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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

This work addresses the use of an in-line, across the pipe-measuring analyzer to measure yeast cell count in brewery application. Data is presented showing the correlation between the in-line McNab cell counter and laboratory analysis including: ASBC spin-down 0-65% and Coulter counter measurements.