WORK INSTRUCTION OF COLOR

MEASUREMENT OF WORT, BEER AND CIDER

1. PURPOSE:
This instruction describes a method to measure colour of wort, beer and cider, using the
Spectrophotometer.

2. WARNING AND SAFETY PRECAUTION

2.1. Confirm the power supply is 50-60Hz.
2.2. Do not open any cover more than necessary for operation.
2.3. Do not turn the instrument off and on in rapid succession. Always wait about 20 seconds before
turning the instrument on again, otherwise the electronic and mechanical systems will be
damaged.

3. PRODUCT INTEGRITY REQUIREMENT

N/A
4. SCOPE
This instruction is valid for wort, beer and Cider that has maximum range of color is 40EBC. If
turbidity of samples >1EBC, it need to be pre-treated.

5. BACKGROUND
Absorbance of wort, beer and Cider is measured at wavelength of 430 nm except for Absorbance of
Strong bow Red Berries and Dark Fruit are measured at wavelength 500nm. The colour in EBC unit
is obtained by multiplying by the factor of 25.
Temperature of sample should be 20-30oC

6. REFERENCE DOCUMENTS:

Doc. Nr. Document Title

HMESC: 02.12.01.004
HMESC: 02.12.04.009
Section 4 Malt method 4.7.1
Brewing Process: Wort – Color – Spectrophotometric Method
(EBC Method)
Brewing Process: Packaged Beer – Colour – Spectrophotometric
Method (EBC Method)
Analytica – EBC

7. DEFINITION:
E.B.C: European Brewery Convention.

8. EQUIPMENT
8.1. Hach spectrophotometer or Spectrophotometer (UV/VIS) to determine absorbance at 430
nm (accuracy at least ± 0.5 nm; this can be checked using a holmium oxide filter)
HVBVT use Hach DR3900 to check color
8.2. Cuvette Glass 10*10*45 mm.
8.3 Erlenmeyer 250 ml.
8.4. Funnel.
8.5. Pleated filter paper, Schleicher & Schuell No 597½.
8.6. Spoon.
8.7. Membrane filtration unit
8.8. Membrane filters, spore size 0.45 µm
8.9. Tissue paper

9. REAGENT
Standard Kieselguhr (pink powder)
10. DESCRIPTION/ PROCEDURE:
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 WORK INSTRUCTION OF COLOR
MEASUREMENT OF WORT, BEER AND CIDER

10.1. Pre-treatment of samples.

The temperature of sample should be 20.0 –30.0oC.
10.1.1. For Wort sample:
- If necessary dilute the sample so that the absorbance at 430 nm is within the linearity of the
Spectrophotometer (i.e.: between 0.100 and 1.000).
- Clarify wort by adding Kieselguhr (1 gr/1liter sample) and pre-filter over a pleated filter paper
before membrane filtration.
- Filter the sample through a membrane filter.

10.1.2. For green beer/cider, turbid beer/cider samples (EOS samples, Fermentation
samples) and BBT samples/ finished product sample of Tiger Platinum
- Remove excess carbon dioxide by shaking about 200 ml of beer or Cider in a 500 ml round
bottom flask (medium neck) at a temperature of 20 °C for one minute.
- Clarify turbid and/or green beer/ or Cider samples, after shaking, by filtering through a pleated
filter paper filled with about 10 gr Kieselguhr (~ 2 big spoons) into a second flask. Discard the
first part (about 50 ml) of the filtrate.
- Filter the sample through a 0.45μm membrane filter. Filtration can be omitted if the turbidity of
the (diluted) sample is less than 1 EBC unit.
- The clarity of the sample can also be checked by measuring its absorbance at 700 nm and at 430
nm.

If the sample is “free of turbidity’

- Let the degassed sample to about 20 °C. If necessary, dilute the sample so that the absorbance at
430 nm is within the linearity of the spectrophotometer (i.e.: abs between 0.100 and 1.000).

NOTE: Vial for storage filtered sample must be rinsed by this sample to avoid the significant
error.

10.1.3. For Bright beer (BBT samples and finished product sample):
- Pre-treatment sample same as OE measurement ( i.e. degassed and filter through tissue paper 2
times)

10.1.4. For Bright Cider samples:

- Remove excess carbon dioxide by shaking about 200 ml of beer in a 500 ml round bottom flask
(medium neck) at a temperature of 20 °C, until gases no longer escape from the Cider.
- Samples are NOT filtered through filter paper.
10.1.5 For Apple juice:
- Dilute apple juice sample to reach 12 brix. (Measure by Anton Paar)

10.2. Measurement.
- Check that the wavelength setting is 430 nm ± 0.5 nm (for SB Red Berries wavelength is setting at
500nm)
- Select “User Programs”
10.2.1 For Wort/ Beer/ Cider (not SB Red Berries and Dark Fruit):
10.2.1.1. Select “colour 430-700”
10.2.1.2. Fill the cuvette with distilled water and zero the absorbance to 0.000.
10.2.1.3. Rinse the cuvette and fill with the sample.
10.2.1.4. Abs 700nm/abs 430nm can be read directly on screen of Hach meter
10.2.1.5. Read the absorbance at 430 nm to calculate colour as formula in part 11

10.2.2 For SB red Berries and Dark Fruit:

10.2.2.1. Select “colour for Red Berries”
10.2.2.2. Do measurement same as step 10.2.1.1 to 10.2.1.3
10.2.2.3. Read the absorbance at 500 nm to calculate colour as formula in part 11
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Author: TKLong_LA PRINTING
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Eff. Date: 6-Aug-2021
 WORK INSTRUCTION OF COLOR
MEASUREMENT OF WORT, BEER AND CIDER

10.2.3 For apple Juice

10.2.3.1 Select absorbance at 420nm
10.2.3.2 Do measurement same as step 10.2.1.2 to 10.2.1.3
10.2.3.3 Read the result as is abs

11. CALCULATION
Color of sample is calculated on extinction of sample recorded in step 8.
Color of sample (EBC) = 25 * absorbance of sample
For Amber stout beer: color = 25* absorbance of sample*100

12. REPORT AND RECORDS

Record the color (EBC) in the Qualass software and/ or in the report sheet with one decimal
places.

Doc No.: HVB_VT.TEC.WI.04.01.02 UNCONTROLED COPY FOR

Author: TKLong_LA PRINTING
Issue: 5
Approver: DTNTuyen_QCTL Page: 3/3
Eff. Date: 6-Aug-2021