The automatic determination of original gravity of beer. Part I. Introduction and determination of reducing sugar after hydrolysis

Abstract

The determination of the “extract” gravity of sound beers by automatic means is presented and discussed. A method is proposed for correlating “extract” as determined by classical distillation methods with the total reducing sugar after hydrolysis as determined in an automatic analytical system operating at 30 samples per hour, and this is shown to have the form—

E– 1000 = 4·33 S+ 1·2, where E is the extract weight (expressed relative to water, sp. gr. 1000) and S is the percentage of sugar as anhydrous glucose. The use of the method as part of a screening technique for examination of samples against declaration is discussed.