Sulfite Alternative Hypothesis

[Owenbräu]

I've cracked open a dozen or so more brands of commercial german beers in the last month, and they (mostly) all have one thing in common. The first whiff I get is sulfite, grape and white wine. Edelstoff, Jarhundert, Brauweisse, WO.... the list goes on. I said a time or two that I was curious if part of what we associate with IT is simply the sulfites. Don't get me wrong, I get fresh, clean, stand-out malt characters like never before, but I'm wondering if the sulfites are what make it 'pop'. I'm wondering if the slow loss of IT is partly just the reduction of sulfites as they oxidize to sulfates in the keg. This would also make the beers more sulfate heavy and have a little more bite, seeming more bitter and less malty.

The exception to the sulfite whiff has been limited to helles variants with more dark caramel flavor, as well as dopplebocks. This makes sense to me as caramel malts seem to oxidize faster in the package and may be consuming the sulfites faster.

I'm not sure where I'm going with this except that to propose the association needs some investigation. Maybe we need to make sensory evaluation for sulfites as important as malt characters. Sulfite and sulfate testing as well.

[Brandon]

Yes, sulfites is totally one of the things I love about German beers. I told that to a high ranking judge once and he snipped at me that it’s a flaw. I beg to differ. The sulfites need to blend in balance with the other flavors, it can’t be too pronounced, but it’s a key component to that rich 'saltiness'. Not all of them, but the East German pilsners (e.g. Radeberger) is rich and bold, the only thing I've brewed even close to its mineral character is what I call my Saphir Sulfur bomb that I have on tap now (WLP802, Saphir hops, low O2 brewed). But it's still less than half the mineral/sulfur character of Radeberger. That stuff's delicious.

Again, I don’t know why people are having such a hard time with this. Salt, malt, hops, yeasty bread, sulfur…tank taste…this is all what defines German beer. For that matter, this defines good bread as well. Some are smooth and balanced, some (like Radeberger) seem harsh and over the top, but they are all tasty. It’s natural, organic, but well integrated.

With my low O2 beers, and all this talk about flavor impact from sodium and sulfites, I feel my beers still lack that mineral and sulfur character of a good German beer.

We need to take everyone on a field trip to Germany, people need to experience this stuff first hand.

[Techbrau]

I can see how sulfite/sulfur dioxide could be a part of the "tank taste" and also perhaps enhance the flavor of the beer in the same way ions like sodium do.

I don't think it's the only factor behind "IT" because otherwise we wouldn't be seeing the color reduction, the clear tasting caramel malts, and the fresh tasting base malt, but it could certainly be one aspect of "IT".

[Brandon]

Good clarification, and I didn't want to throw the discussion off track by mentioning sulfur and salty characteristics as hugely driving factors, because they're not, to me. They play a subtle supporting role in the overall flavor. I agree, fresh, clear tasting malt is key!