Current perspectives on the role of enzymes in brewing

The brewing of beer is a very traditional process, based upon a complex endogenous enzymology occurring during the malting of grain, mashing of grist and fermentation. The relevant cereal-derived enzymes that are involved are reviewed. It is likely that the production of alcoholic beverages in breweries in the projected future will assume different paradigms, procedures which are already realistic for the production of flavoured alcoholic beverages (malternatives) and “near-beer” drinks (happoshu and other beer-like beverages) in Japan. A range of exogenous enzymes—such as glucanases, acetolactate decarboxylase and prolyl endopeptidase—are available for enhancement of the existing brewing process.