Hops (Humulus lupulus) impart bitterness, floral, and aroma flavor in beer. Brewers recognize that hops contribute to the unique characteristics of beer flavoring through the alpha acids, beta acids, and hop oil located within the lupulin glands of the hop flower. There may be over 1000 compounds in hop oil that impart some flavoring to beer, however, the structural similarities of many of these compounds result in coelution in gas chromatography (GC). Identifying the common and major flavoring compounds in hops, and their respective base peak in electron ionization mass spectrometry (MS), simplifies the gas chromatograph allowing a qualitative analysis of the major flavoring compounds. The relative ratio of the flavoring compounds in hops can be used to create a fingerprint that is unique to each hop species. Chemometric techniques are then used to identify the unique fingerprints of the hops in beer thereby qualitatively identifying the hops species present in beer. Partnering with Gold Spot Brewery Company, hops species were identified in Gold Spot beer though chemometic analysis of GC-MS data. This technique will have practical use in product development and quality control in beer brewing processes.

Hop flavoring in beer through GC-MS and chemometric analysis

251st National Meeting (2016)

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