& THE ENVIRONMENT V

CONTRACEPTION, CHARCOAL AND COWS: THE WORLD OF BREWERY CO-PRODUCTS

n my married life I have that it tastes better than vitamin Worthington White Shield) that we encountered two extremely pills. But I wouldn’t know: I get my would gleefully brainstorm this area effective contraceptives. The vitamins from a well-balanced diet, and many more potential opportuni- Ifirst was a beard (see p27); inclusive of a more palatable form ties to extend the margins. Some the second is Marmite. of folate and such forth, namely were distinctly out of left field. As the world knows, you either beer itself. It was our gaffer, Tony Portno, love it or you hate it (Marmite, that though, who came up with the idea is - and my antipodean friends say Pie-eyed pigs that was quickly transformed into the same thing applies to Vegemite). Marmite, of course, is basically a laboratory spin-off in Nottingham It, of course, depends on whether autolysed yeast. And the truck- which quickly outgrew the research your mother had a mean streak. ing of surplus yeast to the yeast team that we had in Burton. (And by If she did, and stuck her finger in extract folks has long been a reli- standards that of itself was this jar of thick treacly stuff before able and relatively valuable outlet fairly formidable at more than thirty plunging it into your mouth, then for this substantial co-product of folks – ah! the good old days!!) This you grow up adoring it. If, however, brewing. It is by no means the only offshoot was Delta Biotechnology your mother was anything like mine opportunity. Distillers continue to and the idea was relatively straight- then there was ne’er a jar to be had call upon brewers for yeast, being forward in descriptive terms if not and I grew up with a mild, bordering less fastidious about the strain than in practical reality: to introduce on vehement, dislike for it. My dear brewers. Even more common has genes for high value proteins into Diane greatly relishes it, especially been the use of yeast as a feedstuff brewing yeast in forms that were spread thinly with butter on hot for animals. I well recall pitching up only switched on after the brewing toast. I do not kiss her until she has (if you will excuse the pun) at the process. So the concept was to cleaned her teeth and rinsed amply Shepherd Neame brewery in ferment beer in the time honoured with mouthwash. many years ago, just as the sluices way, harvest the yeast, add the trig- opened and the yeast slurry arrived ger for the added gene of interest A century of icky sticky stuff for the pigs. Never since have and then recover the protein and Such indeed is the very basis I heard such squeals of delight. run to the bank. In particular the of the Marmite folks’ marketing Tasty stuff, plenty of nutritive value, protein that was focused on was strategy, so I have no difficulty including the cell wall fibres, and human serum albumin and I can admitting my distaste for it. That the alcohol made them some of the see the headlines in the Financial the savoury concoction has been happiest porkers to be found that Times now: Bloody Good Beer. The around for so long – the Marmite side of Old Trafford. concept was startling in its simple company first started spewing out sophistication but to the best of my that distinctive aroma over Burton- Bloody good idea knowledge there was never a drop on-Trent in 1902 – speaks to the No shortage of opportunities of the stuff made in this way. It was fact that there are an awful lot for surplus brewing yeast, then. quickly realized that the economics of folks who relish it, not only for But when I was at Bass we weren’t were far more attractive if you used its flavour but also because of its (of course) satisfied with the status an artificial medium from the outset nutritional merit, notably its content quo and were constantly in search rather than wort, and that brewing of vitamins. The company who now of something new and novel. Many strains are really rather tough lit- makes it – part of – boast was the hour (usually fuelled with tle beggars to genetically modify

24 BEER & THE ENVIRONMENT V

when compared to haploid yeasts good time. It has, however, long or certain bacteria. Delta was sold been prudent of brewers to identify and has been through several sets alternative opportunities for spent of hands since, most recently to grains usage, always remembering Novozymes. that it seldom makes economic sense to dry an 80% moisture What business are we in? commodity that I estimate is gen- The idea behind Delta was erated at a rate of somewhere exciting indeed. However, let us between 20 and 30 million tonnes beware. If we are not careful then per annum worldwide. Spent grains the tail wags the dog. At the spoil with rapidity unless they are moment all of the co-products from treated with acids such as lactic a brewery, notably the spent grains and acetic or with the preservative (with trub usually mixed in) and potassium sorbate. If they are dried the yeast, are very much second- then the temperature used can be ary streams. Their sale or, in the no higher that 60ºC if the risks of worst case, disposal to waste is charring and burnt flavours are to a necessary evil to allow the main be avoided. One suggestion has business at hand, namely the brew- been to use superheated steam, ing of beer. Were it the case that with environmental advantages and a use is found for either material the preservation of valuable organ- that is more valuable than the beer ic compounds (Journal of Food itself then the whole raison d’être Engineering 67, 457–465). Others would change. Dare we even pon- have pressed the grains to 20-30% der a brewery where the beer is moisture (Separation Science and almost an afterthought? Too silly Technology 39, 3237–3261). to contemplate? Perhaps not. In It would appear that spent the world of cheese-making, the grains may be a useful feedstuff exciting uses for the co-product for more than cattle alone, fish for whey (such as converting it into a example (Bioresource Technology protective coating for many foods) 91, 101–104) and craft brewers can make it an even more valuable with restaurants have long hawked commodity than the cheese itself. spent grains as part of their din- ner breads, to which they impart What more can be done? enhanced nutritional value (Die Presently, most brewers seem Nahrung 37, 576–582). All that to do tolerably well in disposing of lovely fibre (Journal of Cereal their surplus grain to cattle feed. Science 42, 1–13). One advance That is, those who have cows close has been to separate the grains to hand or farms close enough for by a milling and sieving technique ensiled grains to be delivered in to yield a material claimed to be a

“Dare we even ponder a brewery where the beer is almost an afterthought? Too silly to contemplate? Perhaps not.”

25 BEER & THE ENVIRONMENT V

POSSIBILITY ONE

Barley Malt Mill Bran ?

Endosperm Wort mash

POSSIBILITY TWO 215–1223). They can be fer- mented to yield burnable biogas Barley Mill Bran ? (Process Biochemistry 31, 7–12). They can be converted into Endosperm Wort charcoal bricks (Kagaku Kogaku mash with added enzymes Ronbunshu 28, 137–142): what a perfectly symmetrical barbeque Figure 1: New paradigms producing “dry spent grains” that would be; to have steaks Option one involves malt as the starting point; option two unmalted grain from spent grain-fed animals grilled on spent grain briquettes great pre-biotic for those suffering silica, too, ends up in the spent besides. They have been used and washed down with beer. from ulcerative colitis (Bioscience, grains, despite the fact that enough as substrates in the produc- Grains have been made into Biotechnology and Biochemistry enters into beer as to make the lat- tion of enzymes (Thai Journal bricks (Construction and Building 61, 29–33). ter one of the richest sources of the of Agricultural Science 11, Materials 19, 117–126) and paper Spent grains are indeed a great stuff in our diet. 209–222) and of the highly prized (MBAA Technical Quarterly 37, source of fibre, being big-time in cel- antioxidant ferulic acid (Journal 261–265). They have been used as lulose and arabinoxylan coming from More than food of Cereal Science 25, 285–288), an adsorbent in a comparable way the unhydrolysed husk and bran of Food-schmood. Spent grains as well as the sweetener xyli- to charcoal (Journal of Hazardous the grain. The bulk of the grain’s might be used for much else tol (Process Biochemistry 40, Materials 31, 19–28). BEER & THE ENVIRONMENT V

PROFESSOR MICHAEL J LEWIS FUND

Many North American brewers started their careers at UC Davis under the tutelage of an inspiring professor who taught the craft of brewing. For more than 30 years, Professor Michael J Lewis led the UC Davis Brewing Science curriculum, building from an idea to a program with a worldwide reputation for excellence. So many undergraduate and Masters Left, the students and, latterly, numerous extension students have benefitted author circa directly from Professor Lewis’ wisdom and experience. 1980. Scary. Right, the To recognize the many contributions Professor Lewis has made to his author in students and to the brewing industry, we have created a new endowed November fund, named in his honour, and dedicated to supporting brewing science 2008 with students at UC Davis. Students who have been taught by Michael and all grandson others who recognize his many contributions are invited to participate. Aidan William For more information, contact Charlie Bamforth at [email protected] Bamforth

Logic stuff is considerably less appealing the former to wheresoever you can And it would do nothing to alien- All in all, a remarkable breadth of for taking into a factory than a nicer get the best bang for your buck ate Marmite aficionados, such as our opportunity. And yet the fact remains dry material – say, barley or malt. and the latter to what our game son Peter, born 28 years ago and that it all boils down to balancing the And therein surely lies the rub is really all about: making beer. obviously nine months after Diane had economics. To what extent does the for the future. Far more logical Sure, it would demand a re-think of steered clear of the black jar. To the demand for these various outlets would be to create the “spent grain” brewhouse equipment, but I would best of my knowledge, Peter’s son marry with the rate of grains output before brewing (Figure 1) by selec- contend it would make for a more Aidan has not yet been exposed to his from a brewery? And just how attrac- tively milling the grain into the bran profitable and environmentally sus- father’s favorite spread. His American tive are grains really? This soggy and endosperm fractions, diverting tainable business. mom, Stephanie, is not a fan.