Abstract
This study examined the effects of beer recipe variations using three different types of wheat malt, derived from low-protein Kazakhstan wheat cereal varieties “Ertis-7” (beer E7), “Tauelsyzdyk-20” (beer T20), and “Matay” (beer M), on the characteristics of beer. Furthermore, the links between sensory acceptability, emotions elicited by beer samples for panelists, and the levels of free amino acids (AAs), gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), biogenic amines (BAs), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were assessed. All beer samples were similar in the overall acceptability, but different wheat malts significantly affected the intensity of the emotions and content of all free AAs in the beer samples (p ≤ 0.001). The highest GABA content was found in beer E7 (283.9 µmol/L), while the lowest level of BAs (only putrescine) was detected in beer T20 (8.36 mg/L). Beers E7 and T20 contained 41 VOCs, while 52 VOCs were identified in M. The wheat malt significantly influenced the content of most VOCs. Numerous interactions between the analyzed characteristics of beer were revealed in this study. Further research is necessary to fully understand the mechanisms behind these interactions and their impact on beer characteristics.