Spectroscopy grains, beer composition and safety

Beer is the most produced alcoholic beverage globally. It is a paradox of historical views in using the same four ingredients, water, malt, hops and yeast, but continues to be innovative in new beer styles, and technologies. However, near infrared technology has yet to be routinely adopted in brewing. It has been used for decades in testing grain and malt quality, and in more recent times testing hop quality. There are numerous studies showing rapid analysis of worts produced in the first stage of brewing, as well as in finished beer. Typical traits measured in worts are sugars, gravity and amino acids, while in finished beer, alcohol, bitterness and color have been reported. Some of the limitations in measuring beer quality during production is the range of temperatures and differing levels of wort clarity throughout the brewing process and the most appropriate testing is typically at-line on cooled samples which require centrifugation to remove malt, hop or yeast. However recent technologies are showing improved at-line measuring capacity and predicting more traits. The next stage of innovation in brewing will be near infrared applications to assist in real time assessment as well as providing data for long-term quality management.