Rice rebels: Research reveals grain's brewing benefits

Summary

Credit: U of A System Division of Agriculture photo by Paden Johnson Christian Schubert and Scott Lafontaine are fighting an old prejudice: that rice doesn't belong in beer. Now they've got the research to upend that ancient bit of brewing snobbery. Schubert is a visiting postdoctoral researcher from the Research Institute for Raw Materials and Beverage Analysis, officially known as Versuchs- und Lehranstalt für Brauerei—or VLB—in Berlin. He's joined Lafontaine, assistant professor of food chemistry in the food science department of the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences. Two studies by Schubert and Lafontaine show that rice can play a pivotal role in the development of both flavor and what's known as extract yield—the amount of fermentable sugars extracted from grains in the brewing process. Timely innovation The rice brewing research aligns well with recent Arkansas legislation. This spring, the state legislature passed Arkansas House Bill 1491, which creates incentives for the use of Arkansas-grown rice in beer and sake production. Arkansas is the nation's top rice grower, accounting for about 50% of U.S. rice production. However, rice breeding programs from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and an international organization are going in opposite directions for what Lafontaine's research is showing is best for brewers. "This research is timely because current trends in rice breeding may unintentionally work against brewing needs if brewers are not proactive in cultivar selection," Lafontaine said. "USDA breeding programs are emphasizing higher head rice yields, which is a critical quality parameter for rice millers to increase whole kernel recovery. At the same time, the International Rice Research Institute is advancing efforts to develop low-glycemic table rice varieties, which typically feature higher amylose content and elevated gelatinization temperatures." While the higher head rice yield and low-glycemic traits are advantageous f...