Silicate Particle Use for Gushing Prevention in Beer Brewing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods to prevent gushing in beer production, such as adding isomerized hop oils or calcium salts, either interfere with the beer's aroma profile or require additional process steps, and there is no reliable method to control the occurrence of gushing caused by hydrophobins and calcium oxalate precipitation.
Innovation Solution
The use of silicate particles with a high proportion of metal ion Ca2+ on their surface, which bind undesired components like hydrophobins and oxalic acid, allowing for their removal during the production process without affecting the beer's flavor, by adding these particles to the brewing process and separating them before the beer is finished.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If calcium salts (CaSO4, CaCl2) are added to counteract CO2 release from calcium oxalate precipitation, then gushing is suppressed, but the overall salt content of the beer is noticeably changed and taste is significantly influenced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes oxalic acid from the brewing system before it can cause gushing problems. By adding calcium carbonate during mashing to precipitate oxalic acid as calcium oxalate, which is then removed with the spent grains during filtration, the harmful oxalic acid is extracted from the system. This eliminates the need to add calcium salts later to counteract CO2 release, thus preventing changes to salt content and taste while still suppressing gushing.
2Reliability
If isomerized hop oils are added to reduce gushing, then gushing is suppressed, but the beer aroma is significantly influenced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the root cause of gushing (oxalic acid and hydrophobins) through precipitation and filtration, rather than adding substances like hop oils to suppress gushing. By eliminating oxalic acid through calcium carbonate precipitation and removing hydrophobins through filtration, the invention suppresses gushing without introducing substances that would alter the beer's natural aroma profile.
3Reliability
If different malt batches are blended to minimize primary gushing, then gushing potential is reduced, but storage costs for malthouses increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the brewing process by adding calcium carbonate during mashing. This causes oxalic acid to precipitate as calcium oxalate regardless of the malt batch's hydrophobin content. By controlling the chemical environment to precipitate oxalic acid, the invention minimizes primary gushing without requiring blending of different malt batches, thus avoiding increased storage costs.
4Stability of the object's composition
If calcium salts are added to lower pH and increase solubility of calcium oxalate, then complete precipitation is counteracted, but the risk of unprecipitated Ca2+ remaining increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs the calcium carbonate addition during the mashing phase, which is the preliminary action before brewing and fermentation. This early precipitation of oxalic acid as calcium oxalate ensures complete removal of oxalic acid before it can cause gushing problems later. The spent grains and associated precipitates are then removed during filtration, ensuring no unprecipitated Ca2+ or oxalic acid remains to cause issues.
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
Effectively reduces gushing by removing the main causes without altering the beer's aroma, and allows for complete removal of added particles, reducing the risk of further precipitation and cloudiness, while conforming to brewing regulations.
Implementation Method 1
silicate particles with a high proportion of metal ion Ca2+ on their surface, which bind undesired components like hydrophobins and oxalic acid
Implementation Method 2
Secondary or technological gushing is caused by process-related calcium oxalate precipitation
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
Use of particulate material in production of a beverage is claimed. The material particles are added in the course of the production to a starting material or an intermediate product of the beverage and separated off again prior to finishing of the beverage. The particles of the material at least partially comprise a silicate, where the silicate particles have 1.5-30 wt.% at least one metal ion comprising lanthanum, cerium, copper, silver, zinc, tin, calcium, magnesium, iron or manganese. An independent claim is also included for a beer brewing comprising adding silicate particles to the mash.