Bottle Conditioning: Technology and Mechanisms Applied in Refermented Beers

• Published in: Beverages (Basel) Vol. 6; no. 3; p. 56
• Main Authors: Štulíková, Kateřina, Novák, Jan, Vlček, Jakub, Šavel, Jan, Košin, Petr, Dostálek, Pavel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01.09.2020
• Subjects: 18th century; 19th century; 20th century; Beer; bioflavoring; bottle conditioning; Breweries; brewing yeast; Carbonation; Conditioning; Fermentation; kräusening; Metabolic pathways; Metabolism; Metabolites; Microorganisms; Packaging; Process management; Product differentiation; refermentation; Sensory properties; Sugar; Wort; Worts; Yeast; Yeasts
• ISSN: 2306-5710; 2306-5710
• DOI: 10.3390/beverages6030056

Bottle conditioning refers to a method of adding fermenting wort or yeast suspension in sugar solution into beer in its final package. Additionally denoted as bottle refermentation, this technique has been originally developed to assure beer carbonation, and has further significance related to formation of distinctive sensory attributes and enhancement of sensory stability, which are the phenomena associated with ongoing yeast metabolic activities in the final package. This review covers historical development of the method, describes metabolic pathways applied during refermentation, and explains practical aspects of the refermentation process management. Furthermore, an overview of the traditional and novel approaches of bottle conditioning with mixed yeast bacterial cultures and its impact on the properties of final beer is provided.