Despite some contempt from part of the brewing community, low alcoholic beer (LAB) and non alcoholic beerr (NAB) are great options for those looking to reduce their alcohol intake, whether for health or well-being reasons.

You can laugh and joke with non-alcoholic beer that who has heard it and for what needs it, it is not even beer. Such jokes usually last until the first party, when one of the partygoers is chosen to the honorable function of the driver who will take the company home afterwards. This one person may feel slightly disadvantaged, the prospect of playing with a glass of water does not suit everyone. In such a situation, the jokes go aside and we turn to non-alcoholic or low-alcohol beer. It smells like beer, it tastes like beer, the only difference is no percentages.

 

Contrary to speculation that it will be a fad, the whole idea has turned into an integral part of the beer drinking culture, and we may even be tempted to say that it has become an alternative to it.

Brewing

Fermentation is an inseparable element of brewing, and regardless of our efforts, alcohol will always be produced as a result, which is beyond our control. However, we have an influence on its final content, using appropriate techniques and methods we can significantly reduce its amount.

At home, of course, we will not obtain typically alcohol-free beer, because it is produced in the process of dealcoholization, which requires appropriate technology. However, we can successfully brew beers with an alcohol level of 1.5-2%, which will certainly be richer in taste than most non-alcoholic commercial products.

 

High temperature / Low charge:

The method is the most accessible to beginners because it can be easily carried out on a small equipment and small amounts of malt.
A small charge will make the wort contain less sugars, which will ferment during mashing. High mashing temperature (82-86 ° C) will result in greater secretion of the alpha-amylase enzyme, which will result in lower sugar levels and, consequently, lower alcohol content. With this method, we get a BLG of 2-6, so that the finished beer will oscillate around 0.1-2.0%

 

 


Cold mashing / non-enzymatic mashing

It is an innovative method of mashing popularized by the American malt house Briess. The cold extraction process enables the brewer to capture the color and flavor of specialty malts while limiting the extraction of complex carbohydrates. It consists in mashing the malt in cold water at a temperature of 20 degrees C for 8 to even 24 hours.
Thanks to this method, the wort has a much larger amount of proteins responsible for better foam retention and beer flavor. Thanks to that, even with small fillings, we will obtain full and full-bodied beers. Beer prepared in this way can contain from 1.0% to 1.5% alcohol, without losing taste and consistency, and retains high-quality head.
You can read more about cold mashing directly on the Briess website.

 

Selection of yeasts
The more and more popular non-alcoholic brewing, both on a commercial and home scale, has forced research into new yeast strains, less fermentable. Laboratories around the world are working on them to make non-alcoholic beers even better taste.
However, when using them, keep in mind that this will increase the level of unfermented sugars, so pasteurization should be considered as preventing bacterial spoilage or re-fermentation in the package.

White Labs, Fermentis, Fermentum Mobile, CHR-Hansen, Hefebank and The Yeast Bay have already released their first strains, which are:

Saccharomycodes Ludwigii

Zygosaccharomyces Lentus

Torulaspora Delbrueckii

Saccharomyces Chevalieri

Metshnikowia Reukaufii

Pichia Kluyveri


Stopped Fermentation

When presenting the techniques below, we must point out that they cannot be used if we plan to refer the beer to the beer, i.e. to saturate it with CO2 through fermentation in bottles. Rather, it is used in commercial breweries or by home brewers having the ability to saturate the beer through external CO2 sources. With this method, the brewer can control the alcohol content himself, yeast activity can be inhibited by cooling, using chemicals or heating.

 

 

 

Heating:

Heating the beer reduces the activity of yeast microorganisms, which stops the fermentation process, making it easier to keep the alcohol level low with the desired amount of sweetness.
Instant pasteurization, also known as high temperature / short time (HTST), is typically used in commercial breweries, at home this can be done simply by placing the filled bottles at 55-60 ° C for approximately 15 minutes.

 

Cooling:

When the beer is cooled down to around freezing point, the yeast becomes inactive. It is enough to filter them out or reduce them with sodium metabisulfite (Campden tablets) and potassium sorbate. Draft beer is usually not pasteurized, so it should be stored at 3 ° C to prevent secondary fermentation.

 

Chemicals:

By adding sodium / potassium metabisulfite and potassium sorbate together to the beer, we will effectively stop further fermentation while re-sweetening with fermentable sugar.
It is not suitable for stopping active fermentation, the chemicals are used to prevent further fermentation when the yeast becomes inactive. It is a misconception that sodium / potassium metabisulfite kills yeast, which is not entirely true. Conditions can be created in which the yeast becomes inactive, such as cold breaking or nitrogen removal..

 

No fermentation:

Not fermenting it generally goes against the idea of ​​brewing beer, but neither method should be rejected. Without fermenting the wort, you can confidently obtain a "beer" of 0.0% ABV.

As is known, during fermentation, yeast produces esters, phenols, glycerin, ethanol and the biotransformation of hops, which have a sensory effect on beer. Without these characteristics, beer can taste ugly and sweet, so steps must be taken to ensure that the flavors are balanced. The advantage of not fermenting is that there are no off-flavors generated by traditional fermentation. Due to the high level of fermentable sugars, remember to protect the wort against microbes and spoilage.

Boil-dry:
This technique is the least preferred method as heating the beer after fermentation can lead to problems and unpleasant tastes including: oxidation, excessively bitter aftertaste due to the higher temperature, flavors from "boiled" yeast, and loss of desired volatile aromas and flavors.
Without testing equipment, it is impossible to determine how much alcohol actually remains in the finished product, making the evaporation approach inappropriate for consumers who may be harmed by alcohol consumption. The reason is that alcohol and water bind together to form an azeotrope, its components cannot be easily separated by heat, so the final ABV value can only be guessed by the brewer.
The boiling point of ethanol is lower than that of water (78 ° C), which means the alcohol will evaporate without actually having to boil the beer.
The cooking time depends on many factors, such as atmospheric pressure and heating temperature.

What ingredients should I use?

Choosing the right malts, additives, hops and yeast is a key factor in beer design, and choosing the wrong malt, hops or yeast can completely change the fermentation and style of the beer. When brewing NAB / LAB, recipe selection can be even more difficult - too high a base malt content can result in a higher level of fermentation, and too much additive can result in undesirable foam properties and a high starch content. Bitter additives should also be introduced as bitterness is higher in NAB / LAB due to the lower IBU / GU ratio. Choosing a yeast (which is maltose and / or maltotriose negative - what's the deal?) Will be better at producing a low ABV beer due to its inability to ferment the selected sugars. Choosing a traditional strain or one that is STA1 + can lead to excessive attenuation resulting in higher ethanol production. It is also recommended to avoid the use of fruit due to its sugar content..

Malt

Choosing the right base malt and complementary grains is key to creating a balanced, full-bodied beer while delivering the color you want. Using base malts with a better flavor profile, such as Viennese, Munich and Rye, produces a greater concentration of flavor and aroma than traditional pale two-row malt. When using lighter malts such as Pilsner, Pale Ale, Maris Otter or Pale 2-row, it is advisable to use special grains and additives to complete the flavor, color and texture.

The use of cereals such as wheat, crystal, caramel, dextrin and melanoidin malts greatly enhances the taste, aroma, color, mouthfeel and foaming properties more closely to traditional beers. A great way is to use cereals such as barley, wheat, and / or oats, as well as lactose, corn syrup, and maltodextrin powder.

Hop
Hops are an important ingredient in beer, and those with a low ABV content experience much more bitterness. What should you use when brewing NAB / LAB? Traditional bitter additives can quickly turn a low ABV beer into something unpalatable.
Reducing the amount of IBU by significantly reducing bitterness will result in a better balance, which will give the beer a comparable bitterness to a classic beer.
One aspect to be aware of is the hop creep that occurs during dry hopping as this may encourage further wort fermentation which results in slightly higher alcohol content than intended, which may exceed the regulatory guidelines for NAB / LAB production (from 0.0 to 1.5% ABV).

The method chosen by the brewer ultimately determines the selection of cereals. If the brewer chooses to use the high temperature / low gravity technique, increasing the percentage of specialty grains and additives will give better results than using mainly base malt. Given the small grain bill associated with this approach, finished beers can be viewed as thin or watery without the balance of non-fermentable sugars, proteins and starches brought in by special malts and additives. Beers with higher levels of these additives will have a better mouthfeel and body, with well-balanced flavor, color and foaming properties.
If the brewer chooses to use the cold mash / NEM method or relies on a low-fermenting yeast strain, grain selection is less important as wort produced from cold mash or simple mash has a higher malt to liqueur ratio which contributes to the improved flavor. malt, color and foam. The brewer should continue to emphasize the use of special grains and additives to match the styles to create a better overall sensory appeal.