CFPS Brewing Ingredients 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is 'gelatinization' in the context of using unmalted adjunct grains like corn or rice in brewing?
- Converting proteins to amino acids for yeast nutrition
- Extracting essential hop oils via heat
- Breaking down starch granule structure with heat/water to make starches accessible to enzymes (Correct answer)
- Clarifying wort using gelatin finings before fermentation
Correct answer: Breaking down starch granule structure with heat/water to make starches accessible to enzymes
Unmalted adjunct starches have intact granule walls that resist enzyme attack; gelatinization with heat swells and ruptures these granules, making the starch accessible.
Question 2: Which enzyme group is primarily responsible for converting starch into fermentable maltose and dextrins during mashing?
- Amylases (alpha and beta) (Correct answer)
- Proteases
- Lipases
- Beta-glucanases
Correct answer: Amylases (alpha and beta)
Alpha-amylase randomly cleaves starch chains while beta-amylase works from the ends to produce maltose; together they convert starches to fermentable and unfermentable sugars.
Question 3: What does a higher chloride-to-sulfate ratio in brewing water accomplish in the finished beer?
- Increases perceived hop bitterness and dryness
- Lowers the mash pH for better enzyme activity
- Accentuates malt fullness, sweetness, and body (Correct answer)
- Prevents lactic acid bacteria growth during fermentation
Correct answer: Accentuates malt fullness, sweetness, and body
Chloride ions enhance malt roundness and perceived sweetness/fullness; brewers adjust this ratio to emphasize either malt (high chloride) or hops (high sulfate).
Question 4: Which barley type is most commonly used by American craft brewers and produces high extract efficiency with lower protein?
- Six-row barley
- Two-row barley (Correct answer)
- Winter hulled barley
- Naked/hull-less barley
Correct answer: Two-row barley
Two-row barley has a thinner husk, lower protein, and higher starch content than six-row, making it preferred for all-malt craft beers.
Question 5: What is the Maillard reaction and why is it important in malting and brewing?
- It converts starch to fermentable sugars during kilning
- It produces complex flavor compounds and brown color through amino acid/sugar reactions under heat (Correct answer)
- It isomerizes alpha acids into bittering iso-alpha acids during boiling
- It denatures haze-forming proteins during the whirlpool
Correct answer: It produces complex flavor compounds and brown color through amino acid/sugar reactions under heat
The Maillard reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars at elevated temperatures creates hundreds of flavor compounds and brown pigments (melanoidins) during kilning and boiling.
Question 6: Which adjunct ingredient is commonly used in brewing to improve foam head retention and body?
- Corn sugar (dextrose)
- Rice hulls
- Flaked wheat or oats (Correct answer)
- Honey or cane sugar
Correct answer: Flaked wheat or oats
Flaked wheat and oats contribute proteins and beta-glucans that support foam stability and add a smooth, full mouthfeel without requiring extra mashing.
CFPS Brewing Ingredients 2
What is 'gelatinization' in the context of using unmalted adjunct grains like corn or rice in brewing?