product loss and potentially remediate contaminated beer.IMPORTANCEThe rise of craft brewing means that more domestic beer in the marketplace is being produced in facilities lacking the means for pasteurization, which increases the risk of microbial spoilage. The most damaging spoilage yeasts are "diastatic" strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae that cause increased fermentation (hyperattenuation), resulting in unpalatable flavors such as phenolic off-flavor, as well as over-carbonation that can cause exploding packaging. In the absence of a pasteurizer, there are no methods available that would avert the loss of beer due to contamination by diastatic yeasts. This manuscript has found that diastatic yeasts are sensitive to antifungal proteins named "killer toxins" produced by Saccharomyces yeasts, and in industrial-scale fermentation trials, killer yeasts can remediate diastatic yeast contamination. Using killer toxins to prevent diastatic contamination is a unique and innovative approach that could prevent lost revenue to yeast spoilage and save many breweries the time and cost of purchasing and installing a pasteurizer.

Craft Beer Produced by Immobilized Yeast Cells with the Addition of Grape Pomace Seed Powder: Physico-Chemical Characterization and Antioxidant Properties.

The aim of this study was to produce and to characterize craft beer fermented by immobilized yeast cells with the addition of Prokupac grape pomace seed powder (2.5% and 5%), to obtain a beer enriched with phenolic compounds and improved sensory characteristics. The immobilization of the yeast cells was performed by electrostatic extrusion, while the obtained calcium alginate beads were characterized by light and scanning electron microscopy. Phenolic and hop-derived bitter compounds in beer with or without grape pomace seed powder (GS) phenolics were identified using UHPLC Q-ToF MS. The results indicated that GS adjunct significantly shortened the fermentation process of wort and increased the content of phenolic compounds, especially ellagic acid, flavan-3-ols and pro(antho)cyanidins in the final products compared to the control beer. A total of twenty (iso)-α-acids and one prenylflavonoid were identified, although their levels were significantly lower in beers with GS phenolics compared to the control beer. Beers with GS phenolics showed good antioxidant properties as measured by the reduction of ferric ions (FRP) and the scavenging of ABTS•+ and DPPH• radicals. The concentration of immobilized viable yeast cells was higher than 1 × 108 CFU/g wet mass after each fermentation without destroying the beads, indicating that they can be reused for the repeated fermentation of wort. Beers produced with 5% GS added to the wort exhibited the best sensory properties (acidity, astringency, bitterness intensity, mouthfeel, aftertaste and taste), and highest overall acceptability by the panelists. The results showed that grape pomace seed powder present a promising adjunct for the production of innovative craft beer with good sensory properties and improved functionality.

Polyphenolic Content and Antimicrobial Effects of Plant Extracts as Adjuncts for Craft Herbal Beer Stabilization.

Extracts from locally grown aromatic plants can enhance the geographical characteristics and microbial stability of craft beers, which are often not pasteurized or filtered. Here, the chemical and antimicrobial properties of aqueous extracts from leaves of Myrtus communis L., Pistacia lentiscus L., Artemisia arborescens L., and floral wastes of Crocus sativus L., all cultivated in Sardinia (Italy), were assessed. P. lentiscus extract had the highest polyphenol content (111.20 mg GAE/g), followed by M. communis (56.80 mg GAE/g), C. sativus (32.80 mg GAE/g), and A. arborescens (8.80 mg GAE/g). Notably, only the M. communis extract demonstrated significant inhibitory activity against pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms, with minimum inhibitory concentrations of 0.18, 0.71, and 1.42 mg GAE/mL against Staphylococcus aureus, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, and Lacticaseibacillus casei, respectively. Additionally, it reduced the growth of Levilactobacillus brevis and Fructilactobacillus lindneri at concentrations of 0.35 and 0.71 mg GAE/mL, respectively. Based on its significant antimicrobial activity, the M. communis extract was further characterized using high-resolution mass spectrometry, revealing high abundances of nonprenylated phloroglucinols, flavonoid derivatives (myricetin), and quinic acids. Lastly, adding M. communis extract (2.84 mg GAE/mL) to commercial beer effectively prevented the growth of L. brevis and F. lindneri, showing its potential to avoid beer's microbial spoilage.

Innovative Craft Beers Added with Purple Grape Pomace: Exploring Technological, Sensory, and Bioactive Characteristics

Purple grape juice produces a significant amount of grape pomace (GP) as a by-product, which can be reused as a raw material in producing craft beers with bioactive properties. The objective of this study was to produce craft beers with the addition of GP during the fermentation process to evaluate the incorporation of bioactive compounds, aiming at using a by-product generated in the production of grape juice. Craft beer was produced, incorporating GP at concentrations of 1%, 5%, and 10% (w/w), and the physicochemical, technological, bioactive, and sensory properties were evaluated. The beers with the highest concentrations of GP (10% w/w) exhibited higher bioactive concentrations, including phenolic compounds (308 mg GAE/L), flavonoids (0.05 g of quercetin/L), anthocyanins (754.6 mg cyanidin-3-glucoside/L), and antioxidant capacities, as measured by DPPH (1878.2 µM Trolox/L), ABTS (4294.5 µM Trolox/L), and FRAP (844.7 mg ascorbic acid/L) methods. Adding GP promoted lower brightness (62.2) and intensified the a*, b*, and chroma parameters (18.0, 10.1, and 20.6, respectively), with the pigments of GP contributing to changes in the color parameters. However, increased sedimentation was observed under both conditions analyzed (4 °C and 25 °C), due to the higher presence of particulate matter from GP (3.4% and 3.7%, respectively). In general, for sensory analysis, while the knowledge of beneficial effects did not significantly change emotional responses, there were distinct emotional profiles associated with different beer samples. Utilizing GP for the bioactivation of beer is a positive approach to enhance its overall properties and an effective way to address issues related to the disposal of this by-product.

Institutional work and institutional entrepreneurship in the Ontario craft beer industry

Abstract This paper explores how Ontario’s craft brewers created new as well as disrupted and changed existing institutions at local and regional levels in the province’s beer industry. Using a relational economic geography framework and a markets-as-practices perspective, this study highlights the brewer’s collaborative and pro-social practices, showing how close inter-firm relations and engagement with local communities resulted in resource mobilization such as better access to financial capital and greater social capital, which mobilized public support for the industry, and ultimately which helped individual and collective institutional work efforts succeed. The findings are significant as they show how actors in the industry overcame the constraints imposed on them in an oligopolistic market dominated by multinational firms. It also posits craft brewers acted individually at a local scale as institutional entrepreneurs, revisiting criticisms around this concept. This research contributes to understanding how localized market actors can achieve broader institutional change and offers insights into the relationship between market practices and institutional work, including entrepreneurship in craft industries.

Machine Learning-based Categorization of Airbnb Listings in NYC

This research focuses into creating a machine-learning-driven system to categorize Airbnb listings in New York City (NYC) based on neighborhood attributes and listing features. Utilizing data scraped from InsideAirbnb.com, including custom attributes such as median household income, craft beer and specialty coffee counts, and a connectivity score, KMeans clustering was applied to classify listings into four groups. These groups, named Normal People, The 2%, Central Action, and Hip Kids, offer insights into the city’s diverse landscape of Airbnb offerings. The classification model’s accuracy was validated using various semi-supervised learning techniques, resulting in 100% accuracy for some models. Dropping significant features like income in validation tests reduced accuracy to 66-78%, showing the importance of feature selection. The study demonstrates the potential of machine learning in enhancing Airbnb’s understanding of customer preferences and refining inventory management.