Mead Fermentation Research Articles

Progress on the brewing process of mead and its flavour components

Mead is a traditional fermented alcoholic beverage made from yeast fermented through a diluted honey mash. Due to the cost of production and the long lead time it takes to make it, it is generally only produced in homes or small workshops, and can be differentiated according to the degree of dilution of the honey mash and the type of fruits that are added to it during the fermentation process. Due to the richness of honey's natural substances, it has become increasingly popular in recent years, and as a result, the production of mead has increased. This review discusses the problems encountered during mead fermentation and the corresponding solutions in terms of brewing, process, and yeast selection.

The effect of different non-Saccharomyces strains on the flavour characteristics of mead

AbstractAs research advances, it is generally acknowledged that non-Saccharomyces yeast contribute to the addition of aromatic compounds during mead fermentation. In this experiment, eight different non-Saccharomyces strains and Saccharomyces cerevisiae co-fermentation, their aroma composition, and basic physicochemical parameters were investigated. More than 30 compounds with favourable impact were discovered using solid-phase microextraction (SPME) coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Co-fermentation of non-Saccharomyces spp. and S. cerevisiae can affect the concentration of volatile compounds, so that the mead presents different aroma characteristics. Co-fermented meads of Wickerhamomyces anomalus strains and S. cerevisiae (Wa 27-Sc and Wa 5-Sc) had higher alcohol, acids, aldehyde, and ester concentrations than those fermented with S. cerevisiae alone. In terms of taste, Wa 27-Sc was superior to Wa 5-Sc. Overall, the Wa 27-Sc received the highest score for its strong secondary aroma and good mouthfeel. The results show that the W. anomalus Wa 27 strain has a good potential to produce high quality mead.

Effects of adding different quantities of yeast and chokeberry juice on fermentation of mead

Honey is a product of high nutritional value, used as a raw material for obtaining mead. However, adding fruit juices, including chokeberry juice, can improve mead quality. This paper aims to assess the effects that adding different quantities of chokeberry juice, with the variation of 3 amounts of inoculated yeast, has on the fermentation and physicochemical, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties of mead. The parameters analyzed are the dry matter content, pH value, and content of volatile acids, ethanol and methanol, total phenols and flavonoids, FRAP, DPPH, and ABTS tests, and antimicrobial properties. The results obtained in this paper show that adding chokeberry juice improves the antioxidant properties of the final product and positively affects the course of mead fermentation, i.e., it has led to an increase in the maximum concentration of ethanol. Regarding the chemical composition of mead, there is no significant difference, except in the obtained ethanol content, which is the highest in samples with 10% of added chokeberry juice. Furthermore, the control sample showed the best antimicrobial activity, while the sample with 5% added chokeberry juice showed the weakest effect. Finally, the strongest effect was seen in the sample with 20% of added chokeberry juice.

How native and exotic Brazilian fruits affect the profile of organic acids and the yeast performance during the mead fermentation process?

AbstractBackgroundA preliminary investigation was carried out to evaluate the effect of the addition of pulps of feijoa, uvaia, and blackberry on the aliphatic organic acids (AOA) profile and on the yeast activity during the fermentation of meads.ResultsA multivariate analysis showed a clear distinction between the samples. The addition of pulps promoted a noticeable increase in malic, lactic, and succinic acids throughout fermentation. Furthermore, these additions resulted in beverages with lower levels of acetic acid. Gluconic acid was predominant in all samples. The mead containing feijoa showed high levels of citric acid. The meads containing blackberry and uvaia reached maximum yeast activity in the first 3 days of fermentation while the control sample and the mead with feijoa showed their highest activity after 7 days.ConclusionThe use of the feijoa, uvaia, and blackberry in mead can represent a good natural source of AOA, thereby improving its fermentative process, besides being an alternative for the valuation of underexploited species of Brazilian fruits.

Mead fermentation parameters: Optimization by response surface methodology

Introduction. This article presents the development of mathematical models related to the effect of the initial content of dry matter, yeast, and yeast energizer on the fermentation rate, the alcohol content, and the dry matter content in the finished product – mead.
 Study objects and methods. The mathematical models were developed by using the response surface methodology (RSM). The effect of yeast, dry matter, and yeast energizer contents were tested in concentration ranges of 150–600 mg/L, 16.3–24.4%, and 140–500 mg/L, respectively. The starting substrates used were honeydew honey and 10% apple juice. Yeast was rehydrated and added in different amounts to obtain required concentrations. Initial dry matter concentrations were measured by a refractometer. At the end of fermentation, oenological parameters of mead, namely dry matter content, pH, and ethanol yield, were determined according to standard methods.
 Results and discussion. The statistical estimation of the developed models and the individual model parameters showed that the initial dry matter content had a significant effect on the content of alcohol and dry matter in the final product. While, the initial content of yeast and yeast energizer did not have a significant effect in the tested concentration ranges. In addition, it was proved that the initial content of dry matter and yeast energizer had a significant effect on the fermentation rate, i.e. on the course of fermentation, which was described by a second-degree polynomial.
 Conclusion. We determined the optimum content of dry matter (24.4%), amount of yeast (150 mg/L), and concentration of yeast energizer (140 mg/L) in the initial raw material which provided the maximum alcohol yield at a consistent fermentation rate.

Kinetic analysis of the fermentative process of mead with the addition of cupuaçu (Theobroma grandiflorum) pulp

Mead is historically one of the oldest drinks in the world. Its alcohol content can range from 4 to 14% and its formulation is basically honey, water, yeast and mineral salts, though other ingredients, such as fruits, can be added, thus giving rise to another version of mead known as melomel. Research has shown that fruity drinks have good consumer acceptability due to their alcohol content and their characteristic sweetness. Thus, the study aimed to produce mead with the addition of cupuaçu pulp and two different strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces bayanus (T-58 and Red Star respectively), in order to perform a kinetic analysis of the fermentative process. For the elaboration of the mead, honey from the western honey bee (Apis melífera), cupuaçu pulp and yeasts were used, and the fermentation process lasted 15 days. The product was characterized through physicochemical and microbiological analyses. These analyses showed that the product is within the standards required by current Brazilian legislation. The monitoring of the kinetics of the mead fermentation allowed us to determine that the optimal time for this process is around 12 days, which is the point where there is a stabilization of the two strains in relation to the consumption of soluble solids and an increase in alcohol content. The two strains seem to be suitable for the production of mead; however, the results produced differ in alcohol content, resulting in drinks with distinct organoleptic characteristics.

Honey Mead Fermentation from Thai Stingless Bee (Tetragonula leaviceps) Honey using Ethanol Tolerant Yeast

Honey mead is a well-known conventional alcoholic beverage made by microbial fermentation of diluted honey. The selection of prospective yeasts for inoculation of honey-must with regard to honey mead quality determines the quality of mead production. The yeast consortium tolerant to ethanol stress was selected for this study using an enrichment technique. The activity of the invertase enzyme and the level of ethanol tolerance have been investigated. Thai stingless bee honey was used as a substrate, and the selected ethanol tolerant yeast consortium was used for mead fermentation. The results revealed that the PP03 had the highest invertase activity of 75.13±9.16 U/mL and the highest ethanol tolerance level of 12%. This is the first study using an ethanol tolerant yeast consortium to ferment honey mead from Thai stingless bee honey.

Identification of new ethanol-tolerant yeast strains with fermentation potential from central Patagonia.

The quest for new wild yeasts has increasingly gained attention because of their potential ability to provide unique organoleptic characters to fermented beverages. In this sense, Patagonia offers a wide diversity of ethanol-tolerant yeasts and stands out as a bioprospecting alternative. This study characterized the genetic and phenotypic diversity of yeast isolates obtained from Central Chilean Patagonia and analyzed their fermentation potential under different fermentative conditions. We recovered 125 colonies from Nothofagus spp. bark samples belonging to five yeast species: Saccharomyces eubayanus, Saccharomyces uvarum, Lachancea cidri, Kregervanrija delftensis, and Hanseniaspora valbyensis. High-throughput microcultivation assays demonstrated the extensive phenotypic diversity among Patagonian isolates, where Saccharomyces spp and L. cidri isolates exhibited the most outstanding fitness scores across the conditions tested. Fermentation performance assays under wine, mead, and beer conditions demonstrated the specific potential of the different species for each particular beverage. Saccharomyces spp. were the only isolates able to ferment beer wort. Interestingly, we found that L. cidri is a novel candidate species to ferment wine and mead, exceeding the fermentation capacity of a commercial strain. Unlike commercial strains, we found that L. cidri does not require nutritional supplements for efficient mead fermentation. In addition, L. cidri produces succinic and acetic acids, providing a distinct profile to the final fermented product. This work demonstrates the importance of bioprospecting efforts in Patagonia to isolate novel wild yeast strains with extraordinary biotechnological potential for the fermentation industry.

Influence of blackberry juice addition on mead fermentation and quality

Introduction. Mead, one of the oldest alcoholic beverages that man consumed is obtained by fermentation of honey solution, and contains from 8 to 18% vol. ethanol. Honey can be considered as an excellent source of carbohydrates for the fermentation process, but low concentrations of other substances in the honey can slow down the process. Blackberry (Rubus fruticosus L.) contains dietary fibers, vitamin C (ascorbic acid), vitamin A, vitamin E, potassium and calcium, along with the phenolic metabolites that are a source of possible health benefits.
 Study objects and methods. In this study was investigated the influence of blackberry juice addition on mead fermentation process, chemical composition and antioxidative activity. Dynamics of the fermentation process were controlled based on weighing the flasks in time on a scale every 24 h throughout the alcoholic fermentation. At the end of fermentations, oenological parameters of mead: dry matter content, pH, volatile acidity and ethanol content and reducing sugars. For the determination of antioxidative capacity the content of total phenolics, total flavonoids and total flavonols were measured and two tests were performed: DPPH and ABTS.
 Results and discussion. Addition of blackberry juice had a positive effect on fermentation dynamics (almost 25% higher rate of fermentation than in control samples), and improved all physicochemical characteristics and composition of resultant meads. Also, meads with the addition of blackberry juice had a significantly higher concentration of total phenolics, total flavonoids and total flavonols and significantly stronger antioxidative properties compared to the control meads without juice addition. The highest total phenolics, total flavonoids and total flavonols content was determined in the mead with the maximum addition of blackberry juice (B20W): it reached 490.88, 50.34 and 62.57 μgQE.mL–1, respectively, and was 6-fold higher for total phenolics and total flavonoids content, and 10-fold higher for total flavonols content than in the mead without juice addition (CW). The strongest antioxidative activity was determined in the B10W mead; it accounted for 6.98 μgTE.mL–1 (DPPH assay) and 0.65 μgTE.mL–1 (ABTS assay), what was 1.5-fold and 3-fold higher, respectively, than in the mead without juice addition (CW).
 Conclusion. The conducted study demonstrated that the use of blackberry juice influenced the course of fermentation of meads as well as their physicochemical and antioxidative properties (positive effect on fermentation dynamics – almost 25% higher rate of fermentation than in control samples, and improvement of all physicochemical characteristics and composition of resultant meads).

Characterization of a new type of mead fermented with Cannabis sativa L. (hemp).

Mead, one of the oldest existing drinks, is a fermented product based on honey, water, and the possible addition of spices and selected yeasts. In this work, various parts (inflorescences, leaves, and steams) of Cannabis sativa L. at different concentrations and Saccharomyces cerevisiae biotype M3/5 were added during mead fermentation. The physicochemical parameters (pH, alcoholic content, sugar content, titratable acidity, and organic acids) of the mead were assessed at the beginning and end of fermentation. Moreover, polyphenols, cannabidiol and volatile organic compounds were identified at the end of fermentation and compared with the control sample prepared without hemp and with only indigenous yeasts. The mead fermented with hemp showed the highest quantity of polyphenols (227 to 256mg GAE/L) and a level of cannabidiol ranging from 0.26 to 0.49mg/kg. The volatile organic compounds found were mainly alcohols, esters and terpenes, which were present at higher concentrations in the mead prepared with C. sativa L. than in the control mead and conferred freshness and "hemp aroma" characteristics. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Inflorescences, leaves, and steams of Cannabis sativa L. were added at different concentrations during mead fermentation. This type of mead showed high quantity of polyphenols (227 to 256mg GAE/L) and a level of cannabidiol ranging from 0.26 to 0.49mg/kg which have anxiolytic and neuro-protective properties. Moreover the volatile organic compounds found (mainly alcohols, esters, and terpenes) conferred freshness and "hemp aroma" characteristics.

Influence of nitrogen, minerals and vitamins supplementation on honey wine production using response surface methodology

Mead or honey wine is an alcoholic beverage traditionally produced by the fermentation of a mixture of honey and water. Mead fermentation faces several problems that include sluggish and stuck fermentations, mainly caused by nutrient disequilibrium. In this context, the present study aimed at optimizing the mead fermentation process based on three nutritional factors: nitrogen, minerals, and vitamins, evaluating their effect on several fermentation parameters. The experiments included a response surface methodology (RSM) experiment, and the evaluation of specific minerals on mead parameters: fermentation rate, biomass, final residual sugars, ethanol, glycerol/ethanol ratio, volatile acidity, total acidity, and residual nitrogen. The results showed that the models established by the RSM were adequate for predicting mead fermentation and physic-chemical parameters. Mead´s fermentation rate, ethanol, glycerol/ethanol ratio, total acidity, and residual nitrogen were significantly influenced by nitrogen and minerals supplementation, while fermentation rate and volatile acidity were influenced by nitrogen and vitamins supplementation. An “all minus one” experiment showed that potassium addition is essential from healthy mead fermentation. Considering all the variables analyzed, the optimal conditions for mead fermentation include nitrogen supplementation to achieve 150 mg.L−1 YAN, the addition of minerals, in order to obtain at least 600 mg.L−1 potassium, and supplementation with a vitamin complex.

Fruit and herbal meads – Chemical composition and antioxidant properties

The aim of the study was to determine the effect of fruit additives such as syrup from chokeberry or grape seeds, and herbal in the form of a dandelion syrup on the course of the fermentation process of “trójniak” type meads, on their physicochemical and antioxidant properties. The addition of grape seeds allowed for the highest final alcoholic content, which was measured by HPLC, ie 120.73 g/L, and for obtaining a beverage with the highest overall polyphenol content measured by the Folin-Ciocialteu reagent method: 23.18 mg GAE/100 mL, while in the control sample (without additives) it was successively: 91.38 g/L and 12 mg GAE/100 mL. Our research shows that different various of fruit and herbal have a significant impact on the course of the mead fermentation process and on their composition and on the content of biologically active compounds.

Effects of Mead Wort Heat Treatment on the Mead Fermentation Process and Antioxidant Activity.

The effects of mead wort heat treatment on the mead fermentation process and antioxidant activity were tested. The experiment was conducted with the use of two different honeys (multiflorous and honeydew) collected from the Lower Silesia region (Poland). Heat treatment was performed with the use of a traditional technique (gently boiling), the more commonly used pasteurization, and without heat treatment (control). During the experiment fermentation dynamics were monitored using high performance liquid chromatography with refractive index detection (HPLC-RID). Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and total phenolic content (TPC) were estimated for worts and meads using UV/Vis spectrophotometric analysis. The formation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) was monitored by HPLC analyses. Heat treatment had a great impact on the final antioxidant capacity of meads.

Evaluación del proceso fermentativo en la producción de hidromieles monoflorales colombianas

El objetivo de esta investigación fue la optimización de hidromieles colombianas usando muestras de mieles monoflorales de Eucalipto (Eucalyptus globulus Labill.), Encenillo (Weinmannia tomentosa L.f.) y Matarratón (Gliricidia sepium (Jacq.) Walp.), obtenidas en las zonas de Villanueva -(Casanare), Paipa- (Boyacá) y Mariquita-(Tolima), Colombia, como desarrollo de un nuevo producto con valor agregado. Se realizó en primera instancia,la evaluación de las propiedades fisicoquímicas de la materia prima (miel), así como el análisis polínico de la misma para confirmar su naturaleza. Se utilizó un sistema discontinuo (Batch) a temperatura ambiente con mostos de 22ºBrix y tres niveles de levadura (0,30, 0,40 y 0,60 g.L-1) del género Saccharomyces bayanus. Durante el proceso fermentativo, se evaluó la transformación de los azucares de la miel, ácidos volátiles y totales en los mostos, usando un modelo matemático Sigmoidal-Logístico. Para la medición de la producción de etanol y dióxido de carbono, la cinética se ajustó al modelo matemático Sigmoidal-Slogistico1 con interacción logarítmica de Levenberg Marquart, permitiendo valorar cada una de las variables relacionas con el consumo y producción de compuestos durante la fase exponencial del crecimiento de las levaduras. Los resultados másrelevantes permitieron observar un descenso de los sólidos solubles, durante el proceso de fermentación, desde 22,2 ± 0,40 a 9,10 ± 0,05 ºBrix. La fracción de etanol en los mostos evoluciona con el incremento de levadura; para las hidromieles estuvo en el rango de 8,34 ± 0,22 a 11,2 ± 0,33 g.L-1. Para la evaluación de la cinética, se usó el paquete estadístico OriginPro2016. La evolución de dióxido de carbono mostró una mayor velocidadde reacción en los mostos con niveles más altos de levadura, desde 17,4 ± 0,06 a 20,8 ± 0,70 g.L-1 acumulado durante los 11 días de fermentación. El producto final fue evaluado en términos de la fracción etanólica, sólidos solubles, acidez total, volátil y dióxido de carbono.

The influence of hydrocolloids on mead wort fermentation

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of hydrocolloids on the kinetics of ethanol fermentation in high-sugar mead worts. High osmotic pressure, inhibitors and other factors frequently cause sluggish or stuck mead fermentation. In the experiments, natural hydrocolloids – gum arabic, ghatti, karaya, xanthan gum or carob bean gum – were added in an amount of 0.5 g/L to mead worts. During fermentation, the mass of evolved CO2 was controlled. Anionic hydrocolloids significantly affected the kinetics of mead wort fermentation, significantly accelerating fermentation and causing higher production of ethanol and reduced volatile acidity and acetic acid synthesis by Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Supplementation with gum karaya allowed an increase of ethanol concentration by about 30% compared to control samples. Application of anionic hydrocolloids resulted in significant reduction of amounts of the cations Ca2+ and Mg2+ in the solutions, and increased the clarity of young mead.

Mead fermentation monitoring by proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry and medium infrared probe

Mead is a traditional alcoholic beverage similar to wine, but obtained by the fermentation of a diluted solution of honey. The rate of fermentation is generally monitored by the measurement of a set of physicochemical variables such as pH, titratable acidity, Brix degrees, sugars and ethanol concentration. This work aims at developing a new monitoring method for alcoholic fermentations that is based on two on-line approaches: a proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) and a fibre optic coupled attenuated total reflection (FTIR-ATR) spectroscopy. Microfermentations are performed on 100 mL musts in isothermal conditions at 20 °C. Musts consist on diluted honey solutions (24 Bx) with pollen (0.4 % w/v) and yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae subsp. bayanus). The effect of flavour enhancers [chilli (Capsicum annuum), clove (Eugenia caryophyllata) and a mixture of both] on the rate of fermentation was also evaluated. The results show that clove inhibits fermentation, whereas chilli increases the rate of fermentation. PTR-MS and FTIR-ATR are simple, fast and nondestructive techniques able to monitor the fermentation process without the need of sample preparation, extraction or pre-concentration steps.

Optimizing Process Conditions for Stingless Bee (Melipona irridipennis) Mead Fermentation Using Plackett-Burman Design and Response Surface Methodology

Optimizing Process Conditions for Stingless Bee (Melipona irridipennis) Mead Fermentation Using Plackett-Burman Design and Response Surface Methodology

Improvement of mead fermentation by honey-must supplementation

Through honey's fermentation, diverse beverages can be obtained, among which is mead, an alcoholic drink with 8 to 18% of ethanol (v/v). Since honey is a matrix with a low nutrient concentration and other unfavourable growth conditions, several problems are usually encountered, namely delayed or arrested fermentations, unsatisfactory quality parameters and lack of uniformity of the final product, as well as unpleasant sensory properties. In this context, the aim of this work was to optimize mead production through honey-must supplementation with (a) salts, (b) vitamins or (c) salts + vitamins. The effects of the honey-must formulation on the fermentation kinetics, growth profile and physicochemical characteristics of final meads were evaluated. The results showed minor differences in the fermentation profile and time between fermentations with the different formulations. The growth profile was influenced more by the yeast strain than by the supplements added to the honey-must. In general, the honey-must composition did not influence meads’ final characteristics, except regarding the SO2 concentration of the meads produced using the strain QA23. In summary, the addition of salts and/or vitamins to honey-must had no positive effects on the fermentation, growth profile or characteristics of the final products. Copyright © 2015 The Institute of Brewing & Distilling

Mead production: effect of nitrogen supplementation on growth, fermentation profile and aroma formation by yeasts in mead fermentation

Mead is an alcoholic beverage, produced since ancient times, resulting from an alcoholic fermentation of diluted honey by yeasts. When it is produced in a traditional manner, mead producers can encounter several problems related to a lack of essential nutrients, such as available nitrogen. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of nitrogen addition to honey-must on the fermentation performance of two Saccharomyces cerevisiae wine yeasts, QA23 and ICV D47, as well as on the mead composition and production of volatile aroma compounds. A portion of honey-must was supplemented with diammonium phosphate (DAP) to achieve the nitrogen concentration required by yeast to complete alcoholic fermentation. The supplementation with DAP reduced the fermentation length to around 7 days, but not all sugars were fully consumed, suggesting that other factors could be interfering with yeast growth. For both yeasts the specific growth rate and final biomass were higher in musts supplemented with DAP. Mead final composition was similar under the two experimental conditions. Analysis of the volatile profile revealed that the concentrations of the volatile fatty acids and volatile phenols were higher in meads supplemented with DAP. The concentrations of ethyl hexanoate, ethyl octanoate and isoamyl acetate were above their perception threshold and were higher in meads supplemented with DAP, which could contribute to the enhancement of the fruity character. This study could be useful for the optimization of mead production and quality improvement. Copyright © 2015 The Institute of Brewing & Distilling

Physicochemical property changes during the fermentation of longan (Dimocarpus longan) mead and its aroma composition using multiple yeast inoculations

Mead is a traditional drink obtained from diluted honey with the appropriate yeast inoculations. However, the production of mead is time-consuming, and the process often takes several months to accomplish. During the elaboration of mead, sluggish and stuck fermentations often occur and lead to the production of undesirable flavours. To improve the condition of longan mead production in Taiwan, multiple yeast inoculations with different strains of yeast were examined in this study. The physicochemical properties and mead aroma compounds were measured. Longan mead without multiple inoculations, but with added yeast nutrients, displayed a sharp increase in ethanol content compared with the inoculated groups without yeast nutrients. However, the physicochemical properties of every mead reached almost the same endpoint at the end of the fermentation time (day 22). Moreover, differences among the groups were observed in their aroma compounds. Some aroma compounds, such as 2-methyltetrahydrothiophen-3-one, 1-propanol and 2-methylbutyl acetate, were only found in the double-inoculation groups, whereas other aroma compounds, such as phenethyl acetate and linalool, were only found in the single-yeast inoculation groups. These results demonstrate that multiple inoculations have a positive effect on longan mead fermentation. This technique could assist local producers in elaborating a longan mead of acceptable quality. Copyright © 2013 The Institute of Brewing & Distilling