Ageing profiling of craft beers: a sensorial and chemical overview

Abstract

One of the main differences between craft and commercial beers is the presence of active yeast in the bottle, which can have high impact on beer stability during shelflife. For this reason, sensory and chemical beer profiling during storage is of upmost importance when focusing quality control. This study investigated the changes that occur during the storage/ageing of four different craft beers and two commercial beers, which were used for comparison. Sensory analysis of capped and corked beers was performed overtime accompanied by sampling for minor volatiles analysis. Craft beers showed an aromatic profile more intense than the commercial beers and kept the profile similar after six months, as well as the commercial beers. Fruity, floral and caramel were among the main descriptors found for the beers studied, and maintained their intensity during the analysis time. Minor compounds analysis was coherent with the aromatic profiles obtained, as well as those portrayed in the literature, however most of the main ageing markers reported were not found in the beers studied. Among the minor volatiles studied esters concentration varied differently depending on beer type and alcohols, fatty acids, carbonyl compounds and pyrazines concentrations increased for all beers. However, variations on minor volatiles composition had low impact on sensorial perception. The results allowed to conclude that the craft beers maintained the sensory quality as a commercial beer, over a six month period, with the benefit of having more intense flavors and aromas when compared to the commercial beers studied.