THE INFLUENCE OF CONDITIONING ON LAGER BEER QUALITY

Abstract

The relative contributions to lager beer quality of malt, conditioning, and other parts of the brewing process have been assessed by analytical and sensory evaluation. Backed beers, brewed and fermented under various conditions, were stored at temperatures of 12°C, 4°C or 0°C for periods ranging from 2 to 38 days before filtration and bottling. No evidence could be found to justify a need for long periods of beer storage. Although prolonged storage can provide a remedial process, correcting aspects of beer quality such as diacetyl levels, final gravity, and removal of ‘young beer’ flavour, all these features can be more rapidly, effectively and economically controlled by closer attention to materials quality and primary fermentation procedure. 1977 The Institute of Brewing & Distilling