There are many different beer colors and each one influences the taste of the drink. It is critical for brewers to measure the color of their beer with reliable scientific methods to ensure they achieve the correct results and maintain consistent quality across various batches. The top five things you should know about beer color-measuring practices include:
All beer contains water, hops, yeast, and malt. Brewers can control the type of beer they make by changing the brewing method and using different types of malts, such as pilsner malt or mild ale malt. Beer manufacturers can also achieve different beverage colors with varying roasting times and temperatures. For example, darker beers are roasted at higher temperatures than lighter beers. All these factors determine the color of this beverage.
There are three types of beer colors, including light, dark, and gold, and each one offers different flavors. Different beers also have varying levels of haze. Some of these beverages are supposed to be slightly opaque, while others can be clear. If a beer is supposed to be transparent but has a cloudy appearance instead, it could indicate the presence of impurities or poor quality.
It's not enough to inspect a beer's color visually. Humans perceive color differently, which means visual inspections may provide incorrect and inconsistent results. Spectrophotometers remove this uncertainty since they measure the wavelengths of light transmitted and reflected by beer. Additionally, these solutions can measure larger samples in less time.
Once you obtain quantifiable results from the spectrophotometer, you can use the Standard Reference Method (SRM) to compare the data to existing beer color standards. The SRM scale is the most commonly used color-testing method for beer. It allows brewers to meet industry criteria.
Measuring the color of beer is one thing. However, it's equally important to measure the haze to ensure optimal beer quality. HunterLab's Vista is the only spectrophotometer in the color-measuring industry that can provide data on haze and color at the same time.
Get in touch with HunterLab for unmatched color-measuring solutions. Our experts will help you acquire the perfect spectrophotometer to measure the color of your beer.
Mr. Phillips has spent the last 30 years in product development and management, technical sales, marketing, and business development in several industries. Today, he is the global market development manager for HunterLab, focused on understanding customer needs, providing appropriate solutions and education, and helping to solve customer color challenges across these industries and cultures.LinkedIn