In 2011 global beer production increased to 1.9 billion hectoliters [1]. With a current average consumption of 4 hl of fresh water for the production of 1 hl of sales beer in Germany [2], approximately 2.5-3.0 hl of waste water (WW) is produced. When using a water volume ratio > 4:1 [3, 4] the waste water volume is correspondingly higher.

BrewingScience - Monatsschrift für Brauwissenschaft, 66 (September/October 2013), pp. 136-143

The International Committee for Hop Standards (ICHS) announces the release of a new calibration standard, ICS-T3, for the HPLC analysis of tetrahydroiso-alpha-acids.

BrewingScience - Monatsschrift für Brauwissenschaft, 66 (September/October 2013), pp. 135

In order to determine the flow profile in continuously and batch operated bioreactors, alternative methods were evaluated, using microorganisms (yeasts) as tracer material whose fermentation kinetics were similar to those of the starter cultures. The Modified Raffinose Test thereby proved to be an efficient method when dealing with larger quantitative differences of bottom- and top fermenting yeasts, whereas the IGS2 314 PCR-Capillary Gel Electrophoresis Test delivered trustful results when utilizing mixtures of two strains of top-top, or alternatively two strains of bottom-bottom fermenting yeasts. Both methods are therefore suitable in order to evaluate the flow profile via a step function test, in which the fermentation strain is substituted by a different (tracer) strain..

The Hopsteiner Guidelines 2013 will soon be published and be available during November. We are still working on some details of the beer production and will present the balance of World Alpha Acid Supply and Demand as soon as possible.So far we have ἀnalized our estimate for the alpha production 2013 which we are pleased to present in the following charts: ...

On the occasion of the nomination of hops as the "Medicinal Plant of the Year 2007", Dr. Christoph Pinzl (Head of the German Hop Museum in Wolnzach) and Dr. Martin Biendl (Head of Research and Development at Hopsteiner, Mainburg) wrote a book on this subject. Since the first edition is now out of print, a second, updated edition has now been published.

In several countries of the EU the harvest has started or is already advanced. In regions with very hot weather this summer, the effects on the yield cannot be overlooked. Other regions are expecting a good harvest. The prospects are heterogeneous.

Estimates for the 2013 hop crop in Germany were finalized in the Hallertau on August 21st. We are pleased to attach a list comparing the crop results for 2012 with the estimates for 2013 for the world’s main growing areas.

Dry hopping is becoming increasingly popular especially in small breweries. It is a complex and sophisticated method, but it is exactly those qualities which make it a highly efficient method for craft brewers to stand out among the mass of other beers. Empirical experience is the key factor here in the choice of hops and type of application. There is still little known about the transfer rates of hop substances during dry hopping which can provide a great variability of application.

In order to be able to determine which chemical and physical components contribute in any quantity to a high level of user acceptance, sensory descriptive analysis and the identification of consumer acceptance of 16 wheat beers was conducted in addition to instrumental analyses. By linking the profile test and the acceptance values, significant attributes that are responsible for acceptance could be detected.

The yeast collection of VLB Berlin provides with more than 80 strains a broad range of top and bottom fermenting yeasts for the use in beer and wine production. As organic acids in alcoholic fermentation become more and more of interest regarding health and drinkability [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6], a screening was carried out to select strains with a reduced production rate of succinic acid. It was possible to show, that with the right selection of yeast, beer with considerable lower amount of succinic acid can be produced. Additionally this work gives an overview on yeast strain impact on other organic acids. Furthermore scale-up conditions between laboratory and pilot scale fermentations are discussed.

BrewingScience - Monatsschrift für Brauwissenschaft, 66 (July/August 2013), pp. 75-84

Achieving a homogenous malt quality within industrial scale malt batches of up to 300 tons is a major goal for the malt industry. Malt analyses represent only small samples and merely give a rough mean score over thousands of kernels. Cytolytically badly modified or even ungerminated kernels may occur consequently leading to lautering and filtration problems e.g. due to high remaining unhydrolysed â-glucan fractions. Published findings claim that relatively low temperatures during steeping and germination (12–17 °C) are required to produce high quality malts, however, these processes consequently take 5 to 7 days excluding the kilning. Most of these studies were carried out several decades ago and new barley varieties with improved malting properties are available now.