Available at: https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/theses/3413
Date of Award
8-2026
Degree Name
MS in Agriculture - Food Science and Nutrition
Department/Program
Food Science and Nutrition
College
College of Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Sciences
Advisor
Luis Castro
Advisor Department
Food Science and Nutrition
Advisor College
College of Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Sciences
Abstract
Dry-Hopping is a modern and ever-increasing method to add hoppy flavors to beer. This is typically seen in pale ales and India Pale Ales (IPA’s). Most research has investigated the effect of dry-hopping only using pale malt, whereas most breweries used specialty malts to create a malty backbone to their beer.
The objectives of this research were to analyze the impact of specialty malts and their concentration on the efficacy of hop flavor and extraction, determined via gas chromatography and sensory analysis. Gas chromatography analysis was modeled after the ASBC Method Beer-48. Sensory analysis was performed via the 15cm line scale using a trained sensory panel, where data was recorded with Compusense.
Specialty malts were added to be equal to 10% concentration and 20% concentration of the malt recipe. Gas Chromatography results showed mixed cases of increases and decreases in myrcene, linalool, geraniol, and nerol, depending on the malt used. Sensory results showed that additions of specialty malts significantly decreased floral and citrus attributes. It was also seen that addition of specialty malts increased grassy attributes, and sometimes increased tropical, woody, and vegetal attributes depending on the malts used.