Research and Development
Objectives of the Brewery
The main objective is teaching within the subjects of the Department of Food Biotechnology and Quality of Agricultural Products, under which the Research and Educational Microbrewery of FAT USB falls. These are Brewery Technology, Beer Production I and II, but also Basics of Food Production, Quality of Plant Products, Equipment and Machinery in the Food Industry, Sensory Analysis, Processing of Agricultural Products, Processing of Plant Products, Fermentation Technology, Food Legislation and Quality Management.
In the framework of research activities, we are not only engaged in our research, but we also cooperate with other breweries that are not operationally able to make a batch in their technologies and our "micro capacity" (100 to 200 litres per batch) is sufficient for them to try it out. The advantage is the possibility of simulating the production in CKT and/or in open vats as the beer was previously fermented.
Student and Research Outputs
As part of the course, batches of different types of beers are brewed, with students practically trying out the technological procedures from the lectures. Practical batches and sensory tests are also carried out for the theses (bachelor, diploma and dissertation).
Examples of topics:
- Monitoring changes in selected parameters during beer maturation
- Monitoring changes in pilsner-type beer
- Effect of different varieties of brewer's yeast on the fermentation time of top-fermented beers
- Determination of the minimum shelf life of beer in terms of sensory quality
- Selected biologically active substances in microbrewery products
In cooperation with the Food Research Institute in Prague, v.v.i. (now CERC, v.v.i.) and the Global Change Research Institute in Brno, we cooperate on the use of waste products from agricultural and food production. The outcome was, among others, the publication:
- Balik, J., Hic, P., Triska, J., Vrchotova, N., Smetana, P., Smutek, L., Rohlik, B.A., Houska, M. (2020). Beer and beer-based beverage contain lignans. Journal of Food Science and Technology-Mysore, 58(2):581-585. IF = 1,946; Q3.
Technology Research and Development
To date, several brewing trials have been carried out to investigate the effects of changing the composition of malts, hops or brewer's yeast cultivars on beer's final composition and sensory properties. Several of these brews have been "matured" to the commercial stage and are currently available on the market e.g.:
- BUDVAR 33,
- NA POOL,
- SUMMER AFFAIR.
Other beers have received many awards in Czech and international sensory competitions:
- Irish Dry Stout 12° – overall winner, CZECH BEER STAR;
- STŘELA 12° India Pale Lager – category winner, 34. International Beer Festival Litoměřice 2024;
- ČTYRÁK – light bock – winner of the category light bottom-fermented strong, bock, Spring Brewers Award 2022,
- and others.
Raw materials processed
For "Czech beer", we process only raw materials of Czech origin – malt (malt plant of Ferdinand brewery, Benešov u Prahy), hops (Žatecký poloraný červeňák, Sládek – region of Žatec) and yeast. For other types and products, we also use special malts (Vienna, Munich, Melanoid, etc.), hops from the USA, New Zealand, Australia, Germany, and yeasts of various fresh and freeze-dried cultivars. For teaching and research purposes, we also produce beer specials, which are now increasingly in demand by beer consumers. Our priority, however, remains the academic focus of production – i.e. teaching and research.