What Affects Beer Color?

Beer coloration is a frequent topic of discussion among beer enthusiasts and craft brewers. Color is an integral and crucial component of our food and beverages, and beer is no exception. Cereals are by far the strongest colorant in beer, stained by melanin, a rust-red pigment that determines beer's color. In fact, color and flavor wheels are extremely popular these days, accurately displaying the color of a beer based on factors like hops, yeast, or malt.

The grain used determines the color of the beer. 

Many people don't know that all beer is red. While this is true at a basic molecular level, beer doesn't always appear red to the human eye. This is because beer is made from the starch found in grains. Grains are stained with a pigment called melanin, which gives them a rusty red hue and is the most abundant colorant in all beers. Brewers often use special chemical treatments to enhance this color to make their beers stand out.

The malt selected and the proportion used in each recipe determine the color of the beer. Dark malts give your beer a darker color. If the malt is very light in color, the beer's color will typically darken as the color accumulates, resulting in a darker overall color. Adding a little chocolate malt or roasted malt (non-caramel malt, roasted at high temperatures until it becomes dark) can also darken the beer.

Chemical Reactions for Color

Chemical reactions during malting, mashing, and wort boiling also affect beer color. These include two reactions that cause the grains to turn from pale yellow to deep black: the Maillard reaction and caramelization.

Maillard Reaction

The Maillard reaction occurs when amino acids and sugars begin to link, typically induced by heat. This bonding produces a variety of flavors and aromas, along with a darkening of color. In beer, the most notable characteristic of the Maillard reaction is a toasty aroma, but this is not unique to beer. Hundreds of perceptible flavors can be produced during this process. This reaction typically occurs at relatively low temperatures (100-200°F), so time is a significant factor.

Caramelization

Caramelization is simpler than the Maillard reaction. Caramelization involves heating sugars until they break down. Grains don't contain sugars, so heat is first required to convert the starches in the grain into sugars. Once this process is complete, further heat can be applied to break down the resulting sugars. The longer the malt is caramelized, the darker its color. All caramel malts contain non-fermentable sugars, which contribute flavor but not potential alcohol.

Oxidation is a factor in coloration.

Fruits like bananas and apples, left out in the open for too long, will begin to brown due to oxidation. The same is true for beer. Oxygen interacts with beer. Oxygen is a key factor in the degradation of organic matter, and beer is no exception. Oxidation is a factor that requires constant attention, and for some brewers, it's counterproductive when it comes to achieving the right beer color. For example, Crimson IPA is much redder than it should be due to excessive oxidation.

Beer darkens over time.

As beer ages, its color changes. As it ages, suspended particles in the beer (such as yeast and polyphenols) begin to sink to the bottom of the container. As a result, the remaining beer reflects less light, and the beer becomes darker. Aging affects beer's color even without other factors.

Other Factors Affecting Beer Color

Key factors in beer coloration include the grain used, time, oxidation, and certain chemical processes. Several other important factors include:

• boil length

• pH

• yeast strain

• hops

• special ingredients

The longer the beer is boiled, the darker the browning will be due to the Maillard reaction. As a general rule of thumb regarding pH, the more acidic the mash, the lighter the beer. This is due to the chemical properties of the water. Hops are also important because they leave behind polyphenols and acids. It is the presence of these additional particles that contribute to the beer's haziness, thereby diluting its visual color.

Beer Color Doesn't Indicate Its Flavor

Speaking of the impact of color on beer flavor, if a beer is darker due to roasted malt, you might notice notes of chocolate and coffee. Single-malt, copper-colored ales will have distinct biscuity and bread notes, while lighter ales tend to have more grain and crispy flavors.

While beer color can give drinkers some hints about its flavor, there are no hard-and-fast rules. There's no correlation between beer color and alcohol content. While conventional wisdom suggests that lighter beers have lower alcohol content and darker beers have higher alcohol content (measured by ABV), the reality is that you can brew a strong Belgian beer with double-digit ABV that's pale gold in color and still have a high ABV.