Beer, wine and spirits have been
around for several millennium of human history but recent discoveries in
bio-processes have begun to change the process of their manufacture. By understanding the complex work of
naturally occurring enzymes in biological systems today’s beverages are made
with a new level of control that has never before been possible. The market for low calorie beer would not
exist without modern process designs that use enzymes. Wine makers can now use enzymes to boost
production from the same acreage of vineyards.
In every fermentation process enzyme activity works to improve the
growth of yeast cells.
This is a very exciting area of
bio-process engineering and life sciences to get in to. Enzymes and their uses are still being
discovered and have broad implications that go way beyond beer, wine and
spirits. This particular field of
interest, adult beverages, is worth getting in to since these marketable consumer
goods have shown, through several recessions, to be relatively unaffected by economic
downturns. As an industry it is a very
stable business climate. Beer is also
something that not every person can successfully create and it is something worth
taking pride in when others, in mass, enjoy and celebrate your product. For these reasons I find the topic of using
modern science and engineering to produce a better tasting beverage very
interesting.
From the beginning there was always
biological processes happening in the production of beer, wine and
spirits. Beer has always been made by steeping
grains in water and then fermenting the liquid.
During the early stages of soaking the grains, the grain seeds begin to
germinate. This process of germination
does a few things that all vitally important to successful beer and one unfortunate
side effect. The germination of the
grain seeds increases the water content of the grain, causes the grain seed to produce
its own natural enzymes, and uses some of the starch stores in the grain to
begin germination.
Of all the enzymes needed to make
good beer only one, beta-amylases is present before germination. The others: beta-glucanases, xylanases,
alpha-amylases, proteases, carboxypeptidases, and lipoxygenases are all
produced as a result of germination.
