Rapid FT-IR technology enables brewers to test key parameters throughout the brewing process, gain full control of your fermentation process and save time, energy and money along the line. Klavs Sørensen, principal scientist at Foss, is here to tell you exactly how.
Most breweries measure ABV in the final beer. But there are many other touchpoints to consider and by measuring key parameters throughout the brewing process you can get even more value out of your beer. Klavs Sørensen is principal scientist at Foss and has been looking at the benefits of measuring key quality parameters using rapid FT-IR technology.
So, let’s start at the beginning.
Testing key quality parameters in brewing
We all know that following a recipe is not enough when it comes to brewing. Once the fermentation has started, you never know exactly how the yeast behaves, and how the malt develops during the fermentation process. From the outside it might seem like you have done the exact same thing, adding the exact same ingredients, but the outcome is completely different. And data would help localizing when in the process, the beer had gone wrong.
Foss has been offering NIR since the 1970s and our NIR solutions have become the global standards for grain analysis – like measuring moisture percentage, starch, and protein in grain and other raw materials before the brewing starts.
And just as NIR analysis is the go-to choice for grains and solid materials, FT-IR has proven to be a much more advantageous solution when analyzing liquids such as mash or beers.
Our dedicated FT-IR analyzers have become the defacto analysis tool for winemakers and we are now seeing the beer industry benefitting from the same FT-IR technology. With our BeerFoss™ FT Go, we now have a dedicated analysis instrument for craft brewing”.
FT-IR and the world of beer
The benefits of using FT-IR for beer analysis are plenty. FT-IR provides a more accurate representation of the sample, it is more sensitive, allowing for precise measurement of both low and high alcohol beers, as well as various beer styles (sour, hoppy, sweet).
Providing this detailed information about the specific compounds present in the beer, such as sugars, proteins, and organic acids, can be used for monitoring the brewing process and ensuring consistent quality.
The instrument has several features uniquely suited for analyzing beer – for instance, samples do not need to be degassed or filtered prior to analysis. The instrument is simply able to measure the sample and ignore the particle ‘noise’.
On top of this, the FT-IR instrument is not a single-purpose measurement solution. New features can be added depending on our customers’ needs and we are constantly working on new features to be added. A great example is the ability to measure hazy beer.
This is an obvious great advantage for craft breweries that are often much more experimental and constantly looking for new ways of producing and using different ingredients when creating new types of beer.
A true chemical fingerprint
FT-IR measurement is like a chemical fingerprint of the beer sample. With FTIR spectroscopy, you can determine ABV, density, gravity, real extract, RDF, pH, calories (and much more) from a single spectrum.
The secret sauce here is the mathematical models in the instruments that convert the spectra into usable numbers. The conversation is instantaneous, providing you with results that can be used to track production data and ensure that your quality standards are consistent.
You don’t have to send samples to the laboratory and wait for the results. You instantly have access to all the information you need to track and optimize your production, saving valuable raw material and time in the process.
Our customers typically have the instrument available in the production hall, so that samples can be taken from the fermentation tanks and measured directly on the production floor.
The flexibility and availability of the BeerFoss is precisely the ease of use that a craft brewer needs in order to experiment and make the best beers in the world, and we are very happy to help it happen.
