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.
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.
This method describes the determination of the extract content of malt through the application of a complete extraction technique.
Malt intended for use in beer brewing or elsewhere in the food industry
Since the Congress mash method does not accurately quantify the extract content of malt, an attempt was made to eliminate the sources of error present in the method. The method described below incorporates the procedure for producing a Congress mash according to the EBC, followed by a complete extraction of the dissolved substances with a suitable apparatus. After the extraction is complete, the weight is determined. This method is preferred for determining brewhouse yield (e.g., during brewhouse equipment commissioning tests).
Water intended for use as an ingredient in the production of beer (brewing liquor) or other foods
The level of carbonate removal in the water treatment system is monitored using the analysis for the p and m values. The standard values specified in the analysis should not be exceeded.
A test for starch conversion with the iodine reaction
Congress mash, mash, wort
Higher molecular weight starch degradation products react with iodine after precipitation with alcohol. The reaction between iodine and starch results in the formation of an inclusion-type compound, evident by a change in color.