Caramel

For centuries, brewers have used caramel to adjust beer colour. Today due to customers preferring clean label products and concerns about caramel’s safety, its use is rare and becoming rarer.

Caramel is made by heating of sugar with acids, alkalis, or sources of nitrogen. The colour in caramel comes from the Maillard reaction, caramelisation and pyrolysis. All feature a multitude of reactions with coloured and flavoured intermediates that form large highly coloured polymers.

Figure: Caramelisation of sugar

Figure: Caramelisation of sugar

These polymers include caramelans (C12H18O9), caramelens and caramelins.

  • 2C12H22O11 = 4H20 C24H36O18 caramelan
  • 3C12H22O11 = 8H20 C36H50O25 caramelen
  • Continued heating produces caramelin C125H188O80

In some instances, 4-methylimidazole (a potential carcinogen) can be formed during caramel production.

Caramel producers classify caramels into four groups. The table below shows the differences between the products.

Table: Caramel classification

Caramel type

Production process

Characteristics

E 150a

Class I

 
  • A carbohydrate source is heated with, or without, acids and alkalis
  • No ammonium or sulphite compounds

 
  • Good stability in alcohol up to 80% v/v
  • Known as plain or spirit caramels
  • Not stable in acidic solutions
  • Used in some nutrition bars and rice cakes

E 150b

Class II
  • A carbohydrate source is heated with, or without, acids and alkalis
  • Uses sulphite compounds
  • No ammonium compounds
  • Stable in the presence of tannins and herbal extracts
  • Colouring ‒ fortified, flavoured wines like vermouth

E 150c

Class III
  • A carbohydrate source is heated with, or without, acids and alkalis
  • Uses ammonium compounds
  • No sulphite compounds
  • Stable in the presence of barley malt protein – used in brewing
  • Limited stability in acid solutions
  • Used in baking – multi grain bread, breakfast cereals, ice cream cones.

E 150d

Class IV
  • A carbohydrate source is heated with, or without, acids and alkalis
  • Uses ammonium and sulphite compounds
  • Stable in acid solutions, therefore good in soft drinks

For colour adjustment, caramel can be added into a boiling brew in the kettle, or in the beer before packaging. Adding the caramel to the kettle ensures proper mixing and sterilisation. However, the amount added needs to account for losses during the process, by adsorption to trub and yeast. Metered dosing of caramel after filtration minimises losses and enables precise control of colour.  There is however a risk of haze formation and if hygienic practices are not used, microbiological contamination.

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