Abstract:In order to investigate the changing law of chemical and sensory characteristics of craft beer under different additions of chrysanthemum (0, 5, 10 and 15 g/L) in the main fermentation stage, the basic physicochemical indexes, total polyphenol and flavonoid content, antioxidant activity and sensory indexes of craft beer were measured. In addition, the correlation between these indexes of chrysanthemum craft beer were determined by Spearman's correlation analysis. The results showed that as the amount of chrysanthemum added increased, the alcohol content, pH, and color difference of craft beer significantly increased, while the total polyphenol content, the flavonoid content, and the antioxidant activity of craft beer also significantly increased (P<0.05). In terms of sensory characteristics, the taste of the beer varied with the amount of chrysanthemum added, and the highest sensory score (76.3 points) was obtained at a chrysanthemum addition level of 5 g/L. Spearman's correlation analysis showed that total polyphenol and flavonoid content were the main factors influencing antioxidant activity and flavor of craft beer. In summary, the quality and sensory characteristics of chrysanthemum craft beer were superior with better antioxidant activity when chrysanthemum was added at 5~10 g/L in the main fermentation stage. The study could provide a theoretical and practical reference for the application value of chrysanthemum in craft beer brewing and its functionality research, and had offered a new direction for the development of diversified beer products.
