ICBS Research

Themes of research within the group include:

• Development of high/very high gravity fermentations
• Future fermentables and processing of adjunct materials
• Beer sensory quality and flavour stability
• Yeast stress and fermentation performance
• Improving the sensory quality of non-alcoholic and low-alcohol beers
• Beer dispense hygiene and quality

Key aims and expertise

The University of Nottingham is a centre of excellence for brewing technologies and research, based within the School of Biosciences. Our scientists work with the brewing industry to meet the challenges of the 21st century; researching novel process developments targeted towards increased sustainability, efficient resource usage and minimising waste or effluents. The approach is truly multi-disciplinary, providing new solutions by bringing together expertise in crop science, malting, brewing, engineering, novel materials and environmental science.

Current projects

• Impacts of raw materials on beer flavour and flavour stability - COOK
• Yeast stress and fermentation performance - POWELL
• Beer dispense hygiene and microbiological quality - QUAIN
• Rapid detection methods for beer spoilage microorganisms -LAWRENCE
• Identifying blocking factors in cross-flow membrane beer filtration - WHITE
• Flavour improvement of low alcohol beers - FORD

Significant results

• The ‘at scale’ pumped-loop mixing system for fermentation we have been developing is now being trialled by many of the world’s major brewers.
• The SAFEMalt project has clearly demonstrated the economic (yield) value to farmers of a T3 fungicide treatment for barley.
• Yeast strains differ with regard to their genetic stability.
• Our team have pioneered understanding of the quality of bitterness of beers as influenced by bitter compounds in beer and hop aroma.
• A quality system for appraising draft beer accounts has been developed. Some beers are uniquely stable to infection across different accounts, which we are investigating further.