Development and Characterization of a Millet-Based Fermented Beer using Biryani Spices

Millets are nutritionally rich and climate-resilient cereals that are gaining attention as sustainable raw materials in industrial biotechnology. This study focuses on the development of a millet-based fermented beverage, using biryani spices, as a simple model for microbial fermentation and value-added product formation. Fermentation was performed using malted millet (Ragi Wheat and Barley-60:20:20) at a ratio of 100 g in 900 mL of water under controlled laboratory conditions. A marked reduction in fermentable sugars was observed, decreasing from 32.3 mg/mL to 14.5 mg/mL after fermentation, indicating effective utilization of the substrate by fermenting microorganisms. Ethanol production reached 2% alcohol by volume (ABV),confirming successful conversion of carbohydrates into alcohol. Fermentation activity was further evidenced by a drop in pH from 6.75 to 5.94 and an increase in titratable acidity to 0.81% expressed as lactic acid. Minor changes in protein content following fermentation suggest biochemical modification of nutrients during microbial metabolism. Overall, the results highlight the potential of millets as an alternative and sustainable fermentation substrate and demonstrate that microbial processing can effectively transform underutilized cereals into value-added fermented products with scope for industrial scalability.