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

This local beer is brewed from a cereal grain called millet,and it is brewed with bitter leave extract acting as hop substitute to see if it can increase the shelf – life of this beer.The production process include malting, mashing, fermentation, and maturation.The microorganisms associated with fermentation include Saccharomyces Cerevisiae and Saccharomyces Charelienia.These yeast hasten fermentation by converting the sugar in the beer to alcohol. Kunu is an indigenous alcoholic beverages that is traditionally brewed with out hops,and because of this it has a shot shelf life as compared with that brewed with the tropical hops.

There is a significant [P≥ 0.05] difference in chemical properties of millet with hops and without hops.Millet with hops is the best with alcoholic content of 0.325 ± 0.004, total acidity of 0.645 ± 0.011(% lactic acid),fixed acidity of 0.041± 0.002, specific gravity of 1.199±0.015 and pH of 4.03± 0.02.But without hops we have an alcoholic content of 0.316± 0.005, total acidity(lactic acid) of 0.427± 0.002, fixed acidity of 0.034± 0.005,specific gravity of 1.049± 0.007, and pH of 3.32±0.02.From the result the beer without hops is the lowest in acceptance of chemical properties so it is advisable that the local millet beer be brewed with the tropical hops (Vernonia Amygdalina).