Beer should ONLY be beer. Application Summary Compendium

Importance of the Topic

Quality, safety and consistency are essential in modern brewing. Analytical methods enable brewers to monitor key constituents, detect contaminants and optimize production. A compendium of diverse techniques addresses carbohydrates, organic acids, bitterness, haze-forming polysaccharides, nitrogenous compounds, sulfites, mycotoxins, elements and more, streamlining workflows in QA/QC and process development.

Study Objectives and Overview

This compendium surveys twelve application summaries covering: ion chromatography for multi-species analysis; enzymatic photometric assays for acetaldehyde; FT-NIR spectroscopy for rapid sugar and alcohol determination; photometric methods for high-molecular-weight β-glucan; discrete analysis of free amino nitrogen and sulfur dioxide; ultra-fast HPLC assays for isohumulones, chalconoids and bitter acids; GC-MS/MS for nitrosamines; UHPLC–high-resolution mass spectrometry for multi-mycotoxin screening; gradient HPLC with spectro-electro array detection for polyphenols and bitter acids; and ICP-OES for elemental contaminants.

Methodology and Instrumentation

Across studies, leading Thermo Fisher platforms were employed, including:

• Dionex ICS-5000+ and ICS-5000 systems with pulsed amperometric or conductivity detection
• Arena 20XT, Gallery/Plus discrete photometric analyzers
• Antaris II FT-NIR spectrometer with PLS calibration
• UltiMate 3000 HPLC with VWD, DAD and CoulArray detectors
• TRACE 1310 GC with TSQ 8000 GC-MS/MS
• Accela/UHPLC and Orbitrap high-resolution MS
• iCAP 7200 ICP-OES with Qtegra ISDS software

Sample preparation ranged from direct injection and on-line SPE to simple protein precipitation or dilution.

Key Results and Discussion

Ion chromatography delivered simultaneous quantitation of carbohydrates, alcohols, organic acids and ions on a single run. Enzymatic photometric UV assays correlated closely with LC reference methods for acetaldehyde and demonstrated rapid throughput. FT-NIR models predicted original gravity, real extract, apparent extract and alcohol content in under 20 seconds. Photometric β-glucan and NOPA methods showed excellent repeatability (<2 % RSD) and long reagent stability. Discrete analysis of SO₂ aligned with para-rosaniline standards while minimizing waste. Fast HPLC‐based bitterness assays quantified cis/trans isohumulones in ten minutes. GC-MS/MS achieved trace nitrosamine detection. UHPLC–Orbitrap enabled multi-mycotoxin screening with minimal cleanup. Spectro-electro arrays provided sensitive polyphenol and bitter acid profiling. ICP-OES offered direct elemental analysis of major and trace elements in beer.

Benefits and Practical Applications

• Reduced total analysis time and simplified workflows
• Multi-analyte capability on single instruments
• High sensitivity and low detection limits
• Automated sample handling and robust data software
• Cost savings through reagent minimization and method consolidation

Future Trends and Applications

Emerging opportunities include real-time process monitoring with inline sensors, expanded high-resolution MS databases for untargeted screening, machine-learning models for spectral prediction, microfluidic analytical platforms for at-line testing and increased adoption of green reagents. Integration with digital lab notebooks and IoT connectivity will further enhance traceability and process control.

Conclusion

This compendium illustrates the breadth of analytical approaches that meet the brewing industry’s demands for speed, accuracy and versatility. By leveraging advanced chromatography, spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and automated photometry, laboratories can ensure product quality, comply with regulations and drive innovation in beer production.

References

No external literature list was provided in the source document.