Some beer color science from Sethness Caramel Colors

Beers can appear unclear for many reasons. Improper filtration, incomplete fermentation or incompatibilities of ingredients are common causes. A typical beer contains 91 percent water, 4.6 percent carbohydrate (maltose and dextrose), 0.5 percent protein, 0.2 percent mineral salts and 3.6 percent alcohol by weight. The balance is comprised of trace vitamins and flavor compounds.

Brewing grains (corn, rice, barley and wheat) used for producing dark and sweet beers can vary in protein content and carbohydrate content from harvest to harvest. Sethness Caramel Colors are often used to standardize the final beer color and to compensate for the variation in the consistency of the malt color as produced by the manufacturer.

Sethness recommends the use of positively-charged Class III Caramel Colors for beer standardization. The use of these Caramel Colors avoids the negative interaction of the cereal proteins, which can cause a precipitate to form. The fermentation of the protein is responsible for the body and produces the foamy head. The use of Sethness Class III Caramel Colors helps maintain the proper cereal fermentation products to control the desired color.

Sethness Caramel Colors are often utilized in beer production to generate cost savings, as less expensive malted barley can be used. Sethness Caramel Colors can be added at either the wort stage or the finished stage in order to increase/darken the overall color of the final product.

Additionally, Sethness Caramelized Sugar Syrups are commonly used to impart sweet to burnt notes in numerous beers and ciders, while also providing some light colors.