MBAA TQ http://dx.doi.org/10.1094/TQ-53-1-0302-01 |
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Graham G. Stewart, Dawn L. Maskell, and Alex Speers. International Centre for Brewing and Distilling (ICBD), Heriot-Watt University, Riccarton, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH14 4AS.
Abstract
Brewing consists of a number of unit processes under the umbrellas of three stages: wort preparation, fermentation and postfermentation processing. Due to its complexity, our overall knowledge of fermentation has lagged behind the other two stages. In a 1993 publication we referred to brewer’s wort fermentation as a “black box” because of a shortage of detailed information about it. During the intervening 20 years, considerable research on yeast fermentation has been conducted and published, and some of these developments were reviewed in a paper presented at the Institute of Brewing Asia Pacific Section 2012 Convention, held in Melbourne, Australia. Indeed, we concluded that our knowledge of many aspects of fermentation had progressed to such an extent that the “black box” concept had evolved into one of a “grey box.” Read the three articles that follow to learn more.
