Corn has been widely used in traditionally fermented Mexican beverages. We recently developed a process to prepare beers using 100% pigmented corn varieties that provide polyphenols and anthocyanins with antioxidant properties. Moreover, new styles could be created when modifying the process conditions and ingredients. Thus, we explored the effect of caramel malt addition and different amounts of hops and guajillo chili, generating several styles of blue corn malt beers (BCMB). The objective was to evaluate these effects on selected chemical parameters and antioxidant properties at three different stages of the brewing process. To achieve this, base and caramel malts were obtained and used to develop eight styles of BCMB, using different concentrations of chili and hops, using an ale fermentation process. Eleven chemical properties were determined in the wort, green and mature beer of the eight styles of BCMB. Low‐alcohol beers were obtained and the values of total reducing sugars, alcohol, pH, total acidity, bitterness units and iso‐α‐acids during the stages of the process were similar to barley beers. Additionally, anthocyanin concentration, polyphenols and antioxidant capacity decreased through the process stages. The interaction of the ingredients produced effects on the chemical composition and antioxidant activity in mature beers. After statistical analysis, by both univariate ANOVA and multivariate methods (hierarchical cluster analysis and principal component analysis), a higher concentration of anthocyanins and ABTS antioxidant capacity was founds in two beer styles that were formulated with 85% base malt and 15% caramel malt. Copyright © 2017 The Institute of Brewing & Distilling

The objectives of this research were to carry out a chemical analysis of the base malts, to evaluate the effect of malting and roasting on both color and compounds associated with the antioxidant capacity (anthocyanins, phenolic compounds, melanoidins), and the capacity itself by ABTS and DPPH assays in base malt and caramel malt of blue corn. In order to provide styles of beers with different sensory characteristics as well as health benefits for the consumer, and since malt is the heart of beer, different cereals and pseudo-cereals have been malted. In addition to this, with the intention of taking advantage of the phenolic compounds present in the blue corn grain, and of developing color compounds as well as antioxidant activity through roasting, both blue corn base and caramel malts were developed. Results showed that the protein content was within the specified range for barley malt and, despite the malting not having a significant effect on the color parameters, a decrease in the anthocyanin content was observed. On the contrary, an increase in the content of phenolic acids as well as in the antioxidant capacity by DPPH assay in the base malt with respect to the grain was noticed. Additionally, the color of caramel malts increased in luminosity and chroma, and decreased in tone due to roasting. Likewise, the concentrations of anthocyanins and phenolic compounds depended on the roasting conditions. Moreover, the higher the roasting temperature was, the higher the concentrations of melanoidins were. Finally, malts that had a greater amount of phenolic compounds showed greater antioxidant capacity by ABTS assay, while malts that had a higher melanoidins content showed a greater antioxidant response by DPPH assay. In accordance with the results, it was concluded that the combined use of base and caramel malts to produce corn beer musts could provide significant amounts of compounds that will impact its color and antioxidant capacity, thereby favoring the chemical stability of the produc