As a scientist and as a brewer, I can't help but try to combine the two. I've done some informal analysis of my beer (aside from tasting and metabolizing it), but since I'm not a professional brewer or a brewing scientist, I can't justify investing a lot of time and money into analyzing my beer.
I would love to get a copy of "Methods of Analysis of the American Society of Brewing Chemists." There are all sorts of interesting things in there. This resource covers thing such as:
- Barley
- Malt
- Adjunct Materials
- Cereals
- Sugars and Syrups
- Brewers' Grains
- Hops
- Wort
- Beer
- Flavored Alcohol Beverages
- Microbiology
- Yeast
- Microbiological Control
- Filter Aids
- Packages and Packaging Materials
- Bottles
- Bottle Closures
- Cans
- Fills
- Sensory Analysis
- Statistical Analysis
Appendixes:
- Tables for Extract Determination in Malt and Cereals
- Tables Related to Determinations on Wort, Beer, and Brewing Sugars and Syrups
Granted, that is waaaaaaaay more than I as a homebrewer would ever need, and it costs about $650. This is designed for the professional brewer who needs to make a living brewing beer. There is no way in the world I can get something like this, but it sure would be cool.
I am going to grow my own hops this year. I did last summer, but I built a shed on top of them and I doubt they will survive. I'd love to be able to measure the amount of alpha acids present in my own hops. I'm sure I can figure out how to do this, but I've always been a fan of not reinventing wheels.
I also want to measure the amount of unfermented sugars left in my beer. I could easily do this using the "phenol/sulfuric acid test," but again, why reinvent the wheel.
So, if you have a copy of "Methods of Analysis of the American Society of Brewing Chemists" and want to give it to me for zero dollars and zero cents, please feel free. I'll pay shipping.
5 comments:
You can pick up the sixth edition for $150 - granted it's from 1958 and seems a bit sparse (compared to your list).
That sounds like a pretty intense book. I grow hops. Last year I did a simple extract analysis of the VOC content of one of my varieties. I had no standards for comparison. So, it was a qualitative analysis. The results were still interesting.
Hops grow rather tall - we used to go to help with planting and harvest, to hop-producing kolchoz.
They had these horizontal metal cables about 5 meters above ground streched between the poles - and a thin wire with a hook at the end was lowered from the cable (with a long aluminum pole) and stuffed to the ground, next to the hop planting. When the plant was fully grown and ready it was cut at the bottom and riped off the wire and the flowers were hand-picked. It a was rather repetetive work.
Growing your own hops? Beware the "brewer's droop".
I believe alpha acid contents can be found either by UV analysis or extract the resins and then titrate with lead acetate until an electrical current is detected.
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