E!9381 STAFLAV

Purpose and goal

The goal was to develop an agarose-based adsorbent for the stabilization of beer. By adsorbing oxidizing metalions such as iron, storage stability can be increased without changing the taste over time. The developed adsorbent may be used in existing equipment found in breweries and is easy regenerated. By eliminating the greater amount of oxidizing metals such as iron from beer, durability is extended with respect to taste, turbidity, as well as lowering levels of polyphenols.

Expected results and effects

An optimized adsorbent of metals with respect to chelating ability, porosity and stability in the treatment of beer has been developed. A selective adsorbent of trace elements of iron-ions which makes the storage stability of beer prolonged without affecting the flavor has been developed in smaller scale pilot tests. The adsorbent is based on an agarose-based media and the adsorbent is regenerable. A validated production method is developed and validated for production. A major brewery made initial tests with positive results but was not convinced to verify the results in large scale.

Planned approach and implementation

The choice of chelating ligand and optimization of porosity, stability and regeneration were performed in collaboration with Stabifix. When scaling up the production method, pilot batches were prepared and tested on an oral scale on beer with known iron levels. The adsorber show high iron-ion capture as well as effect on polyphenole reduction as well as good effect on haze in beer under forced storage conditions. The effect on taste via taste panels were predominantly positive. Despite promising initial tests at a larger brewery, no verifying tests were conducted on a larger scale.