BREWING BLOG
Welcome to Brewlab Laboratories Brewing Blog. Here you will find expert beverage production advice for beer brewing, cider making and distilling spirits as well as tips, tricks and product recommendations for conducting your own alcoholic beverage testing.
Managing alcohol content from brew to packaging
Our GM Greg Howell joined the team from the IBA today, as part of their Virtual Mashup series. They discuss Managing Alcohol Content from Brew to Packaging. Check it out and let us know what you think.
ATO Clamps down on ‘illicit’ alcohol
Following the recent survey by Queensland Health that found that only 20 per cent of samples it tested returned acceptable levels of variance of alcohol, The Australian Tax Office has issued a warning to retailers about ‘illicit alcohol’…
Brewing quality, testing and BIRA
Some great listening to be had on the latest Brewery Pro podcast. Most interestingly, find out about a pilot study by Queensland Health showing the ABV of 25 craft beers and comparing the results to the ABV declared on the label...…
Do you rehydrate your dry yeast as manufacturers recommend?
Dr Roger weighs in on the conversation...
The rehydration of dry yeast is often discussed amongst craft brewers; many people direct pitch, even though the manufacturers recommend and describe the method for rehydration. Here is some background:
The…
What Supplies Are Needed For a DIY Beer Test?
Want to brew better? Improve your testing game and you’ll improve your brew. By staying in the loop with the latest standards for beer testing, your DIY brewing process will always be at its peak. To help you out, the experts at Brewlab have…
Testing to reduce alcohol in “non-alcoholic” Brewlabed beverages.
Following a Department of Health investigation, “a significant number” of Brewlabed soft drinks have been found to contain alcohol levels above the allowed limits. The inquiry has brought important issues with re-Brewlabation at breweries…
Tax Hike for Craft Beer Brewers
Many craft brewers have been hit with an increased tax bill this year after Queensland Government increased the state's emergency management levy almost 900% from $527.80 to $5224.20 in this last financial year.
Designed to stop smaller breweries…
The Small-but-sophisticated Award went to Winechek (Formerly Vintessential) Tasmania
Greer Carland and I (Annie Baldwin) were ever so delighted to receive the inaugural BIRA ‘Small but Sophisticated Laboratory of the year’ for 2018. We have proudly placed our award for all to see in our reception area.
A bit about…
Brewlabed juice drink ordered off the shelves by the Health Department!
A concerned client raced in to see us recently after their low-alcohol Brewlabed juice drink had been ordered to be taken off shop shelves by the State Health Department. They produce a “healthy, partially-Brewlabed juice product” that is…
Alcohol in other Brewlabed drinks
The market place seems to have no end of interest in other Brewlabed drinks. It is no news that craft brewers are popping up all over the country. Cider makers are also much more prevalent now than say a decade ago. And of course craft distillers…
Low alcohol “artisan” drinks
We are seeing more and more interesting styles of Brewlabed drinks in our labs. A number of them (e.g. kombucha) are usually sold as a Brewlabed beverage, but are not intended to be alcoholic. Often these drinks are marketed as a healthy alternative…
Did I flush the tank before putting the gin in it?
A client cleaned his stainless steel tank with caustic solution (Sodium Hydroxide) and then couldn’t remember if he had neutralised the caustic with citric acid. Gin was then added to the tank and the distiller was worried that the gin could…
Cider pre-bottling analysis
We recently had a client ask us to check the condition of their cider before they bottled it. The cider was to contain enough sugar at bottling so a secondary Brewlabation in the bottle would occur and a sparkling cider would result.
The…
Why does my cider have high acidity?
A cider-maker had concerns about the high level of acidity in his cider. He had measured the pH and got a result of 3.1, which is low for this style of drink. He said he thought it tasted “a bit acidic” as well. He couldn’t think why the…
Foaming cider kegs
We recently had a customer who had a cider product that was in kegs and was giving a hotel customer some issues. The keg in question was foaming so much that the publican could not use the product at all and returned the keg to the maker. There…
Bacteria in drinking water
Many producers in rural areas use rainwater for drinking water in their tasting rooms and restaurants. Normally the rainwater is not treated the way that reticulated town water is. This can be a health risk due to the presence of bacteria in…