Dustin Herb (1),
Daniel Carey (2), Scott Fisk (1), Patrick Hayes (1), Rebecca Jennings
(3), Chris Martens (4), Brigid Meints (5), Matthew Moscou (6); (1)
Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, U.S.A.; (2) New Glarus Brewing
Co., New Glarus, WI, U.S.A.; (3) Rahr Malting Co., Shakopee, MN, U.S.A.;
(4) USDA ARS Cereal Crop Research Unit, WI, U.S.A.; (5) Washington
State University, Mt. Vernon, WA, U.S.A.; (6) The Sainsbury Laboratory,
Norwich, U.K.
Malt and Grains
Poster
Barley, the foundation of malt and beer, significantly contributes to
the complexities of flavor and presents an opportunity to improve the
processing, quality, and craftsmanship of beer. The Oregon State
University (OSU) barley flavor projects integrate molecular breeding and
cereal chemistry with brewing and sensory sciences in order to develop a
fundamental understanding of the biochemical and genetic mechanisms
controlling barley flavor. In this study, 37 selections from the Oregon
Promise population (Golden Promise/Full Pint) were grown in three
environments (Corvallis, OR; Lebanon, OR; Madras, OR) and assessed for
differences in beer flavor using micromalting, nanobrewing, sensory
panels, and analytical tools. Panelists distinguished unique flavors and
differences across varieties and environments. The presence of malty
characteristics was highest in the Full Pint parent and Madras
environment, whereas fruity flavors were more prevalent in the Golden
Promise parent and Corvallis environment. The highest concentrations of
GC-MS analytes included 1-butanol, hexanol, 2,3-butanediol, acetic acid,
benaldehyde, nonanal, dimethylsulfide, 3-methyl butanal, and
mercaptan—all of which have associations with various flavors. ANOVA and
PCA indicated significant genotype and environmental effects for
sensory and GC-MS data, accounting for 43% and 19% of the variation,
respectively. The phenotypes were integrated with single nucleotide
polymorphism (SNP) data for quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis,
revealing significant associations of traits with genomic regions and
candidate genes. These results lay a foundation for enabling the
selection and development of flavorful varieties that will benefit
maltsters and brewers alike.
Dustin Herb is a Ph.D. candidate in plant breeding and genetics in
the Crop and Soil Science Department at Oregon State University (OSU).
Currently, his research is focused on barley breeding and genetics and
includes genome-wide association studies and genetic mapping of low
temperature tolerance, malting quality, and barley flavor traits. Prior
to starting his doctorate program, Dustin received his B.S. degree in
agronomy from OSU and M.S. degree in plant breeding at Texas A&M
University with an emphasis in grain and energy sorghum breeding and was
the associate plant breeder at OreGro Seeds, Inc. Post-studies Dustin
intends to seek a career in malting and brewing research and development
working with raw materials.
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