The Production of Secondary Metabolites with Flavour Potential during Brewing and Distilling Wort Fermentations

Ethanol, carbon dioxide and glycerol are the major products produced by yeast during wort fermentation but they have little impact on beer and spirit flavour. It is the type and concentration of secondary metabolites that can determine overall beer flavour. These compounds are (but not only) primarily: higher alcohols, esters, carbonyls and sulphur compounds-inorganic and organic. There are a number of factors that can modify the balance of these compounds most of which are discussed in this review paper.