Method for producing beer and wort kettle for use in this method

Abstract

A method for producing beer, characterized in that the wort is brought into contact, at least temporarily, with at least one body having at least one hot surface area with a surface temperature between 180°C and 240°C before and / or during boiling.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a process for producing beer and a wort kettle for use in this process.

[0002] Beer is produced using a brewing process in which malt is first produced from grain, primarily barley or wheat. The malt is then milled. Water is subsequently added to the milled grain during mashing, and the mash is thermally treated in various ways until the starch contained in the mash has been completely converted into maltose.

[0003] The mash is then lautered. In this process, the spent grain is separated from the liquid, known as wort, in a lauter tun. The wort is the liquid, fermentable part of the mash. The first wort refers to the liquid portion of the mash that can be drawn directly from the lauter tun. After the first wort has drained off, the extracts released during mashing are extracted from the spent grain by sparging with hot water.

[0004] The entire wort, consisting of first wort and infusions, is then boiled in the wort kettle or brew kettle with the addition of hops. Today, the wort is heated in the wort kettle, which is made of copper or stainless steel. Devices for heating brewing vessels with steam are known, for example, from the patent applications DE 20 2015 106 465 U1, DE 198 28 686 C1 and DE 548 257 A.

[0005] In the past, brew kettles were often made of wood or clay, making direct heating impossible. To boil the wort, stones were heated to up to 800°C in a fire and then placed in the wort to bring it to a boil. Even today, so-called stone beer is still brewed, which uses hot stones in the brewing process. Such processes are described, for example, in Gretzschel, Moritz: Playing with Fire: Carinthian Stone Beer. In: Braumagazin, Summer 2016. URL: https: / / braumagazin.de / article / spiel-mit-dem-feuer-kaerntner steinbier-reKonstruktt.

[0006] The high temperature of the hot stones causes the maltose on their surface to caramelize, thus influencing the beer's flavor. However, the high temperature can also lead to unpleasant, bitter notes.

[0007] After brewing, any remaining coagulated protein and other suspended solids are separated from the wort, the liquid is cooled to fermentation temperature and filled into a storage tank for fermentation.

[0008] The traditional method of brewing stone beer allows for the creation of interesting aromas. However, the parameters of the brewing process are difficult to control.

[0009] The object of the invention is to propose a method for producing beer which can positively influence the taste of the beer.

[0010] The object is achieved according to the invention by a method for producing beer, characterized in that the wort is brought into contact at least temporarily with at least one body having at least one hot surface area with a surface temperature between 180°C and 240°C before and / or during boiling.

[0011] Contact with a body with a hot surface can cause a caramelization process in the wort due to the maltose contained in the wort.

[0012] Maltose begins to caramelize at around 180°C, so the hot surface area of ​​the beer must have a surface temperature of at least 180°C. At temperatures above 180°C, a darker caramel forms with clearly perceptible caramel and roasted aromas. If the temperature is increased further, bitter notes develop, which up to a certain point contribute to the beer's bitterness. Therefore, the surface temperature of the hot surface area of ​​the beer should not exceed 240°C.

[0013] For better control of the brewing process, the temperature of the hot surface area can preferably be adjustable. The brewing process parameters, and in particular the caramelization of the maltose, can thus be controlled as desired, thus creating different flavors. In particular, the surface temperature can be varied over time.

[0014] The body can be immersed in the wort, for example, in the wort kettle before or during boiling, or the wort can be passed over the body, for example, during lautering, when the wort from the lauter tun can flow over the body into the wort kettle. Wort can also be continuously passed from the wort kettle over the body and back into the wort kettle.

[0015] The contact time between the body and the wort can range from 1 minute to 120 minutes, depending on the desired flavor profile and the surface temperature. In particular, the contact time can be longer than 5 minutes, but ideally should not exceed 60 minutes.

[0016] For example, the body can be brought into contact with the wort with a hot surface temperature of at least 220°C and cooled to 180°C over a period of 60 minutes. This can mimic the temperature gradient used in the production of stein beer, where the hot stones cool over time. By freely selecting the temperature, excessively high temperatures, which would produce excessive bitterness, can be avoided. The duration of the body's use can be varied as desired.

[0017] A reverse temperature gradient, in which the surface temperature of the body in the wort is heated from 180°C to at least 220°C over a period of 60 minutes, is also conceivable. The ability to control the temperature makes it possible to maintain certain values ​​that have proven particularly advantageous for longer, for example, by briefly increasing the temperature only towards the end of caramelization to achieve light roasted and bitter aromas.

[0018] Specific temperature profiles over time can be selected in a targeted manner, thus allowing the taste of the beer to be influenced very precisely.

[0019] Caramel can build up on the hot surface, which is then transferred into the wort or the maturing beer. For this purpose, the body can be placed in the storage tank after contact with the wort. During storage and fermentation, the caramel can separate from the cooled surface and transfer into the beer.

[0020] The body can also be rinsed with liquid after contact with the wort, and the rinse liquid can be added to the wort. In particular, the rinse liquid can be beer wort. However, water, especially heated water, can also be used.

[0021] It's also possible that the body in the wort is exposed to a liquid flow, at least temporarily. This can limit the deposition of caramel on the hot surface. The caramel that forms is continuously dissolved and absorbed into the wort.

[0022] Depending on the desired effect, the body can have at least a partially smooth or rough surface. Depending on the surface texture, caramel can adhere more or less easily. A smooth surface allows the caramel to dissolve and absorb into the wort. A rough surface facilitates the adhesion of caramel to the hot surface. The longer time spent on the hot surface allows darker caramel to form and create different flavors.

[0023] The body can be, for example, spherical, cylindrical, cubic, or torus-shaped. It can also have multiple hot surface areas whose temperatures can be selected independently. This allows for different effects to be achieved in the wort simultaneously.

[0024] Advantageously, the hot surface can have a variable contour. For this purpose, actuators can be provided inside the body, for example, which can slightly influence the shape of the body. This allows caramel forming on the surface to melt and be added to the seasoning.

[0025] In particular, during lautering, only the first wort, which is especially high in maltose, can be introduced into the brew kettle and subsequently treated according to the inventive method. Besides the special quality of beer made from first wort, the inventive method can be particularly efficient due to the high maltose content.

[0026] Advantageously, the body can be integrated into the surface of the wort kettle. The wort kettle can then have the usual heating devices for boiling the wort and, in addition, at least one surface area in which higher temperatures, as defined above, can be achieved. In particular, a surface area of ​​the wort kettle can be heated to 180°C to 240°C.

[0027] Advantageously, the wort kettle can be equipped with means to generate a liquid flow. This ensures that any caramel forming here dissolves into the wort.

[0028] The hot surface area of ​​the wort pan can also be modified in its contour in order to release any caramel that forms there into the wort.

Claims

[1] Process for producing beer, characterized by that the wort is brought into contact, at least temporarily, before and / or during cooking, with at least one body having at least one hot surface area with a surface temperature between 180°C and 240°C. [2] Method according to claim 1, characterized by that the temperature of the hot surface area is adjustable. [3] Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the surface temperature is varied over time. [4] Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by that the body is immersed in the spice. [5] Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by that the spice is passed through the body. [6] Method according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by that the contact time of the body with the wort is between 1 minute and 120 minutes, in particular between 10 minutes and 60 minutes. [7] Method according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by that the body is cooled from a surface temperature of at least 220°C to 180°C over a time interval of 60 minutes during contact with the wort. [8] Method according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized by that the body is heated from a surface temperature of 180°C to at least 220°C over a time interval of 60 minutes during contact with the wort. [9] Method according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized by that the body is placed in the storage tank at least temporarily after contact with the wort during fermentation. [10] Method according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized by that the body is rinsed with liquid after contact with the wort and the rinsing liquid is added to the wort. [11] Method according to claim 10, characterized by that the rinsing liquid is beer wort. [12] Method according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized by that the body is exposed to a fluid flow at least temporarily during contact with the beer wort. [13] Method according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized by that the body has at least a partially smooth surface. [14] Method according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized by that the body has at least a partially rough surface. [15] Method according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized by that the surface contour of the hot surface area is variable. [16] Method according to one of claims 1 to 8 and 10 to 15, characterized by that the body is integrated into the surface of the wort kettle. [17] Wort kettle, with a surface area that can be heated to 180°C to 240°C, characterized by that the contour of the hot surface area of the wort kettle can be changed. [18] Wort kettle according to claim 17, characterized by that the wort kettle has means for generating a liquid flow.