STEEP-LIQUOR TREATMENTS, GERMINATIVE ENERGY AND APPARENT DEGREE OF ATTENUATION OF THREE SORGHUM VARIETIES DURING MALTING AND BREWING

Abstract

The influence of steep-liquor treated with hydrogen peroxide, indole acetic acid and gibberellic acid on the germinative energy and apparent degree of attenuation of three sorghum varieties (SKV8, SKV4 and ICSV400) during malting and brewing was studied using standard methods. Samples steeped in the treated steep-liquors had 3.22 to 7.00 % improved germinative energy, which were significantly (p<0.05) different, more than the controls. Worts of the treated samples also showed 37.43 to 40.3 % improved apparent degree of attenuation, which were significantly (p<0.05) different, more than the controls during the five-day fermentation period. The results were also significantly (p<0.05) different, from the controls. Steep-liquor treatments however, influenced both the GE and ADA of the three sorghum varieties significantly (P<0.05) different along varietal lines. Thus, variety KSV8 steeped in H2O2 had the highest GE of 99.0 ± 0.10% while variety ICSV400 steeped in GA3 had the lowest GE of 94.0 ± 0.16%. Similarly, wort samples from variety KSV8 steeped in H2O2 had the highest ADA of 70.0 ± 1.25% while those of KSV4 steeped in GA3 had the lowest ADA of 31.7 ± 0.53%.