A sparkling trip to beer defects
When we think about enjoying a good beer, we rarely consider the possibility that the liquid we are about to savor has a dark side. However, if we sail through the vast sea of information on the Internet, we will find an ocean of terms such as ‘diacetyl’, ‘dms’ and ‘acidity’. Do they sound to you? Well, the best thing is to immerse yourself in this issue before our next look surprises us with a taste of ‘canned corn’.
The beer villains: bacteria and other enemies
Defects in a beer can arise from many sources: from undesirable microorganisms to lack of attention in elaboration processes. While some problems are subtle, such as a slight oxidation, there are others that are a direct punch to taste, such as that peculiar butter flavor that remembers a 90’s film. But, did you know that up to 95% of these defects come from infections and not errors in the process?
The fault is the cooler
Often, when we detect those unwanted flavors, the mind leads us to think about cooking. ‘Maybe he didn’t get enough,’ maybe the yeast was very tired of doing his magic. ‘ But the truth is that, many times, the culprit is a dishonest cooler. This device, which plays a critical role and is in the heart of our process, can be in poor condition and contaminate all production. A beer drama!
A cleaning that is worth its weight in gold
It is time to work our hands to ensure that our beers do not become unpleasant experiences. The key is not to underestimate cleaning and sanitization. Although it does not sound as exciting as experiencing with new flavors, dedicating time to the hygiene of our beloved cooler could be the difference between an exquisite beer and one that makes us want to have given us a ‘choclo’ instead of a treacherous sip.
Bubbling conclusions
If we want to raise our fondness for beer and avoid the nightmare of unfortunate flavors, it is crucial that we put into practice rigorous cleaning protocols after each elaboration session. Although it may seem a boring task, it is a necessary step to ensure that each lot reflects the quality that we strive to achieve. So lift your jug, and provide for hygiene in beer elaboration!
