Oak Barrel Aging for High-Alcohol Whole-Malt Strong Lager
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a lack of strong lager beers with an alcohol content ≥10%vol in the market, and existing methods struggle to develop lagers with rich flavor, complex taste, and long shelf life through process technology innovation.
Innovation Solution
A whole-malt barrel-aged strong lager beer is prepared using Pilsner malt with optional Munich, crystal, or chocolate malt, aged in American white oak barrels under controlled conditions, with specific filtration, carbonation, and stabilization processes to achieve optimal flavor profiles and high alcohol content.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If strong lager beer with alcohol content ≥10%vol is developed through process technology innovation, then alcohol content and flavor richness are improved, but existing methods fail to achieve complex taste and long shelf life
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by precisely controlling fermentation temperature (8-13°C), maturation temperature (13-16°C), and storage conditions during barrel aging. The real degree of fermentation is controlled at ≥70% through optimized fermentation parameters, and the beer is aged in oak barrels at controlled temperatures to develop complex flavors while maintaining stability for long-term storage
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action through extended cold storage (≥15 days) before bottling and controlled maturation in oak barrels. These preliminary steps allow the beer to develop stable flavor profiles and achieve proper carbonation before final packaging, ensuring long shelf life from the outset
2Quantity of substance
If high alcohol content (≥10%vol) is achieved in lager beer, then stronger flavor and longer shelf life are obtained, but traditional lager brewing methods cannot produce complex taste layers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses oak barrels as an intermediary medium during the aging process. The barrels transfer wood-derived compounds (vanillin, oak lactone, dimethylhydroxy furanone) to the beer, creating complex flavor layers including vanilla, coconut, and ester notes that would not develop through traditional lager brewing alone
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs specific parameter changes including controlled fermentation temperatures (8-13°C), maturation temperatures (13-16°C), and extended aging periods in oak barrels. These parameter adjustments enable the development of complex taste profiles with multiple flavor layers while maintaining high alcohol content
3Object-generated harmful factors
If barrel aging process is used to enhance flavor, then vanilla and oak notes are developed, but control over flavor substance levels becomes challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback control by monitoring and adjusting aging time, temperature, and humidity in the barrel aging cellar. The process targets specific flavor substance concentrations (dimethylhydroxy furanone: 4-6 mg/L, cis-oak lactone: 300-500 μg/L, vanillin: 10-20 mg/L) through controlled conditions, allowing precise control over the aging process and final flavor profile
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The process results in a lager beer with 10%vol-12%vol alcohol, rich flavors of vanilla, coconut, and ester, complex taste layers, and a long wine aroma aftertaste, breaking traditional alcohol and storage time limits.
Implementation Method 1
transferred the wort to a fermenter to ferment with lager yeast
Implementation Method 2
flavors of vanilla, coconut, mellow, ester and the like, and at the same time with the flavors of both beer and whiskey
Implementation Method 3
blending the flavor substances in the barrel absorbed during barreling
Implementation Method 4
the barrel-aged beer is filtered by stacked membrane filtration, turbidity is required to be controlled below 1 EBC
Data Source
AI summary
The present application provides a whole-malt barrel-aged strong lager beer and a preparation process thereof, and belongs to the technical field of beer brewing. The whole-malt barrel-aged strong lager beer has an alcohol content of 10%vol-12%vol, a bitterness unit of 20BU-60BU, an original extract of 22°P-25°P, a real degree of fermentation ≥70%, a carbon dioxide content of 0.50% mass-0.65% mass, a dimethylfuranone content of 4 mg/L-6 mg/L, a cis-oak lactone content of 300 µg/L-500 µg/L, and a vanillin content of 10 mg/L-20 mg/L, and an amber appearance. The whole-malt barrel-aged strong lager beer provided in the present application has a high alcohol content (>_10%vol) and, through process technology innovation, has been developed to have a rich flavor, blending the flavor substances in the barrel absorbed during barreling, with a complex flavor profile and strong layers of taste. It also breaks through the limits of alcohol content and storage time of the traditional beer, and achieves a high-difficulty high-alcohol strong lager beer.