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Product stability and quality
As a result of market globalization, the beverage industry and breweries in particular are faced with the challenge of having to guarantee product stability and quality over a long period of time. In the case of beer, in addition to microbiological stability as well as foam stability and turbidity, the flavour stability is an important quality-determining characteristic. Deviations from the characteristic taste and aroma profile of a fresh beer due to storage or aging are generally not accepted by consumers and therefore result in product complaints and possibly a loss of image for the brand. The purely external, visually recognizable characteristics of the beer - beer color, turbidity, beer foam – are important quality criteria for the consumer that can be quickly classified.
Graphical evaluation of the quality criterion foam (MEBAKonline B-420.11.100 [2020-10] [2]) over 12 months in comparison to all tested beer samples (SKZ foam index – measurement of beer foam drainage (liquid level); r = 2; R = 5; standard values UG: > 115 SKZ (very good) to < 100="" skz="" (poor))="" 100="" skz="" />Statistical evaluation of the quality-determining beer characteristics
The Research Weihenstephan Center for Brewing and Food Quality (BLQ) is a core institute of the Technical University of Munich. As a modern research facility and service provider, it offers a comprehensive range of services for the brewing and beverage industry, especially in the context of wet chemical, instrumental and microbiological analysis and operational control, sensory evaluation of beverages in conjunction with comprehensive technical and technological consulting (Fig. 1).
In order to meet these high-quality assurance requirements for the product beer and to generate additional added value for brewery customers from the existing data pool, the Research Center Weihenstephan for Brewing and Food Quality launched the "Bierkarussell®" project in 2004 for the statistical evaluation of the main quality-determining beer characteristics. As part of this BLQ service package, breweries from Germany and abroad send in their different types of beer to the research center (300 samples to be tested) every month. The main types are pale lager (Helles or Hell), pilsner and wheat beer. The aim of the project is, in addition to the basic quality assurance data (advisory analytics), to provide the sender with useful information regarding the current quality, but also the quality consistency of his beers.
The extensive data pool also enables an anonymous comparison of the results between the beers of all participants, which provides information about the quality of the respective beer in comparison to the basic population (total survey scope or quantity of all objects about which a statement is to be made).
The focus is on these quality characteristics of the beer, which are also perceived in particular by the customer as a decisive quality criterion:
• Sensory quality of the beer
• Flavour stability of the beer
• Foam characteristics (stability) of the beer
An evaluation of the results over the last 12 months shows each participant the development of a quality criterion of a beer over this period and, in addition, this beer can be classified in comparison with the results of all tested beers. Figure 1 shows an example of the graphical evaluation of a beer with regard to foam characteristics.
Excursion into Beer Analytics
The following analyses are carried out as part of the analytical control per bottling (10 bottles):
• Sensory analysis of the beer (DLG score) - fresh and forced aged (according to DLG 5-Point Assessment Scheme®)[3]
• Flavour stability
• Foam stability according to SFT (Steinfurth Foam Stability Tester)
• Small beer analysis (original gravity/alcohol content/final degree of attenuation according to MEBAK [4])
The customer then receives four evaluation sheets (interpretation) for each of the corresponding quality criteria;
1. Sensory analysis of the beer fresh, DLG score
2. Sensory analysis of the forced aged beer, DLG score
3. Flavor stability = DLG score of the fresh beer minus DLG score of the forced aged beer
4. Foam stability according to SFT Foamtester
The service package "Bierkarussell"® of TUM BLQ offers the possibility to present the evaluation of specific quality characteristics from a comprehensive data pool in a short and concise way, which enables a comparison of the company and the quality profile of the own company with other competitors. It helps those responsible for quality control to investigate the causes when quality deficiencies occur, to uncover weak points at an early stage and in a targeted manner, and as a result helps to continuously improve the products (product quality), since changes in the production chain, fluctuations in raw materials, or changes in distribution routes can also be tracked over the long term and, in comparison with the industry.
In addition, the Bierkarussell® is continuously developed and adapted to customer demands. In the near future, a targeted comparison of the individual beer types (currently mainly top-fermented, e.g. wheat beer, or bottom-fermented, e.g. pale lager or pilsner) will be possible, and the inclusion of other characteristics such as the CO2 content of the beer or the turbidity, which are also decisive quality criteria for the consumer, will be established.
Further information is available at https://www.blq-weihenstephan.de/produkte.html
Original source
Gastl, M. (2023). Das Bierkarusell – eine branchenspezifische LIMS-Anwendung. GIT Labor-Fachzeitschrift 11-12/2023, S. 40-43.
Contact: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Martina Gastl, Institutsleitung, Forschungszentrum Weihenstephan für Brau- und Lebensmittelqualität Technische Universität München Freising-Weihenstephan, Deutschland
[1] Back, W., Gastl, M., Krottenthaler, M., Narziß, L., und Zarnkow, M. (2020). Brewing Techniques in Practice, Fachverlag Hans Carl, Nürnberg.
[2] MEBAK online. Methode B-420.11.100. Schaumbestimmung mit dem Steinfurth-Foamtester. Rev. 2020-10. Mitteleuropäische Brautechnische Analysenkommission (MEBAK®) e.V., Freising.. Abgerufen: 07.10.2023.
[3] Mitteleuropäischen Brautechnischen Analysenkommission e. V. (MEBAK), MEBAKonline.
[4] MEBAK online. Methode S-590.53.700. DLG-Prüfschema für Bier. Rev. 2013-02. Mitteleuropäische Brautechnische Analysenkommission (MEBAK®) e.V., Freising. Abgerufen: 07.10.2023.
