Kinetics of malt starch hydrolysis by endogeneous alpha- and beta-amylases has been experimentally investigated in laboratory-, pilot- and industrial-scale reactors. The production rates of glucose, maltose, maltotriose and total extract, and the separate alpha- and beta-amylases deactivation rates are measured at varying mashing temperature and different initial starch concentrations and qualities. Based on the experimental results, a model is proposed that takes into account the initial carbohydrates and enzymes dissolution, the starch gelatinization, the separate hydrolytic action of alpha-and beta-amylases on insoluble and soluble starch and dextrins, and the influence of temperature both on enzyme activities and thermal denaturation rate. The model can predict, at the three scales, the final sugars concentrations in the wort for given initial malt concentrations and enzymatic contents, and for a fixed temperature profile during the mashing process.

Methods of assessing the brewing qualities of new varieties are reviewed. A new method for making this assessment is proposed. This is ideally a three-step process but it would be possible to eliminate the third, costly, step without severe loss of effectiveness. The use of the new method is illustrated by reference to trials using 251 samples from recent trials in France.

No abstract

The method of preparation of laboratory wort by the Tepral mashing system provides a clear improvement in the evaluation of industrial malts and in the optimization of malting procedures. The equipment required is simple and easy to operate. The use of the method has shown significant differences in terms of both wort viscosity and extract yield between malt from 2‐row spring barley (variety Carina) and malt from 2‐row winter barley (variety Sonja), produced under identical industrial conditions: the Sonja malt gave fewer good results for finely ground malt than did the Carina malt.

The phototransformation of the a-acids (humulone) of hop resins has been studied in order to improve their bitter properties and to establish the optimal experimental conditions.