Tannin additives
Tannin additives have long been used to help prevent beer haze, because tannins bind to haze-forming proteins and remove them. Adding tannins to the mash also improves beer flavor stability, among numerous other benefits with no negative effects.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] These other benefits are related to the role of tannins as antioxidants. There are two kinds of tannin additives readily available: gallotannins (AKA tannic acid) and ellagitannins (AKA ellagic acid), both of which are hydrolyzable tannins.[10] Pomegranate extract (90% ellagic acid) is the most effective product among these.[8] Hop tannin extract (e.g. from Hopsteiner) is also a highly effective additive, but less available to purchase.
Products[edit]
| Tannin product | Buy online |
|---|---|
| Pomegranate extract (90% ellagic acid) | |
| Brewtan B (gallotannins) |
Usage[edit]
Amount: In the mash, 1.5–4 g/hL is suggested by the Brewtan B manufacturer.[3] Around 2 g/hL is sufficient to help with lautering,[2] but 4–6 g/hL is more effective at reducing iron levels and provides more antioxidant activity.[8][11] Ellagic acid (90%) can be used at the same rate as Brewtan B. For the sake of consistency, it may be better to base the amount on grain weight rather than volume: 4 g/hL in a 4 L/kg (thin) mash equates to 0.16 g/kg grain.
Instructions: Right before mashing in, dissolve the tannins by stirring the powder into some water before adding the mixture to the mashing water. Use at least 10x the amount of water as the tannins; deoxygenated water is preferred. An alternate approach for small-scale brewing is to sprinkle the tannin powder in with the grist before mash-in, especially if underletting the water.
Tips:
- Higher amounts may be useful when mashing roasted malts, which release more metals.[12]
- Some extra calcium in the brewing water (20ppm) may be helpful to compensate for the expected chelating effect of tannins.[6]
- Using brewing equipment made from a high quality stainless steel is recommended[11] along with proper passivation, in order to reduce the amount of dissolved metals (iron) in wort.
- Store tannin powder in an air-tight container away from heat and moisture.
Note that you may see a color change in the break material when using these products. For example, when gallotannins bind to iron, the complex displays a purple color.[13]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ↑ Jaskula-Goiris B, Goiris K, Syryn E, et al. The use of hop polyphenols during brewing to improve flavor quality and stability of pilsner beer. J Am Soc Brew Chem. 2014;72(3):175–183.
- ↑ a b Karabín M, Hanko V, Nešpor J, Jelínek L, Dostálek P. Hop tannin extract: a promising tool for acceleration of lautering. J Inst Brew. 2018;124(4):374–380.
- ↑ a b Brewtan B - Datasheet v2.0. Ajinomoto website. Accessed May 2023.
- ↑ Brewtan®, your natural beer stabilizer. Ajinomoto website. Accessed May 2023.
- ↑ Wyeast Brewtan B. Wyeast website. Accessed May 2023.
- ↑ a b Withouck H, Boeykens A, Jaskula-Goiris B, et al. Upstream beer stabilisation during wort boiling by addition of gallotannins and/or PVPP. BrewingScience. 2010;63(1-2):14–22.
- ↑ Ryder DS. Chapter 10 Processing aids in brewing. In: Stewart GG, Russell I, Anstruther A, eds. Handbook of Brewing. 3rd ed. CRC Press; 2017.
- ↑ a b c Mertens T, Kunz T, Wietstock PC, Methner FJ. Complexation of transition metals by chelators added during mashing and impact on beer stability. J Inst Brew. 2021;127(4):345–357.
- ↑ Mussche RA, de Pauw C. Total stabilisation of beer in a single operation. J Inst Brew. 1999;105(6):386–391.
- ↑ Pengelly A. The Constituents of Medicinal Plants. 2nd ed. Allen & Unwin; 2004:29–30.
- ↑ a b Brewtan B - Mashing fact sheet v4.0 Ajinomoto website. Accessed June 2023.
- ↑ Carvalho DO, Gonçalves LM, Guido LF. Overall antioxidant properties of malt and how they are influenced by the individual constituents of barley and the malting process. Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf. 2016;15(5):927–943.
- ↑ Mertens T, Kunz T, Methner FJ. Assessment of chelators in wort and beer model solutions. BrewingScience. 2020;73(May/June):58–67.