America, beer and politics

Rock ‘n’ roll and politics don’t mix. Young people and politics don’t mix. Politics, you see, is a highbrow endeavour for grey men in suits who spend their tedious lives blustering about issues like how to increase VAT on cut flowers. Why flamboyant brewers still feel the urge to dabble in politics – apparently, beer and politics do seem to mix. But not very well, though, and often to the detriment of the brewing industry.

Ring test with the AMVn viscosity measurement station

The viscosity measurement instrument type AMVn (automatic microviscosimeter) developed by Anton Paar GmbH of Graz has been extensively tested in a ring test. It proved to be a very good alternative to systems already established (Ubbelohde und Hoeppler).

Selective CO2 measurement for beverages with the new multiple volume expansion method

A new measuring method allows rapid and accurate measurements of the CO2 content of beverages without influence from other dissolved gases. The measuring instrument based on this new method is portable, robust and easy to use. It is ideal for quality control in laboratories and for spot checks in production.

Comparative testing of various laboratory viscosity measurement systems

In this comparative test, the automatic AMVn viscosity measuring stand (automatic microviscometer with integral density measurement) supplied by Anton Paar GmbH was compared to a falling ball viscometer supplied by Hoeppler (KF20) and to a semi-automatic Ubbelohde viscometer (with suspended ball level).

Investigation into the high levels of xanthohumol found in Stout and Porter-style beers

Many herbal remedies are now being tested in sophisticated in vitro assays by pharmaceutical researchers, who are keen to use this as a method for new drug discovery. Since hops have a history of being used to treat a range of disorders, hop compounds have come under such scrutiny. Over the last few years there have been many reports published in the medical literature of purified hop compounds showing positive activities in these tests.

Portable equipment for oxygen measurement improves control of test equipment in breweries

The numerous negative effects of oxygen in brewing are well known. Especially its catalytic action in the staling process make reliable oxygen analysis indispensable. Feldschlösschen Beverages Group (Carlsberg) of Switzerland has therefore made a decision to use a new portable oxygen meter in order to have reliable test equipment control for their inline measurement instrumentation.

Capacity calculations for breweries as a basis for plant optimisation

This extended forum paper, given at drinktec-interbrau 2001, provides guidelines for determining planning parameters used in capacity calculations of individual brewery plant sections - computer planning in production, filling, energy and water utilities.

LightCyclerTM PCR establishing itself as a rapid detection methodBeer-spoilage bacteria in microbiological routine analysis

PCR with LightCycler technology makes it possible to get reliable results after abridged incubation of 48 h. Every user with appropriate expertise is provided with an additional assessment option by simply looking through a microscope.

Specific rapid detection test for beer-spoilage bacteria using fluorescently labelled gene probes

VIT-Bier plus L. brevis is a novel rapid test for detection of beer-spoilage bacteria. It is based on fluorescently labelled gene probe technology. Using these gene probes following incubation in NBB for 1 to 2 days, all beer-spoilage lactic acid bacteria can be reliably and rapidly made visible and identified in all stages of the brewing process. Both filter feed as well as filtrate samples can be tested.

A contribution towards characterisation of b-glucan precipitations of a beer

The investigations described are meant to be a contribution towards further characterisation of b-glucan precipitations from a chemical viewpoint and towards studying the extent to which they can be attacked enzymatically in order to be able to draw further technological conclusions.