sodium bicarbonate

Technical specification

Assessment

The best way to assess alkaline flavours in beer is as follows. Take a little beer into your mouth. Move it around with your tongue for a few seconds then swallow it.

Amount of flavour per capsule

670 mg per capsule

Threshold

The flavour threshold of sodium bicarbonate in beer is 220 mg / l.

Origins

Alkaline flavours usually originate from accidental contamination of beer with caustic cleaning agents. Sch incidents are often associated with an increase in beer colour and sodium ion concentrations in addition to an undesirable flavour change.

Confusions

Alkaline flavours in beer are occasionally confused by professional tasters with the following

• 2-Acetyl pyridine
• Iso-α-acids
• trans,trans-2-4-Heptadienal

Importance

Alkaline flavour is a taint in beer. Increases in beer pH value affect beer flavour indirectly, altering the flavour activity of many acidic and basic flavour compounds, giving rise to ‘bready’ and ‘sweet’ flavour notes.

CAS registry number

The CAS registry number of sodium bicarbonate is 144-55-8.

Other names

• baking soda
• bicarbonate of soda
• nahcolite
• sodium hydrogencarbonate

Remarks

Detection of alkaline flavour notes in beer is essential to protect against the risk of releasing beer to the market which has been contaminated with cleaning agents.

Threshold distribution

Capsules per pot

10

Legal notices

This product is protected by the following trade marks and patents:

• US Patent no. D679900
• European Community Trade Mark
  Registration no. 009937574
• European Community Trade Mark
  Registration no. 009856527
• US Trade Mark Registration no. 4345057
• US Trade Mark Registration no. 4345056