Use of chemical indicators of beer aging for ex-post checking of storage conditions and prediction of the sensory stability of beer.

The rate of beer aging is affected by storage conditions including largely time and temperature. Although bottled beer is commonly stored for up to 1 year, sensorial damage of it is quite frequent. Therefore, a method for retrospective determination of temperature of stored beer was developed.

Analysis of free fatty acids in beer: comparison of solid-phase extraction, solid-phase microextraction, and stir bar sorptive extraction.

Solid-phase extraction (SPE), solid-phase microextraction (SPME) using carbowax/divinylbenzen fiber, and stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) followed by solvent back extraction have been used for the extraction of free fatty acids (caproic, caprylic, pelargonic, capric, lauric, myristic, palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, and linolenic acids) from beer. Subsequent gas chromatographic analyses with flame ionization detection were used for the determination of these compounds. Medium-chain fatty acids (caproic-lauric acid) were determined as free acids, and long-chain fatty acids (myristic-linolenic acids) were determined as methyl esters after methylation by BF(3)-methanol 14%.

Determination of free medium-chain fatty acids in beer by stir bar sorptive extraction.

Free medium-chain fatty acids in beer originate from raw materials, mainly from the fermentation activity of yeasts, and can influence beer taste, vitality of yeasts and also the foam stability of beer. This study presents the development of the method for the determination of free fatty medium-chain acids including caproic acid, caprylic acid, capric acid and lauric acid in beer or wort using stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE). The combination of this extraction technique with solvent back extraction of the extracted analytes and subsequent gas chromatographic analysis with flame ionization detection was used for the determination of these compounds.