LILLE 2024

Beer brewing and winemaking, among the oldest biotechnological processes, play pivotal roles in the alcoholic beverage industry. The growing demand for diverse beer styles has prompted brewers to explore innovative adjuncts to enhance the brewing process. Simultaneously, sustainability considerations underscore the need to utilize byproducts from one industry as valuable raw materials for another.
This research aims to integrate wine processing byproducts, specifically grape pomace from red and white wine production, into the beer brewing process. Grape pomace, rich in lignocellulose, saccharides, tannins, and dyes, was sourced from a local winery and subjected to a drying process to enhance its biological stability. Subsequently, two methods for incorporating this dried grape pomace into the beer fermentation process were explored: as a water extract added to the wort and as a mixture with the wort.
The findings of this study provide valuable insights into the potential use of grape pomace as an adjunct in brewing, with implications for both the beer and wine industries. These results contribute to the growing interest in sustainable practices within the beverage sector.

Terroir is an amalgamation of environmental factors that shape a crop’s characteristics, such as distinctive environmental conditions, agricultural techniques, and the crop’s specific growth environment, ultimately manifesting into discernable flavours. Historically linked to wine, recent studies, Kyraleou et al. 2021, has probed terroir in single-malt Irish whiskey. As the Irish distilling scene evolves, there’s a shift towards local raw materials, including grains like wheat. This research dives into the terroir of Irish wheat varieties. After analyzing distilled samples through GCMS, Principal Component Analysis offered insights into the distribution of volatile compounds among the samples. Interestingly, four distinct groupings emerged, with a noticeable subset of samples showing deviations. Furthermore, some differences were noted between the 2020 and 2021 harvests, implying year-to-year variations. These findings serve as a catalyst for further exploration, specifically delving into how farming practices and grain composition might exert influence on terroir and alcohol yield. Such insights can refine farming practices, offering unique marketing angles for Irish whiskey.

In recent years, there has been a surge in the production of kombucha – a functional beverage obtained via microbial fermentation of tea. Hop addition in kombucha production appears feasible, due to the lack of antimicrobial activity of hops against the kombucha’s dominant species of acetic acid bacteria. The study investigated the effect of hop supplementation during kombucha production on the sensory and antioxidative properties of the final product. Cascade hops (0.5 and 2 g/L) were added at the onset of tea infusion and to the fresh, unpasteurized kombucha. Regarding physicochemical properties, the infusion conditions were shown to be the predominant factor affecting the properties of kombucha. The post-fermentation addition of hops resulted in higher sensory rating of the overall quality, which was linked with the higher intensity of floral, citrusy aromas as well as higher perceived bitterness. Additionally, hop supplementation led to the increase in DPPH antiradical activity, coinciding with the elevated α-acids content. The data presented in this study are relevant for kombucha producers, who want to deliver a sensory-novel product in combination with enhanced functionality