EFFECTIVE USE OF A TROPICAL HOP NAMED BITTER LEAF [VERNONIA AMYGDALINA] EXTRACT AS A MEANS OF EXTENDING THE SHELF LIFE OF LOCALLY BREWED MILLET BEER

EFFECTIVE USE OF A TROPICAL HOP NAMED BITTER LEAF [VERNONIA AMYGDALINA] EXTRACT AS A MEANS OF EXTENDING THE SHELF – LIFE OF LOCALLY BREWED MILLET BEER

CHAPTER  ONE 

INTRODUCTION

Beer, alcoholic brewery made from a Cerael grains known as barley and Millet.A process called Fermentation in which Microscopic fungi known as yeast is used to consume sugers in the grains to make Beers,converting them to alcohol and carbondioxide gas.This chemical process typically produce beers with an adequate level of alcohol content of about  2-6%.Over an aggregate of 70 types of  beer are available in the modern worlds todays.Each style of beer derives its unique characteristics  and differences in its brewing process.Four basic ingredients are used in brewing,which includes;grains, hops,[bitterleaves as a hop’s substitute] Yeast and water, Grains like Millet contain the natural sugers required for  fermentation.It also provides beer  with  flavour,colour,body and  texture.

Hops are small, green, cone-shaped flowers from the hop plant,a vine related to the nettle plant over  50 varieties of hops are grown throughout the  world, mostly in Europe,Australia and  North America.But the hops we want to used is bitterleave acting as hop’s substitute. It is mostly  grown here in Africa.Hops provides the Beer with spicy, bitter flavour  and contribute  natural  substances that prevent bacteria  from spoiling beer. Two species of  Yeast ;Saccharomyces  cerevisiae  and  Saccharomyces  uvarum  and baker’s yeast. Each yeast species is used in a slightly different method of fermentation and produces a distinct  type of  beer. Throughout history, where ever Cereal grains were grown, Humans made beer with beverage for them. They used Barley in Egypt, Millet and Sorghum in other parts of  Africa, beer brewing is a major industrial revolution world wide. In 2002. In the United States,1800brewers,produced almost 175 millions barrels of  beer.

Beer is deeply interlined in the fabric of Society, from the Economic to the intangible locally owned breweries deliver social values better than global companies. Since early times beer which is  the products of brewing processes has played an important role in our society, It bring people together in local pubs and breweries generating Camaraderie within Communities. As technology has progress brewing techniques have been developed and refined. As a result, we are currently consuming the finest beers ever produced. This is due to our increased knowledge in the fields of Biotechnology, Microbiology, and Chemistry.

1.1  AIMOFSTUDY / PROJECT

The aim of study is primarily to have a capture of the effect  use  of  a tropical hop named bitter  leaf(Vernonia Amygdalina) extract as a means of extending the shelf–life of a locally millet beer.In the course of achieving this goal, the ingredients used in brewing industries are taken into consideration together with various analysis carried on beer samples. Finally, beer should be of an adequate composition and texture in order to satisfy consumers need and  sensitivity on the disadvantages of beer abuse to the health and body.