Effects of Yeast Strains and Fermentation Temperatures in Production of Hydrogen Sulfide During Beer Fermentation

摘要

In this study, hydrogen sulfide (H sub(2)S) production was examined during beer fermentation using two ale and two lager yeast strains. In the lager yeast fermentation, a large amount of H sub(2)S was produced in the early fermentation stages when the yeast were actively fermenting wort, indicating a positive relationship between the level of H sub(2)S production and the yeast growth rate during fermentation. The ale yeasts produced much lower levels of H sub(2)S than the lager yeasts. In the lager fermentation, a higher fermentation temperature shortened the fermentation period, but much higher levels of H sub(2)S were produced at higher temperatures. American pilsner lager yeast fermenting at 15 degree C produced a relatively high level of H sub(2)S at the end of fermentation, which would require a longer aging time to remove this malodorous volatile sulfur compound. Not including the English ale strain, which produced a higher level of H sub(2)S at lower temperatures, the ale yeast produced lower levels of H sub(2)S at lower temperatures, suggesting that each strain has an optimum fermentation temperature for H sub(2)S production.