Beer is bitter: Hop α-acids isomerisation and utilisation
Key reaction | Bitterness is a primary flavour attribute of beer. Iso-α-acids are the key constituents of beer bitterness and their formation from the hop α-acids during the boil is often referred to as ‘the key reaction of hops in brewing’. This paper highlights the chemical background of beer bitterness, in particular hop α-acids isomerisation.