Determination of Alcohol content in Beer

The test allows to measure alcohol in beer, which is an important quality parameter.

Features and Benefits of the determination of Alcohol by Volume in Beer with CDR BeerLab^®

• the Method is simpler and faster than reference methods (hydrostatic balance)
• it does not need specific laboratory facilities, nor the dexterity of chemical analyst experts
• the results are correlated with the reference methods
• the test features high reliability and repeatability

The analysis with CDR BeerLab^® facilitates very much carrying out the quality control related to alcohol content in the beer produced.

The systems to test Alcohol by Volume (ABV) in beer

Alcohol by Volume can be measured using CDR BeerLab^®, a system which enables you to carry out a wide panel of chemical analyses on beer and water, using a single instrument, in a process that is faster and simpler than traditional methods.
With CDR BeerLab^® brewers and breweries of any size can independently carry out brewing process controls without having to rely on external laboratories.

	CDR BEERLAB®	CDR BEERLAB® JUNIOR
Analyses	Beer and Wort: Fermentable Sugars Lactic Acid (D + L) Bitterness Color Alcohol Content pH Starch Free Aminio Nitrogen by OPA (FAN) Total sulfur dioxide (SO2) Vicinal diketones (VDKs) Acetic Acid Water: Calcium Magnesium Bicarbonate Chloride Potassium Sulfate Zinc	Configuration with tailored panel of analyses Beer and Wort: Fermentable Sugars Lactic Acid (D + L) Bitterness Color Alcohol Content pH Starch Free Aminio Nitrogen by OPA (FAN) Total sulfur dioxide (SO2) Vicinal diketones (VDKs) Acetic Acid Water: Calcium Magnesium Bicarbonate Chloride Potassium Sulfate Zinc
Simultaneous Sample Analyses	16	3
Multiple Analyses on a Sample		–

Method

Test type: End Point.
Time testing: 6 minutes.
Are possible test sessions with several samples, up to 16 tests for CDR BeerLab^® and 3 tests for CDR BeerLab^® Junior.

Correlation with reference methods

Samples were analysed for Alcohol using both the CDR BeerLab^® and the UKAS accredited gas chromatography (GC) method (Campden BRI Method AM/0 18 based on IOB Methods of Analysis, 1997, 9.10).

The international reference analysis laboratory Campden BRI in its report says “Statistical analysis suggested that in the majority of cases and based on current data there is no statistically significant evidence for a difference in alcohol measurements for beer when using the CDR BeerLab^® versus the reference methods.”

Test Principle

Ethanol, in an alkaline environment, is oxidized through an enzymatic reaction and converted in acetic aldehyde in presence of NAD+, which in turns produces NADH. The increase of the absorbance, measured at 366 nm (end-point), is proportional to the concentration of ethanol in the sample.

Reagent test Kits

The reagents are packaged in foil pouches containing 10 tubes useful to perform 10 analyses.

This is the minimum package that allows the use of CDR systems even to those who need to make a few analyses, thus not wasting reagents.

There are also boxes of 100 tests, however, packaged in 10 bags of 10 tubes containing the reagent.

Code *300730 – The kit, designed for 100 tests.
Code *300735 – The kit, designed for 10 tests.

The reagents have a shelf-life of 6 months.

Processing of Sample

Use on beer or wort. Make a dilution of the sample 1:100, for which you can use the dedicated kit. The beer sample needs to be degassed (we recommend to use an ultrasonic bath) before making the dilution. For higher accuracy in the analysis of wort we recommend to centrifuge the sample.

Measuring Range

Click and Discover more about CDR BeerLab^®: analysis system fast, easy to use and reliable for determining multiple parameters in beer wort and water