Investigation of Millet-Based Beer Fermentation and the Volatile Compounds Formed

There has continued to be an increase in the production of gluten-free products, including beer. This interest is a combination of responses to both consumers addressing food sensitivities as well as personal preferences. Beer produced from gluten-free grains has a distinct flavor that differs greatly from traditional barley beer. Recently, the use of millet to produce gluten-free beer has increased with larger-scale malting of millet. It is the goal of this project to investigate the chemical composition of the millet beer aroma. The fermentation of millet-based beers was compared to sorghum and barley beers. Beyond this, the impact of common yeast strains on the fermentation of millet-based beers weas also investigated. All brews were regularly monitored for pH, gravity, total titratable acidity, total polyphenols, and free amino nitrogen. In addition, the aroma profile was sampled using Solid-Phase Microextraction (SPME) with chemical separation and identification and quantification using Gas Chromatography with Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MS). The analysis showed the production of acceptable beers; however, the fermentation there is obvious needed to optimize brewing conditions. In addition, the amount of total volatile compounds was found to be significantly different than beer produced using malted barley.