This study evaluated the influence of a high organic loading rate (OLR) on thermophilic hydrogen production at an up-flow anaerobic packed-bed reactor (APBR) treating a residual liquid stream of a Brazilian biorefinery. The APBR, filled with low-density polyethylene, was operated at an OLR of 84.2 kg-COD m(-3) d(-1). This value was determined in a previous study. The maximum values of hydrogen production and yield were 5,252.6 mL-H-2 d(-1) and 3.7 mol-H-2 mol(total carbohydrates)(-1), respectively. However, whereas the OLR remained constant, the specific organic load rate (sOLR) decreased throughout operation from 1.38 to 0.72 g-Total carbohydrates g-VS-1 h(-1), this decrease negatively affected hydrogen production. A sOLR of 0.98 g-Total carbohydrates g-VS-1 h(-1) was optimal for hydrogen production. The microbial community was studied using 454-pyrosequencing analysis. Organisms belonging to the genera Caloramator, Clostridium, Megasphaera, Oxobacter, Thermoanaerobacterium, and Thermohydrogenium were detected in samples taken from the reactor at operation days 30 and 60, suggesting that these organisms contribute to hydrogen production. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.