Effects of crushing and enzyme treatment on physicochemical, fermentation performance, and antioxidant properties of qingke (hull-less barley) wort

Crushing and enzyme treatment are pivotal factors that cannot be ignored in the mashing stage of qingke (hull-less barley) craft beer brewing. This study aimed to explore the impact of different mashing conditions on physicochemical, fermentation, and antioxidant properties of qingke wort as well as elucidate the mechanisms of mashing conditions affecting the quality of qingke wort. The results showed that wort with a high fermentable sugar content, including maltose and glucose, could be obtained using a crushed size smaller than 0.9 mm. Furthermore, enzyme treatment further led to an increase in fermentable sugar content, enhancing the fermentation capacity of qingke wort. Notably, crushing significantly affected the antioxidant properties of qingke wort, with smaller crushed particle sizes yielded superior antioxidant properties to the wort, mainly due to the increase in the content of phenolic compounds such as chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, and epicatechin.