Methods for Prediction of Beer Colloidal Stability

Abstract

Compared with most alcoholic beverages, beer is unique due to its instability in the final package. The rate of its deterioration depends on time, temperature, and production batch. The most important is the colloidal stability of beer during its shelf life; beer should not become hazy. There are two principal methods of assessing the stability of beer: (i) accelerated ageing of the packaged beer involving heating for several days followed by measuring turbidity at a low temperature; (ii) measurement of the protein or polyphenol content to predict the shelf life of beer. The methods used for prediction of colloidal stability of beer in practice are reviewed.