Project Design

Whats the Deal with Beerstone?

Beerstone can form on any surface that comes into contact with beer and wort (unfermented beer) and has been a problem for brewers as long as beer has been produced1, 2. The most problematic locations for its formation are heat exchangers, fermentation vessels, aging tanks, kegs, and beer dispense lines. Beerstone is comprised of a combination of precipitated calcium oxalate and entrapped beer polypeptides3. Oxalate enters the brewing process from the cereal grains and hops used to make beer4. Oxalate is present in the form of aqueous oxalic acid which is a corrosive, highly oxidized compound that has strong chelating activity5. These oxalate ions are soluble in both wort and beer, allowing them to combine with calcium ions to form calcium oxalate4. Calcium ions enter the brewing process through the water, grains and water-correction salts 4. Calcium oxalate precipitates out of solution upon formation, and is one of the most insoluble metallo-organic compounds with a low solubility 4. In a geographic region with high calcium levels in the drinking water, such as Guelph, Ontario, this can lead to up to 165g of calcium oxalate building up in a single 1000L batch of beer 1. This precipitation can happen either during the brewing or bottling processes, or after the beer has been bottled depending on when the calcium oxalate formation occurs 4. The point during the process at which calcium oxalate forms is dependent on temperature, time, pH and ion concentration 4. If calcium oxalate forms after filtration, or if all calcium oxalate crystals are not filtered out of the beer, haze and sediment may form 4. In addition, calcium oxalate crystals can cause over-foaming during filling or when a pressurized container such as a can or bottle is opened 4.

Deposits of beerstone provide protection and nutrients for bacteria to grow due to the porous surface of the beerstone, into which nutrient-providing proteins often become entrapped 6. This allows for unwanted microbial growth and the formation of biofilms upon the beerstone, for example, species of the genera Pectinatus and Megasphaera. These microorganisms cause beer spoilage, products with reduced shelf-life, off-flavours and sour tastes, rendering the beer unsuitable for sale or consumption thus resulting in financial loss to the brewer 7. Lactobacillus species in beer, in particular, causes high turbidity which manifests as a hazy appearance in the liquid. It also causes a high level of diacetyl in the beer, resulting in an unwanted ‘buttery’ flavour 7. With the removal of beerstone, growth of these microbial contaminants will be prohibited, improving brew quality and reducing downstream processing.

Beerstone is difficult to remove for several reasons. Calcium oxalate is extremely insoluble in both hot and cold water, meaning that the use of harsh chemicals is currently required for effective methods of removing beerstone. These involve caustic or other harsh cleaners which are dangerous to work with due to the potential for exposure burns of the eyes and skin, and corrosive damage to surfaces 2, 3, 8. The use of these cleaning agents require long and frequent pauses in production which lower the efficacy of the brewing process. Additionally, the equipment required to utilize these caustic chemicals and the chemical disposal requirements are costly and potentially environmentally damaging. Our project proposes to offer a safer, more economic, and environmentally friendly viable alternative.

Oxalobacter formigenes and the Breakdown of Oxalate

Here we will include a detailed background about O.f, its metabolic pathways, its presence in humans, ect.

To be, or not to be: that is the question: Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep; No more; and by a sleep to say we end The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to, ’tis a consummation Devoutly to be wish’d. To die, to sleep; To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there’s the rub; For in that sleep of death what dreams may come When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause: there’s the respect That makes calamity of so long life; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor’s wrong, the proud man’s contumely, The pangs of despised love, the law’s delay, The insolence of office and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin? who would fardels bear, To grunt and sweat under a weary life, But that the dread of something after death, The undiscover’d country from whose bourn No traveller returns, puzzles the will And makes us rather bear those ills we have Than fly to others that we know not of? Thus conscience does make cowards of us all; And thus the native hue of resolution Is sicklied o’er with the pale cast of thought, And enterprises of great pith and moment With this regard their currents turn awry, And lose the name of action.–Soft you now! The fair Ophelia! Nymph, in thy orisons Be all my sins remember’d.

Our Project Design

Here we will include information about why we plan on doing our project the way we are, what our plans are in some detail, and why we are doing what we are doing this year

To be, or not to be: that is the question: Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep; No more; and by a sleep to say we end The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to, ’tis a consummation Devoutly to be wish’d. To die, to sleep; To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there’s the rub; For in that sleep of death what dreams may come When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause: there’s the respect That makes calamity of so long life; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor’s wrong, the proud man’s contumely, The pangs of despised love, the law’s delay, The insolence of office and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin? who would fardels bear, To grunt and sweat under a weary life, But that the dread of something after death, The undiscover’d country from whose bourn No traveller returns, puzzles the will And makes us rather bear those ills we have Than fly to others that we know not of? Thus conscience does make cowards of us all; And thus the native hue of resolution Is sicklied o’er with the pale cast of thought, And enterprises of great pith and moment With this regard their currents turn awry, And lose the name of action.–Soft you now! The fair Ophelia! Nymph, in thy orisons Be all my sins remember’d.

Future Development

Here we will write about our plans for the future of this project and what direction we plan on heading.

To be, or not to be: that is the question: Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep; No more; and by a sleep to say we end The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to, ’tis a consummation Devoutly to be wish’d. To die, to sleep; To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there’s the rub; For in that sleep of death what dreams may come When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause: there’s the respect That makes calamity of so long life; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,

Refrences

Rose, D. This is a test (2017). Sci. Awesome. 28-29