10.

Beer quality and process control

10.2. Quality Parameters - Factors affecting them during the
production of Wort and Beer
The following table shows the most common and important parameters and the factors
which influence and determine them.

Parameter Determining factors

Gravity, alcohol content &
fermentability
Wort specific gravity Extract efficiency + materials used
Wort attenuation limit Enzyme activity affected by mashing pH, time and
temperature.
Fermentability of the materials used.
Wort fermentability Enzyme activity affected by mashing pH, time and
temperature.
Fermentability of the materials used.
Green beer Alcohol content Fermentation efficiency.
(ABV or ABW) Original gravity.

Green beer Final specific Fermentation efficiency.

gravity
Matured beer Alcohol content
Pre filter specific gravity
Alcohol content (ABV or ABW)
Final specific gravity
Original gravity.
Conditioning process.
Original gravity.
Conditioning process.
Original gravity.
High gravity beer dilution performance.
Dilution by flushing/deoxygenation techniques.
Original gravity.
High gravity beer dilution performance.
Dilution by flushing/deoxygenation techniques.
Original gravity.

Colour
Wort Air (oxygen) uptake
Raw materials used
pH
Green beer Wort colour.
Final Beer Final process colour.

pH
Mash Original brewing liquor (containing salts perhaps,
Other pH factors in the liquor)
Liquor treatment.
Wort Raw materials, particularly adjuncts
Green beer. Wort pH.
Fermentation efficiency.
Final Beer Final pH after process.

Microbiological sterility
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Wort Brewhouse and fermenting room sterility (particularly
mains and chillers)
Yeast Vessel & main sterility. Infection from a previous
pitching of the yeast.
Final Beer sterility General equipment sterility
Yeast quality

Bitterness
Wort Hop addition/boil time/pH
Beer Hop additions.
Hop utilisation.
Pre filter Final process bitterness.
Final Beer Final process bitterness.
Filtration loss.

Flavour
Beer Brewhouse / fermentation/maturation techniques.
Raw materials.
Contamination (microbial/oxygen). Wort sterility.
Yeast purity.
Diacetyl Time & temperature regime during maturation.
Final Beer flavour. All operations plus raw materials and any
contamination (microbial, oxygen etc)

Yeast
Viability Age, high gravity, over acid washed.
Vitality Derived from the previous fermentation
Count Yeast strain/flocculation characteristics
Yeast cropping operation
Yeast count in prefiltration beer. Yeast count post fermentation.
Time of maturation/ in tank processing (e.g. finings)
Yeast cropping technique.

Gases
Dissolved oxygen (final beer) Transfer procedures.
Air levels in equipment before transfer.
Filtration/ bright beer techniques (particularly air pick
up)
Dissolved carbon dioxide (final Fermentation degree.
beer) Back pressures on transfers.
Carbonation

Physical
Beer clarity. (Haze, potential Time of maturation.
haze) Temperature of maturation.
Filtration performance.
Stabilisation.
Beer head stability, Production operations.
Raw materials.
Beer handling (low foaming/ wort boil control/ high
gravity).
Contamination.
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 Beer additions.

The next table indicates a selection of the above parameters and their significance.

Parameter Significance
Alcohol Either ABV (% by volume) point-of-sale description
governs duty rate
AVW (% by weight- less used in EU) helps to plan sensible drinking
Original gravity (OG) gravity prior to fermentation
guide to flavour/strength of beer
pH value falls from mashed wort (5.4
to finished beer (4.0)
Affects:
enzyme performance
hop utilisation
microbial growth in beer
can indicate contamination
Colour (deg EBC) consumer perception (strength)

Bitterness (EBU) flavour

DMS (ppb) flavour, beer style, malt type
boiling issue
Volatiles (ppm) yeast strain, yeast health, infection
(Diacetyl, esters, aldehyde)
Dissolved oxygen -DO2 (ppm) yeast growth factor
oxidation flavours, stability issues
CO2 (V/V) dispense presentation: sparkle
flat or fobbing product
Nitrogen-DN2 (ppm) contributes to nucleation in glass
influences head tightness
affects clearing time in glass
Flavour most critical measurement we make
(trueness-to-type) consumers always seek consistency
Beer clarity-haze (deg EBC) consumers ‘drink with their eyes’
reflects level of quality,
signs of contamination or infection
Sterility (number of colonies) measure of process area hygiene
level of contamination
potential product spoilage
Head stability (seconds) visual expectation of tight foamy head, cling
to glass

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