The concentration of calcium in beer varies with to the raw materials and brewing processes used. Knowledge of calcium concentration in beer is of substantial interest from various perspectives, as it may affect taste, wort/mashing composition, and yeast health. The calcium content of samples taken throughout stages of the craft beer brewing process were analyzed via flame atomic absorption spectroscopy. Calcium is an important metabolite of brewer’s yeast; it can increase enzyme activity, aid in flocculation, and help to lower the pH of the mash. In this study the content and movement of calcium was analyzed in raw ingredients, finished product and at intervals throughout brewing. In this study, various beers were analyzed from two Maine craft breweries: Rising Tide Brewing Company and Foundation Brewing Company. A calibration curve was generated for calcium with an R<sup>2</sup> value of 0.998 using the ASBC method, Beer 20. Solid samples of malt and spent grain were dry ashed in a muffle furnace, dissolved in 5% HNO<sub>3</sub> and vacuum filtered prior to analysis. This research shows where calcium is added and lost over the course of a brew and provides a baseline for further research into calcium’s impact on beer quality.

Tracking calcium content throughout the craft brewing process via flame atomic absorption spectroscopy

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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