Brewing a Craft Belgian-Style Pale Ale Using Pichia kudriavzevii 4A as a Starter Culture

There is an expanding market for beer of different flavors. This study aimed to prepare a craft Belgian-style pale ale with a non-Saccharomyces yeast. Pichia kudriavzevii 4A was used as a sole starter culture, and malted barley as the only substrate. The ingredients and brewing process were carefully monitored to ensure the quality and innocuousness of the beverage. During fermentation, the yeast consumed 89.7% of total sugars and produced 13.8% v/v of ethanol. The product was fermented and then aged for 8 days, adjusted to 5% v/v alcohol, and analyzed. There were no traces of mycotoxins, lead, arsenic, methanol, or microbiological contamination that would compromise consumer health. According to the physicochemical analysis, the final ethanol concentration (5.2% v/v) and other characteristics complied with national and international guidelines. The ethyl acetate and isoamyl alcohol present are known to confer sweet and fruity flavors. The sensory test defined the beverage as refreshing and as having an apple and pear flavor, a banana aroma, and a good level of bitterness. The judges preferred it over a commercial reference sample of Belgian-style pale ale made from S. cerevisiae. Hence, P. kudriavzevii 4A has the potential for use in the beer industry.

Automated summary

There is a growing market for beer with different flavors. This study successfully prepared a craft Belgian-style pale ale using a non-Saccharomyces yeast called Pichia kudriavzevii 4A. The beer was carefully brewed using malted barley as the sole substrate, and its quality and safety were ensured through meticulous monitoring. The sensory test showed that the beer had a refreshing taste with apple and pear flavors, a banana aroma, and a good level of bitterness. It was preferred over a commercial reference sample made from S. cerevisiae, indicating the potential of P. kudriavzevii 4A in the beer industry.