Very High Gravity Brewing-Laboratory and Pilot Plant Trials. R. McCaig, J. McKee, E. A. Pfisterer, and D. W. Hysert, Molson Breweries/Foster's Brewing Group Limited, 2486 Dunwin Drive, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada L5L 1J9; and E. Munoz and W. M. Ingledew, Applied Microbiology and Food Science Department, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada S7N 0W0. J. Am. Soc. Brew. Chem. 50:0018, 1992.

Transfer to the brewing industry of laboratory-scale, very high gravity (VHG) fermentation technology resulted in a series of experiments that have shown, under pilot plant conditions, that worts up to 24° P can be fermented within acceptable time frames to produce beers with more than 11% (v/v) ethanol. Freshly harvested commercial pitching yeast slurry was used in all cases. Extensive chemical analyses and sensory evaluation indicated that the beers, after dilution to 5% ethanol, were cleaner and more physically stable than control beers. Ester levels in the VHG beers were elevated, but after dilution, the concentrations were comparable to those of commercial products. Organoleptically, beers in the 18-20° P range were preferred by most taste panelists.

Keywords: Analyses, FAN, Fermentation, HG, Sensory, VHG