What Does MBAA Mean to You?

As a drive to show potential members the benefits of membership, we would like to know what MBAA means to you! Your response can be as short as a sentence or a full report on what you gain from being a member of MBAA. Send your responses to Membership Committee Chair Rebecca Jennings at mailto:rjennings@rahr.com by February 19, and you could win some fabulous MBAA gear!
 

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MBAA Tax Status

Have you donated to MBAA in the past year? MBAA is considered a 501c tax exempt, non-profit organization. MBAA Districts also fall under this category as long as they operate by the MBAA bylaws. If you would like to donate to the MBAA Foundation, you can make a contribution when renewing your membership, or you can call Cheryl Kruchten today at +1.651.994.3807.
 

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Attend the Brewing and Malting Science Course for Free

Learn about brewing and malting from industry experts, October 31-November 11, 2010, in Madison, WI. This two-week course will take you through the technical side of the brewing and malting process. More than 25 topics will be covered in-depth! And, with a student to teacher ratio of 2 to 1, every attendee is sure to receive personalized attention from professionals with field experience. Space is limited, and previous offerings have sold out 2 months in advance, so register early! Members are eligible to apply for the Hipp Scholarship, which will cover tuition fees for the recipient. Applications must be received by August 1, 2010.
 

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New Technical Quarterly Paper Published

"FT-NIR Spectroscopy - A Modern Tool for Quality Monitoring of Brewers' Raw Materials," by A. Broz, P. Kosin, J. Savel, J. Sikola, D. Behmer, J. Prokes, and F. Kroupa, has been published in the MBAA Technical Quarterly.

Abstract
Fourier transform near-infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopy represents a modern, elegant tool for the rapid prediction of many important characteristics of malt and hops. A multipurpose analyzer was used to collect data on the NIR spectra of malt and hops. NIR models were calibrated and validated with spectroscopy software (OPUS 5.5). The validity of these models was proven over two years on two different crops of barley and hops. The calibration data were used to monitor the quality of the entire Czech Republic crop each year and optimized with new data after each harvest. NIR analysis has since been integrated as a routine procedure in our quality control laboratory. Malt quality characteristics such as extract content, protein content, soluble nitrogen content, Kolbach index, and friability were predicted by the NIR models with satisfactory accuracy. The results for relative extract at 45°C and wort viscosity were less precise. The models for predicting a- and b-acids contents in hops were very good, with errors within the range of the reference method used. Most importantly, all models of all parameters were able to recognize conspicuous samples in all cases, which could then be tested using classic analytical methods.
 

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District Rocky Mountain Holds Winter Meeting

The winter meeting for MBAA District Rocky Mountain (RMD), hosted by the Great Divide Brewing Company, was held at the Lobby American Grille Restaurant on February 3 in downtown Denver, CO. As usual for the MBAA RMD, we had a diverse, engaged, and energetic group at the gathering. The turnout was larger than anticipated, with an enthusiastic crowd of more than 106 attendees! It was a boisterous mélange of professional and associate members and their guests. The evening began with a lively beer tasting and social networking hour at 5:00 p.m. Read more...

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Additions Made to Emerging Issues Website

Please visit the MBAA Emerging Issues webpage and see the newest addition to the website. Stefan Hanke from the University of Munich in Weihenstephan is researching the late addition of hops to wort. Adding hops at late stages of boiling is a common way to create a pleasant hoppy flavor in the final beer. Several hundred aroma compounds are known in hops, but only a few are found in the final beer. The noticeable hoppy flavor is the result of the complex interaction of different aroma compounds. In studying the huge variety of aroma compounds, it was found that linalool is a good indication substance for hoppy flavor. In general, the hop dosage in a brewery is determined according to alpha-acid content, which of course can lead to totally different contents of hop aroma compounds in the finished beer. Using linalool as the basic parameter for hop dosage, beer with a constant hop aroma can be produced. Linalool gives a good correlation between perceived flowery-fruity hop aroma and linalool concentration. Otherwise, linalool concentration in late-hopped beers is above the threshold concentration and, therefore, has a direct impact on beer flavor. A concentration of 20 ppb linalool is necessary to impart a hoppy flavor. The report gives a short review on linalool in brewing and hop aroma.

Fred M. Scheer
Global Emerging Issues Committee

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Submission Deadline for the Next Issue
February 25, 2010

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Brewery Packaging Technology Course 
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 University of Wisconsin
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March 7-18, 2010

2010 MBAA Convention
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Summit 2010
Providence, RI
June 18-20

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Madison, WI
October 31 - November 11, 2010

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"Sometimes when I reflect back on all the beer I drink I feel ashamed. Then I look into the glass and think about the workers in the brewery and all of their hopes and dreams. If I didn’t drink this beer, they might be out of work and their dreams would be shattered. Then I say to myself, 'It is better that I drink this beer and let their dreams come true, than be selfish and worry about my liver.'"
- Jack Handy