Abstract
In recent years, growing consumer interest in craft beers has encouraged the industry to search for new raw materials that can enhance beer’s sensory profile. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of pine shoots addition on the physicochemical and sensory profile of beer. The shoots were added at the different stages of wort production (at the beginning and end of the boiling), and during the fermentation, in two doses (15 and 30 g/L). As a control sample, beer produced without the addition of pine shoots was used. The worts and resulting beers were analyzed regarding their extract and alcohol content, pH, titratable acidity, color, metal ion and carbohydrate content. Additionally, the resulting beers underwent sensory evaluation. Introducing pine shoots at different stages of beer production significantly affected some of the physicochemical parameters of resulting beers. Regarding the sensory characteristics, beers produced with a lower dose of shoots (15 g/L) were preferred. Among the variants, beers produced with the addition of shoots during the fermentation, and at the beginning and end of boiling were rated the best.