How sotolon can impart a madeira off-flavor to aged beers
(2015) Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry — Vol. 63, p. 2886-2892 (2015)
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- Abstract
- 4,5-Dimethyl-3-hydroxy-2(5H)-furanone or sotolon is known to impart powerful Madeira-oxidized–curry–walnut notes to various alcoholic beverages. It has been much studied in oxidized Jura flor-sherry wines, aged Roussillon sweet wines, and old Port wines, in which it contributes to the characteristic “Madeira-oxidized” aroma of these beverages. No scientific paper describes how sotolon might be involved in the Madeira off-flavor found in aged beers. The specific extraction procedure applied here allowed us to quantify this lactone in 7 special beers, at levels sometimes well above its threshold (from 5 to 42 μg/L after 6, 12, 18, and 24 months of natural aging, while unquantifiable in fresh beer). Investigation of spiked beers led us to highlight the key role of pro-oxidants and acetaldehyde. Addition of ascorbic acid without sulfites should be avoided by brewers, as the former would intensify sotolon synthesis. Acetoin, a beer fermentation byproduct, also emerged as possible precursor in beer when combined with serine.
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Scholtes, C., Nizet, S., & Collin, S. (2015). How sotolon can impart a madeira off-flavor to aged beers. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 63, 2886-2892. https://doi.org/10.1021/jf505953u (Original work published 2015)