The method describes how to determine the viscosity of the laboratory wort using various kinds of falling ball viscometers.
Suitable for all worts and mashes
The amount of time required for a special ball to fall while sinking through a glass tube filled with a test fluid between two marks is measured. The precision of this method is increased if the time is measured using a photoelectric beam to an accuracy of 0.01 s, rather than manually with a stop watch.
Suitable for any wort or mash
The time required for a volumetrically defined amount of fluid (the volume between two marks on the tube of the viscometer) to flow through a capillary of a defined length is measured.
Definition:
1 square meter per second is the kinematic viscosity of a homogenous fluid with a dynamic viscosity of 1 Pa × s and a density 1 kg/m3.
The unit for expressing kinematic viscosity (the relationship of viscosity to density = viscoplasticity) is 1 m2/s = 106 mm2/s
The method describes how to determine the viscosity using a micro viscometer (e. g. Lovis).
Suitable for all worts and types of mash.
The measuring principle of the Lovis micro viscometer is based on the Höppler “Falling Ball Viscometer”. A ball of known dimension rolls through a closed capillary, which is inclined at a defined angle. Inductive sensors detect the ball along an exactly defined distance of approximately 100 mm or 25 mm. The rolling time is measured by the instrument and is used for dynamic viscosity calculation. The temperature is precisely regulated by thermoelectric Peltier elements and checked by a Pt-100 temperature sensor. A temperature accuracy of ±0.02 °C and repeatability of ±0.005 °C can be reached.
Hops and hop products intended for use in beer brewing or elsewhere in the food industry
A reliable sampling method for whole hops and hop products is a prerequisite for obtaining suitable material for analysis. The effort involved in collecting the sample depends upon how uniform the hop product is.
Determination the viscosity in beverages
wort, beer, beer-based beverages, juices, beverages in general
The amount of time required for a special ball to fall while sinking through a glass tube filled with a sample liquid between two marks is measured. The precision of this method is increased if the time is measured using a photoelectric beam to an accuracy of 0.01 s, rather than manually with a stopwatch.
Malt intended for use in beer brewing or elsewhere in the food industry
While α-amylase is active in a gelatinized solution of amylopectin, the viscosity of the solution is constantly dropping due to the degradation of the starch molecules, which can be tracked using a rotational viscometer. The change in the reciprocal of the specific viscosity serves as a measure for the activity of α-amylase.