Döhler launches test kit to help craft and microbreweries
The Döhler Microsafety Design (DMD) Brewers QCheck Kit is for microbiological control to ensure the safety of the brewing process and raw materials.
It consists of tools for analyzing brewing water, different types of beers (clear, yeast turbid), brewing yeasts as well as those for hygiene monitoring of production and filling lines and of dispensing units without the need for expert knowledge and expensive laboratory equipment.
Beer spoiling microorganisms can inhibit fermentation or have a negative impact on flavour.
Ready to use culture media
The Brewers QCheck Kit has three different ready-to-use culture media: LMC concentrate, NBB-B and NBB-B-Am tubes and a colour change indicates when spoilage microorganisms are present.
With the NBB-B tubes, it is possible to detect beer spoiling microorganisms Lactobacilli, Pediococci, Pectinatus and Megasphaera in yeast as well as in beer that is clear and yeast-turbid.
The ready-to-use culture media eliminates the need for preparations such as weighing and mixing the media components, adjusting pH values and subsequent autoclaving.
Dr Sabine Müller, head of product management and sales, said the kit ensures safety of the entire brewing process.
“How long a test takes depends on the sample and the cultural method, e. g. water analysis with LMC takes three days, beer with NBB-B five to seven days and hygiene monitoring a maximum of three days," she told FoodQualityNews.
“The tests are very sensitive, you can detect trace contaminations due to the cultural method using microbiological growth.
“The beer quality is not guaranteed. This can have a bad impact on the reputation, brand recognition and finally the success of the craft and microbreweries.”
Döhler said there are more than 8,000 craft and microbreweries worldwide, and the number is increasing daily. They create innovative beers with high standards for taste, quality and uniqueness.
With low investment costs and without comprehensive knowledge of microbiology, small breweries can meet required standards with the kit.
Most of the micro and craft breweries have no dedicated quality departments and employees with microbiological knowledge, said Dr Müller.
“Our goal was to provide an all-in-one solution that allows the entire brewing process to be checked from the raw materials all the way to filling, and thus offers comprehensive microbiological safety: simple, fast, reliable. They need no special expert knowledge or laboratory equipment.”
Results analysis
Once incubation is complete for LMC for water analysis the colour indicator of the medium will turn yellow if E. coli or Coliform microorganisms are present. The solution will also appear cloudy and gas formation can be observed.
Once incubation is done for the NBB-B analysis for yeast and beer the NBB-B Tube colour will change from red to yellow if beverage spoiling microorganisms have been positively detected.
Sample points are analysed after three days of incubation for the NBB-B-Am results analysis.
Strong biofilm formation occurs if the tube turns yellow after just one day and becomes very cloudy and gas formation may be observed in some cases.
If the number of positive findings continuously increases, i.e. more than 20% are found for two to three sample intervals, the production facility and devices need to be cleaned, said Döhler.
