Kvass or kvas, is a traditional beverage primarily known in Russia, the Baltic States and the Ukraine, where it is predominantly consumed during the summer months. The ingredients and recipes are diverse, because kvass production was for centuries a cottage industry; that is, it was brewed by families at home. Each family possessed their own recipe for brewing kvass using a wide range of ingredients; however, one ingredient common to all of them is rye. For kvass made at home, the rye was first baked into loaves of bread before commencing the brewing process [1]. For industrial production, it was necessary to find other raw materials, such as raw grain, sugar and various types of malt. The following report offers an overview of the ingredients and processes and also outlines the possible methods by which kvass can be produced on an industrial scale.

With the InPro 6970i series, Mettler-Toledo Ingold introduced a new line of optical sensors for the measurement of dissolved oxygen in Food & Beverage. Based on a chemo-optical technology, the InPro 6970i sensor offers significant advantages for the brewing industry. High operational availability, combined with excellent measurement quality is the perfect answer to the most demanding brewery requirements such as increased product yield and guaranteed minimized level of oxygen in beer.

The problem of nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) confronted the industry in January of 2006, because analysis results showed that certain malt samples had exceeded the recommended maximum concentrations for NDMA, once again returning this topic to the spotlight. Monitoring systems commissioned by the German Maltsters’ Association as well as the German Brewers’ Association have been in place since the middle of 2005, which are intended to screen malt – especially malt sold on the market – for its NDMA content. Preventing the formation of NDMA is important, not only from the standpoint of the legal guidelines governing its maximum allowable content but also due to the significant danger of attracting negative media attention, since nitrosamines are both carcinogenic and very soluble in water. Nitrosamines readily pass through cell membranes and, if ingested, increase the risk of cancer in almost every organ in the body. NDMA formation occurs during the kilning process. The amines (e.g. hordenine) naturally present in malt and the nitrogen oxides from the air intermingle under application of heat to form NDMA.

The first Westfalia Separator hydrostop separator – a clarifier type SC 35 – was delivered to the Bavik brewery in Bavikvove, Belgium in 1984. The next major step followed in 1990: The SC 120 was the first machine capable of performing ejections every 45 seconds.

Starting from May 4th, Mettler-Toledo adds the RAMS Systems to its family of products. The RAMS product monitoring systems have been successfully established in breweries, beverage and food applications and have proven their use over years. The InPro8600 RAMS is a optical working System for monitoring liquid products and continuous measurement of colour and turbidity in different wavelengths Typical applications for RAMS systems are product/water phase separation processes, or product identification in process lines.

Progress in the breeding of hop varieties has been significant in the last 30 years. Until recently efforts were mainly concentrated on the breeding of high-alpha hops, whereas in the last couple of years new aroma varieties were increasingly launched. In order to facilitate the overview, this presentation first gives you an idea of how hops can be evaluated.

Baumer presents a new FlexTop family. The individually configurable temperature transmitters of the series 2202, 2203 and 2204 are suitable for the food and beverage industry, pharmaceutical and biological technologies, chemical and petrochemical industry as well as for heating, ventilation and air condition applications. The input can be configured for thermocouples, resistance sensors and voltage signals.

Results from the 2008 malting barley harvest were eagerly awaited by the brewing and malting industry. Apart for the hope that the harvested quantity would be adequate to serve as a basis for assured raw materials supply, the quality of the crop was at the very centre of attention.

In contrast to previous experience, bottom-fermented beers were hardest hit this year. Two analyses have been carried out at the Weihenstephan Research Centre for Brewing and Food Quality (FZW) that can show if malt has a tendency to gush. The analyses involve the rapid gushing test, also known as the Weihenstephan or Donhauser Test, as well as the Modified Carlsberg Test according to MEBAK. This overview contains the results obtained to-date in the R&D department of the FZW.

Beers from the 2007 barley harvest were again severely affected by gushing. This phenomenon gives rise to complaints and loss of image for breweries; quality of beer as such is not affected. In 2008, brewers are again beset by gushing problems and the justified question for the scientific community is: “When will the causes of gushing finally be completely understood?” Brewers who had problems in the past with beers “gone wild” have been hoping to get an answer for years.

When will the gushing puzzle finally be solved? Brewers who in the past have not been able to tame their wild beers have been waiting for an answer to this question for many years. Research has been going on for almost just as long in the hope of identifying the causes on the one hand and to come up with practical countermeasures on the other hand. And here we are again in 2008 – a new gushing year. Calls for “research that finally solves the problem” are doing the rounds again.