Quality testing of beer Foam must be stable

Experts test beer quality: „Foam must be stable“

04/01/2015

Every year, food experts examine around 800 different beers from Germany and abroad. In addition to smell and taste, the quality determines, among other things, how long the foam lasts.

Ten to twelve beer samples daily
Some pubgoers may claim to be a beer connoisseur. Probably, however, very few of them have tried as many beers as Fritz Jacob. As the news agency dpa reports, the 59-year-old has tested ten to twelve different varieties every day for 30 years. The brewery engineer heads the Weihenstephan Research Center for Brewing and Food Quality, which analyzes and evaluates beers for the German Agricultural Society (DLG). Every year, around 800 beer samples are sent to breweries from Germany and abroad to the DLG. These must fulfill the German purity requirement. So you can only use hops, malt, yeast and water.

German beer as a status symbol
Although quality control is voluntary, it is also very popular abroad: „The seal of approval also has a high priority internationally. Abroad, people know about the quality of German beer“, explained Diedrich Harms from the Experimental and Educational Institute for Brewery in Berlin (VLB), who also tests beers for the DLG. According to the information, ten percent of the breweries that send in their samples come from abroad, for example from the USA, China or Africa. „In China, it is a status symbol to drink German beer“, Harms explained. But you also rely on the domestic products on German quality standards - ideally certified.

20 percent fall through the strict test
Harms said: „Our exam conditions are very strict.“ Thus, 20 percent of the submitted beers do not meet the criteria and fall through the exam. But at least half of them achieved the highest scores in the tests and is rewarded with a golden DLG seal. The breweries send two beer samples - one freshly brewed and the other four to six weeks old - to the DLG. „There should be no difference between the two samples“, explained Jacob. Without knowing the brand and only with basic information such as: Kölsch or Pils, non-alcoholic, strong or dark beer, try ten professional tasters, about half of them women, the beers. In a five-point system, they evaluate criteria such as taste, mouthfeel, smell and bitterness.

Tasters must not smoke or drink coffee before the test
Jacob explained: „We test ten to twelve varieties in one day. Always in the morning, before lunch. Then the sensory abilities are best.“ The tasters must not smoke, drink coffee or perfume before the test. The news agency reports on how Fritz Jacob tests a Kölsch, which is served in a neutral, dark cup, so that the appearance of the beer does not affect the taste. The beer connoisseur smells at the cup and pans the contents. Then he smells again and takes a small sip. „I taste a stressed, very fine bitterness and a pleasant fruity note. The beer is full-bodied, but not heavy“, so Jacob. Mostly he only takes a sip to make his judgment - a maximum of two.

Very important is the beer foam
Then the average value is calculated from all the evaluation sheets. Afterwards further factors are examined and evaluated in the laboratory, among other things the alcohol content, the acid concentration and - most importantly - the beer foam. „Ten minutes should at least hold the foam“, Jacob explained. „Because a good beer needs a stable foam.“ However, the foam plays no role in the taste test. Jacob comes to the conclusion after a sip: „That's a delicious Kölsch. Highest score.“ How important a good one „Bierblume“ A French-American research team led by Alban Sauret from the French research center CNRS Saint-Gobain has recently found in a study. The scientists came to the conclusion: beer foam prevents the spilling over. The dampening effect of the foam is, of course, not only with beer, but also with latte macchiato or cappuccino. (Ad)