Kinetic analysis of beer primary fermentation using yeast cells immobilized by ceramic support adsorption and alginate gel entrapment

Yeast cells were immobilized by absorption onto porous ceramic support and evaluated for continuous beer primary fermentation using a bioreactor in comparison to yeast cells immobilized by entrapment in calcium alginate gel. The effects of temperature and flow rate as a function of reaction/fermentation time on fermentation rate were investigated. The fermentation reaction ( in terms of loss of total soluble solids in the beer wort as a function of time) was first-order with half-lifes in the range of similar to 9 - 11 hours at similar to 10 - 12 degrees C at beer wort linear flow rates of similar to 0.8 - 1.6 cm/minute for ceramic support, compared with similar to 16 hours for Ca-alginate gel, the former support matrix being more efficient and demonstrating greater potential for future commercial application.