Cellaring News: Sapporo’s Age-Defying Barley
By jason on Sep 19, 2007 in Cellaring News and Events, Cellaring Science
The makers of my favorite sushi bar beer, Sapporo Breweries, have recently made an announcement about a new strain of barley they have developed. This new barley is supposed to keep beer brewed with it fresher for longer periods of time. It’s able to do this because it has been genetically engineered to be missing the gene that creates the enzyme lipoxygenase.
The Lipoxygenase enzyme is linked to the eventual formation of a compound called (E)-2-nonenal that causes a cardboard-like flavor to appear in aging beer. Beer that has been brewed with the new super-barley has been observed to have levels of (E)-2-nonenal at one-third of the levels of beers brewed with normal barley.
This new wonder-barley is set to be grown in Canada starting in 2008. We can only hope that it eventually finds its way into craft beers. If it ever does, we could start to cellar a whole range of beers that deteriorate too quickly right now. Pilsners and lagers might start to improve with time, something that just doesn’t happen now.
For those of you interested in some of the science behind this, you can check this summary of a Presentation that was given at a MBAA (Master Brewers Association of the Americas) conference.
Jason
Well, I cant agree more.
Julie | Dec 5, 2007 | Reply