This method describes how to calculate the magnesium ion content of water.
Magnesium ions are calculated by subtracting concentration of calcium ions (W-000.17.031 - Calcium in Wasser, Komplexometrische Bestimmung mit EDTA) from the total hardness (W-000.11.031 - Gesamthärte in Wasser).
Determination of the proportional composition of grist fractions through sieve analysis
Malt grist, grist from adjuncts
The extract yield in the brewhouse is highly dependent on optimal milling of the malt or other grain. The composition of the brewery grist should therefore be monitored on a regular basis.
The sieve analysis is performed on a sample of brewery grist of a known weight with a shaking device containing a set of sieves (according to DIN ISO 3310-1 specifications or a Pfungstädter plansifter sieving device).
Volumetric determination of the husk fraction
Grist from malt or adjuncts
The sieve analysis is performed on a sample of brewery grist of a known weight with a shaking device containing a set of sieves (according to DIN ISO 3310-1 specifications or a Pfungstädter plansifter sieving device). The material retained on sieve 1 is then poured into a 500 ml graduated cylinder and the volume (without shaking) is read on the graduated cylinder.
Determination of the amount of cold break material in the pitching wort
Cast-out wort, wort from the midpoint of chilling/pitching wort (without yeast)
The hot break material (trub) and any hop particles which may be present in the wort, must first be removed. After the wort has been cooled to 2 °C, it is filtered through a glass fiber filter. The residue remaining on the filter is dried and then weighed.
Cold break material or cold trub refers to all material that settles out in the process of chilling wort after separation of the hot trub or hot break material. Cold trub can be filtered out of the wort and primarily consists of proteins (48–57 %), tannins (11–26 %) and carbohydrates (20–36 %). The amount of cold break material in wort depends on the quality and composition of the raw materials, brewhouse equipment and wort handling. In academic and professional circles, opinions regarding the significance of cold break material for downstream processes and for the quality of the finished beer are strongly divided [1, 2, 5]. Under certain circumstances, the quantity of cold break material in wort may exceed 250 mg/l, especially where accelerated fermentation is practiced. Ultimately, this can detract from the flavor of the finished beer [3]. Breweries, where removal of the cold break material has been practiced successfully, determine the quantity of cold break in their pitching wort at regular intervals, in order to evaluate the efficacy of their separation equipment.
Suitable for analysis of all (laboratory) wort samples
Zinc in wort is measured using the AAS technique by directly aspirating the diluted sample into an acetylene oxygen flame or through electrothermal atomization; the measurement is made at 213.9 nm.
The cations in beer and wort are determined with this analysis.
This method is suitable for both wort and beer.
Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) is a fast and reliable method for the laboratory analysis of metals. Inductively coupled plasma (ICP), a high frequency field of ionized gas, serves as a medium for atomizing and exciting the substances found in samples. Liquid, dissolved or aerosol samples are injected into the ionized gas stream. In emission spectroscopy, ICP can be used in conjunction with a number of optical and electronic systems either simultaneously or sequentially in multi-element spectrometers. In the plasma, the atoms and ions are excited to a higher energy state bringing about the emission of electromagnetic radiation (light), primarily in the ultraviolet and visible region of the spectrum. Metals ordinarily occur as ions in the temperature range typical for ICP of 6000 to 10000 K; however, non-metals and metalloids are only partially ionized.
ICP-OES operates within a very wide range. This usually encompasses six orders of magnitude in concentrations smaller than μg/l up to g/l, depending upon the element and the concentrations used for the set of analysis data. With ICP-OES, beer and wort can also be analyzed without prior processing of the samples, in contrast to AAS. Methods for determining the following in beer and wort will be described below: Al, B, Ba, Ca, Co, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, P, Si, Sr, Sn and Zn.