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Brix Measurement White Paper

Brix measurement that is rugged and reliable for wine quality monitoring

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1      Sugar, the key to wine production

Density can be used to measure the sugar concentration (Brix) in grape juice or other fruit juice (must) prior to crush and throughout the fermentation process. Before grape or fruit harvest, the accuracy of sugar measurement in the juice is important in determining the timing of the harvest for the highest quality wine.   During fermentation of the must, the sugar in the juice is converted into ethanol with carbon dioxide as a waste gas.  Monitoring the density of the juice during this step in the process allows for optimal control of this conversion step for highest quality wines.  Density (Brix) should be measured at least once per day during fermentation.  Monitoring the slope of the Brix conversion slope allows the winemaker to adjust the temperature of the process for optimal wine quality.

2      Options for measuring sugar content

The primary measuring technologies used in measuring brix in the wine industry are the hydrometer and handheld density meters. These options are often subject to break easily if dropped or mishandled in any way due to the glass materials used in their construction. If the glass sensor tube of the handheld meter is broken then no measurements can be taken and a replacement meter will need acquired. Although very affordable, the hydrometer is difficult to read and is subject to the interpretation of each sampling technician. The hydrometer also requires a large volume for the sample and can be impractical for large wineries.

The Mobile Density Meter from Integrated Sensing Systems (ISSYS) provides winemakers with the option of performing density measurements in the cellar or in the lab.   A few milliliters of sample are required for making the density measurement.  There is no need for rinsing the density meter between samples when measuring wine.  Yeast and dissolve CO2 in the wine will not affect the measurement.  At the heart of the Mobile Density Meter is a patented, innovative MEMS vibrating density sensor that is immune to the effect of gas bubbles in the wine. This assures accurate and consistent measurements.  Results are available in seconds.

The meter calculates sugar concentration based on measured density and temperature.  Results can be displayed in the preferred units such as Specific Gravity or °Brix.  Results can be stored in a file format that can be exported into applications such as Excel for further analysis.

The Mobile Density Meter features a small carrying case that houses the liquid density measuring sensor. The meter is connected to USB port on a Windows 7 or 8 devices for power and display. Once a sample is inserted to the sample port the display will provide an immediate reading.

3      Case study: On tank fermentation monitor

The same ISSYS liquid density sensor was used at a hard cider plant. The hard cider maker tested the sensor in an on-tank solution for monitoring Brix during multiple fermentation runs. This simple test was performed using data comparisons for each sample taken from 2 different instruments; the hand held digital density meter (DMA) vs the ISSYS liquid density meter on-tank fermentation monitor.

Brix Measurement Technology

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The results of the test showed that bubbles in cider did not affect the ability of ISSYS sensor to accurately determine BRIX, yeast did not affect ISSYS sensor, and the Brix measurement from both instruments were in line.

 

Application Notes: Plato measurement that is precise & rugged

Quick, accurate, repeatable density measurement; in the brewhouse or in the lab

beer glass assortmentChallenge

Extract Concentration in Wort – The key indicator in beer production

Density can be used to measure the dissolved solids Plato (P°) in the wort extract at the wort kettle. Traditionally this measurement was made using a glass hydrometer.  The extract content in the wort at the start of the fermentation process is an indication of the potential final alcohol content in fermented beer.   This measurement in some countries has a financial implication.  The taxes paid on the beer produced are based on the wort extract and not the final alcohol content of the beer.

The extract, which is the result of sparging water through the grain bed in the Lautering process, contains the dissolved solids (sugars and higher molecular weight soluble fractions) from the grain that eventually through fermentation becomes the beer.   Dividing the original extract by 3 is an indication of the final potential alcohol content of the finished beer.  During the fermentation step the wort sugars are converted into carbon dioxide and alcohol.  Periodic monitoring of the density in the wort during the fermentation process helps the brewer check on the health of the yeast and the extent of fermentation.   Fermentation is stopped when the gravity reaches a certain point.

Viscosity Measurements in a Brewery

In a brewery, viscosity measurement plays an important role in the controlling the quality of the beer.  It indicates the quality of the malt, predicts filtering times and is an indicator of the foam behavior of the finished beer.

Solution 

The MDM100, the mobile density meter from Integrated Sensing Systems provides beer makers with the option of performing accurate density or plato measurement in the brewhouse or in the lab.  Only a few milliliters of wort or beer are required for making the measurement.  There is no need for rinsing the density meter when measuring multiple beer samples.   Yeast and dissolved CO2 in the beer will not affect the performance of sensor measurement.   At the heart of the MDM100 is a patented, innovative, MEMS vibrating density sensor that is immune to the effect of gas bubbles in the beer. This assures accurate and consistent measurements that are available in seconds.

The MDM100 calculates sugar concentration based on measured density and temperature. Results can be displayed in the preferred units such as °Plato.  Results are stored in a standard file format that can be exported into applications such as Excel for further analysis.

Mobile Desity MeterMDM100 is a multifunction instrument that,

  • Plato measurement, specific gravity of the wort
  • provides an accurate density measurement for determining the alcohol concentration in beer using traditional glass distillation
  • determines residual sugar concentration in beer using the residue from traditional glass distillation
  • measures finished beer density for accurate weight based bottling
  • can measure viscosity for additional insight into beer characteristics

 

 

Features

  • Mobile density measurement in the brewhouse or lab
  • Measures liquid density and temperature to calculate sugar content
  • Measures alcohol concentration in distilled spirit production
  • Uses gas bubble resistant MEMS vibrating sensor
  • Calibration checked using pure water
  • Sample injected using inexpensive plastic syringe
  • Tough construction can handle rough handling
  • Economical for beer producers of all sizes

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