Investigating the incorporation of milled rice in brewing non-alcoholic beer to enhance sensory quality

The influence of substituting barley malt with milled rice on the sensory and chemical characteristics of nonalcoholic beers (NAB) was investigated. Physicochemical and volatile analyses were conducted on the NABs. Original gravities ranged from 6.71% w/w (100% barley malt) to 7.15% w/w (100% rice), with alcohol contents between 0.33% v/v (70% barley/30 %rice) and 0.45 % v/v (100% rice). Color decreased from 10.8 EBC (100% barley malt) to 3.3 EBC (100% rice). Descriptive analysis sensory evaluations by trained panelists in the United States and European Union were used to characterize the sensory profiles of the NABs. Principal component analysis showed strong correlations between sensory and analytical data, with the first two components explaining 77.42% of variance. Barley malt contributed “worty” descriptors linked to aldehydes (e.g. methional), whereas NABs brewed with ARoma 22 rice exhibited “vanilla” notes associated with elevated 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline. Regional preferences differed between the trained panels: the U.S. panel favored the 70% barley/30% rice blend, while the E.U. panel preferred 30% barley/70% rice. These findings highlight rice’s potential as a malt substitute and the need to tailor flavor profiles to regional preferences in NAB development.