Biotechnological production of non-traditional beer

In the present study we brewed sorghum (pito) and low-alcoholic beer (LAB) utilizing Sacharomyces cerevisiae, Lactobacillus plantarum and Saccharomycodes ludwigii as starters, respectively, and characterized their quality parameters. Single infusion method of mashing was practiced. Physiochemical, sensory and antiradical properties of samples were determined. Pito was produced by pitching wort with S. cerevisae (single starter culture (SSC)) and S. cerevisae in combination with L. plantarum (mixed starter culture (MSC)). ^oBrix did not change over the next 24 hours for both cultures and began to decline, yet still it remain steady when the fermentation was over. After the end of fermentation, wort pitched with SSC showed lower ^oBrix (6.63±0.11), than the wort with MSC (6.73±0.20) and differ significantly (P < 0.05) with duration of the fermentation process. LAB also exhibited a decrease in ^oBrix from 12.2±0.12 to 8.04±0.01 at the end of the fermentation. Titratable acidity (TA) and pH remained constant after 24 hours of fermentation. TA began to increase from 0.73±0.02 to 1.04±0.02 and 0.73±0.02 to 1.07±0.02 for SSC and MSC, respectively. A decrease in pH from 4.33±0.20 to 3.86±0.15 and 4.33±0.20 to 4.2±0.1 was observed for SSC and MSC, respectively, during the rest of the fermentation period. A total of 22 volatile compounds including 11 esters, 3 alcohols and 8 acids, were identified in pito. Seven of these compounds were detected after the first fermentation (in green beer), whilst the rest (16 compounds) were distinguish after secondary fermentation. We also identified 8 volatiles in LAB, including 5 alcohols, 2 esters and 1 acid. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy of free radicals was used to determine the antiradical activity (AOA) of LAB in comparison with industrial alcoholic beverages (Baltica 7 from St Petersburg, Russia and Nectar beer from Bosnia-Herzegonia). LAB showed DPPH radical scavenging activity of 1.16 ×10⁻⁴ mol × equ (R²=0.86) though Nectar beer exhibited the higher AOA of 1.17 × 10⁻⁴ mol x equ (R²=0.69) whilst the least was Baltica beer 9.85×10⁻⁵ mol x equ (R²=0.96). Panellists generally accepted the pito brewed with SSC (4.28±0.95) as well as LAB (3.85±0.69). All the parameters of beer assessed for the sensory evaluation were satisfactory.