The rising potential for sorghum beers
12 Dec 2018 | Novozymes
Many developing countries are keen to use locally-grown grains for brewing instead of importing raw materials. In Sub Saharan Africa and in Latin America, affordably-priced beers made from local grains that trace their ancestry to ancient kings are particularly popular. Brewing with local grains also supports nearby farmers and the local economy. But it’s can be a challenge for brewers to optimize these grains in order to deliver a consistent product to consumers. That’s where enzyme products come in. Romeo Markovic of Novozymes discusses the rising potential for sorghum beers and the role for enzymes in this.
This is Rob wires at the Brabaviala in Nuremberg, and I'm here with Romeo Markovitz from Novozymes, and Novozymes is really innovating when it comes to the sorghum space.
Romeo, Sorghum has a lot of tradition, but I think you're putting a bit of a modern twist on it, should we say?
Absolutely.
The needs, , of the modern consumer evolving and we've, found, came across sorghum as a traditional beverage, as traditional grain, to create a novel beverages suiting not only the, markets, in, Africa where this, grain is, , at home, but also to suit the needs, of the markets, in, , Europe, with a specific need on a niche product such as gluten absence for the people with intolerance.
So yes, we are connecting the tradition of brewing with tradition of superfoods.
What's happening on the enzyme perspective then?
What are some of the things that you need to bear in mind when you work with sorghum?
Enzymes have ever since been connected with brewing process per se, and what we this time are doing, making sure that the enzymatic power, the consistency, the need for consistent manufacturing and quality.
Is, , supported by the enzymes.
Sorghum doesn't have the amounts of, , enzymes, indigenous, indigenous enzymes, to process it in a modern industrial way.
So we are using the natural, science, of enzymes to enhance it.
Sorghum has a lot of tradition in African markets in particular.
Do you, do you also see it as something that might catch on in Western markets in Europe and the US?
Absolutely, I do, and it is a value adding to the trend of the modern.
Consumer beer consumers were sorghum beers I could see as part of the craft brewing evolution to broaden the platform of available raw materials to play around.
OK, very good.
OK, thank you very much, Romi.
You're very welcome.
