Beer, one of the oldest beverages produced by humans, appeared as early as 5,000 years ago, and is one of the most widely consumed alcoholic drinks in the world, only surpassed by tea and water. Produced by the brewing and fermentation of starches, it is a complex beverage, containing a diverse mixture of carbohydrates, proteins, and aroma compounds. Unlike other manufactured beverages that can be easily fine-tuned by either adding or removing ingredients, the natural fermentation process cannot be so easily changed to achieve precise ingredient concentrations. Instead, raw ingredients and processing parameters, such as time and temperature, must be carefully adjusted to achieve the required stability and sensory profile. Unfortunately, Formulaction’s Turbiscan wasn’t developed until 1994 to help brewers adjust the stability of their beers and easily estimate shelf life and other quality parameters, such as sedimentation and clarity. The Turbiscan can be used to quantitatively predict sedimentation of yeast and proteins, haze stability, flocculation, clarity, and foam stability, all of which are key parameters for many beer types. How does the Turbiscan work? The Turbiscan® technology, based on Static Multiple Light Scattering, works by sending a light source (880nm) in to a sample and acquiring backscattered (BS) and transmitted (T) signals over the whole sample height. By repeating this measurement over time, we are able to monitor physical stability. The signal is directly linked to the particle concentration and size by the Mie theory. The Turbiscan and TSI are ‘must have’ tools for formulators for fast and quantitative measurements of stability. The Turbiscan technology has now been used for decades by formulators for stability measurements and is now recognised as a standard technique for direct stability analysis. How was the study carried out? The Turbiscan can be used to quantitatively predict sedimentation of yeast and proteins, haze stability, flocculation, clarity, and foam stability, all of which are key parameters for many beer types. In this blog post, we will highlight the utility of the Turbiscan for analysing beers at all stages of the brewing process for raw ingredient analysis, optimization of processing parameters, and rapid shelf-life determination. “Hazy” IPA stability analysis Hazy IPAs have gained significant popularity in recent years and represent a new and exciting trend for craft and large breweries. These beers are characterised by their hazy appearance that is similar to orange juice, with a taste profile that is usually quite fruity. These types of IPAs are especially prone to sedimentation due to their high turbidity (proteins, and for optimal consumer experience, the haze should be stable in a variety of storage media (cans, bottles, or kegs) at given temperatures. The early stages of this destabilization phenomenon can be detected using the Turbiscan (Figure 1). From the Turbiscan data obtained (please see Figure 1) over three days, multiple destabilisation phenomena can be detected. At the bottom of the sample vial (left side of the scan) there is a sharp decrease in transmission, indicating sediment formation. A nearly global increase in %T is also observed, indicating particle size variation - flocculation. Analysis using Turbiscan software (Turbisoft) shows the flocculation kinetics of various hazy IPAs (Figure 2) allowing us to compare different profiles and evaluate the kinetics. Samples A, B, and C were of the same beer, but samples came from different batches. From this data, the stability of the batch obtained on day A was significantly lower than other batches (days B and C). The Turbiscan helped the brewery to quickly identify the root cause of the destabilisation. In addition to monitoring changes over time to predict beer stability, initial clarity can be swiftly determined using the Turbiscan (Table 1). As different beers will vary in their clarity, criteria can be established for acceptable initial raw transmission value (at t=0) as a method for assessing initial quality. This type of data allows brewers to assess batch stability in a fraction of the time compared to a subjective visual test. With changing consumer tastes, it is important to have the flexibility to modify ingredients and develop new brews while ensuring stability and performance are maintained.
How were the quality parameters monitored during the brewing process? Process parameters must be carefully adjusted and maintained to achieve the desired properties. By determining the optimum time and temperature for each step in the process, energy and time needed can be reduced. The Turbiscan can be used to assess quality parameters even at early stages of the brewing process. One example of this is the analysis of wort clarity and the influence of processing temperature. Wort is the mother liquor and the Turbiscan can be used to monitor the clarification, and determine clarification kinetics at various temperatures. A short 10-minute test allows the identification of the differences between the sample behaviours. By plotting the change in transmission over time, the Turbiscan can help to analyse clarification kinetics at different temperatures. By rapidly determining the rates of clarification in small test batches, the conditions can be optimized for mass production. What are the properties of beer foam? Beer foam, also known as the head, is formed from the naturally produced carbon dioxide during fermentation. Beer foam can significantly affect the sensory experience and imparts a creamy quality with a sense of fullness. Certain hydrophobic proteins are known to increase foam stability, providing a longer softening effect on the palate. However, ethanol can inhibit foam formation. Several types of beers were studied regarding foam formation over time. Unsurprisingly, the beer with the lowest alcohol content (E) produced the most stable foam, only decreasing to 20% of the original volume after 400 s. At the same time, beer F showed good foam stability for its moderate alcohol content. Also, when compared to Beer B, which contained the same amount of alcohol but had lower foam stability than beer F, we can see that the use of a different container can have an impact on final foam quantities. Looking more closely at the Turbiscan data, the drainage kinetics of the foam can be plotted alongside the growth of the liquid layer. Since the Turbiscan measures the backscattering and transmission simultaneously, information on both the foam (backscattering) and beer (transmission) can be obtained from a single scan or series of scans without having to switch reading modes. This means the Turbiscan can be used to obtain detailed kinetics of foam stability and allow the brewer to adjust the beer to achieve the desired characteristics. This study demonstrates the capability of the Turbiscan to characterise beers and optimise brewing parameters. The results provide accurate, quantitative data for beer stability analysis and removes the estimation associated with visual stability observations. This high-resolution analysis can accelerate the stability analysis timeframe from many days or weeks to a couple hours for rapid shelf-life determination. In turn, this helps move projects to completion at a much faster rate than traditional methods. The Turbiscan has proven to provide fast and accurate results that can be applied to all types of beers, including traditional varieties and emerging trends such as hazy IPAs. For more information and advice on how the Turbiscan can be used to characterise beer stability, and help improve your own formulations, please contact us on: 01442 876777 or email: sales@fullbrook.com.
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