A Chemical Analysis of Flavor Differences in Chocolate Coconut Rum Porter
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A Chemical Analysis of Flavor Differences in Chocolate Coconut Rum Porter A Major Qualifying Project Report Submitted to the Faculty of WORCESTER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Science in the field of Chemical Engineering Sponsored by: Purgatory Beer Company 670 Linwood Ave, Whitinsville, MA 01588 Authors: Joseph Crognale Tyler Donovan Shane O’Dell Advised by: Professor Stephen Kmiotek This report represents the work of WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review. For more information about the projects program at WPI, please see http://www.wpi.edu/academics/ugradstudies/project-learning.html Abstract The origin of the batch-to-batch inconsistency in flavor of Purgatory Beer Company’s Fiero Coconut Rum porter was investigated by extracting organic compounds from desirable and undesirable batches of porter and quantifying them using GC-MS. The concentration and occurrence of key flavor compounds were compared between the samples and showed that the undesirable batch contained more unpleasant organoleptic compounds and was more acidic. Based on the marked inconsistency in chemical profile between batches, the team recommended quality control be improved through more accurate monitoring and consistent control of the fermentation temperature, oxygenation of wort and beer, order of ingredient addition to the fermentation broth, reuse of yeast, and filtration of water. i Table of Contents Abstract ............................................................................................................................................ i Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................ ii List of Tables ................................................................................................................................. iv List of Figures ................................................................................................................................. v 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 1 2. Background ................................................................................................................................. 2 2.1 Brewing Process .................................................................................................................... 2 2.1.1 Malt ................................................................................................................................. 3 2.1.2 Hops ................................................................................................................................ 4 2.1.3 Yeast ............................................................................................................................... 4 2.1.4 Specifics of Brewing Porters .......................................................................................... 5 2.2 Flavor Compounds ................................................................................................................ 6 2.2.1 Primary flavor compounds ............................................................................................. 7 2.2.2 Secondary flavor compounds ....................................................................................... 11 2.2.3 Tertiary flavor compounds ........................................................................................... 13 2.2.4 Off-flavors .................................................................................................................... 14 2.3 Reactions in Beer ................................................................................................................ 17 3. Methodology ............................................................................................................................. 20 3.1 Extraction ............................................................................................................................ 20 3.2 Observations During Extraction .......................................................................................... 20 4. Results and Analysis ................................................................................................................. 23 4.1 Overall Chemical Composition Comparison from DCM Extraction .................................. 23 4.2 Overall Chemical Composition Comparison from THF Extraction ................................... 24 4.3 Individual Flavor Compound Area Comparison ................................................................. 26 4.4 Comparison of Presence or Absence of Individual Flavor Compounds ............................. 29 5. Conclusions ............................................................................................................................... 32 6. Recommendations ..................................................................................................................... 33 6.1 Control of Fermentation Variables ...................................................................................... 33 6.1.1 Temperature Control..................................................................................................... 33 ii 6.1.2 Addition of Flavor Compounds During Secondary Fermentation ............................... 35 6.1.3 Control of Oxygenation and Aeration .......................................................................... 35 6.1.4 Controlled Yeast Reuse ................................................................................................ 36 6.1.5 Improved Fermentation Monitoring Tools ................................................................... 37 6.2 Use of Unsulfured Coconut ................................................................................................. 38 6.3 Filtration of Water ............................................................................................................... 38 6.4 Minimize Effects of Aging .................................................................................................. 40 6.5 Improvements for Future Studies ........................................................................................ 40 Bibliography ................................................................................................................................. 42 Appendices .................................................................................................................................... 45 Appendix A: GC-MS Method ................................................................................................... 45 Appendix B: Initial Ineffective Extraction Method .................................................................. 47 Appendix C: GC-MS Results .................................................................................................... 48 Appendix D: Example Organoleptic Compound Comparison .................................................. 74 Appendix E: Whitinsville Water Quality Testing Results25...................................................... 75 iii List of Tables Table 1. Primary flavor compounds in beer.................................................................................. 10 Table 2. Secondary flavor compounds in beer .............................................................................. 13 Table 3. Potential off-flavors in beer ............................................................................................ 16 Table 4. Overall Chemical Composition, DCM Extraction 2/17/19 ............................................ 23 Table 5. Overall Chemical Composition, DCM Extraction 3/19/19 ............................................ 23 Table 6. Overall Chemical Composition, THF Extraction 2/26/19 .............................................. 24 Table 7. Overall Chemical Composition, THF Extraction 3/19/19 .............................................. 24 Table 8. Acidic Compound Comparison ...................................................................................... 25 Table 9. Overall Chemical Composition, THF Extraction 3/19/19 .............................................. 27 Table 10. Fusel Alcohol Area Comparison, THF Extractions ...................................................... 27 Table 11. Acetic Acid Area Comparison, DCM Extraction 2/17/19 ............................................ 28 Table 12. Ethyl Acetate Area Comparison ................................................................................... 28 Table 13. Organochloride Area Comparison ................................................................................ 29 iv List of Figures Figure 1. Beer Composition ............................................................................................................ 2 Figure 2. Example of Typical Commercial Porter Recipe .............................................................. 5 Figure 3. Isohumulone production during wort boiling .................................................................. 8 Figure 4. Visible Difference Between Undesirable and Desirable Batches in DCM ................... 21 Figure 5. Visible Difference Between Undesirable and Desirable Batches in DCM after Two Months of Aging ..........................................................................................................................