Assessment of the aroma profiles of low-alcohol beers using HS-SPME-GC-MS

The volatile profile of low-alcohol and alcohol-free beers was compared with that of alcoholic ones. Qualitative and quantitative differences were analyzed by headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS). Fermentation compounds as esters (isoamyl acetate, ethyl hexanoate, ethyl octanoate), alcohols (1-octanol, decanol, isobutanol, isoamyl alcohol) and fatty acids (hexanoic and octanoic acid) were present in higher quantities in alcoholic beers. The low-alcohol beers were characterized by compounds derived from malt and the roasting process, including pyrazines and furanes, and volatile compounds such as linalool, β-humulene and α-terpineol derived from the essential oil of hops. Benzaldehyde, acetylpyrrole, furfural and 2-furanmethanol were characteristics of free-alcohol beers.