Determination of the alcohol content in spirits and liqueurs is essential to ensure product labelling and tax laws are complied with. The measurement of abv in clear grain spirits with minimal obscuration can easily be performed using hydrometers, pycnometers or digital density meters.
As the world leader in density measurement equipment, Anton Paar is well placed to help with a range of digital density meters, including the HMRC approved DMA 5001. However, there is a growing trend in the market for more innovative flavour profiles achieved through blending and flavour additions. These present a measurement challenge.
Traditionally these sample types would be tested using the official HMRC distillation procedure. After a lengthy distillation process, the abv and extract of a sample may be calculated from the density of the distillate and residue portions using the same density measurement techniques and look-up tables. This is a time consuming and labour intensive approach, and in the case of products produced from blending and cutting to strength, it may take several distillations to arrive at the final profile required.
Anton Paar offers the widest variety of solutions to speed up the measurement process. These are based on different measuring technologies for different sample types, but all of them eliminate the need for routine distillations and so save large amounts of time:
 Alex 500 |
This compact, affordable unit uses near infrared spectroscopy. It measures samples including those with added fruit juice, flavourings and sugar and is ideal for samples with abv between 10 and 47% and a total extract of up to 450g/L. Measuring accuracy is +/- 0.4% abv. Read more.
 Modulyzer Liqueur System |
For samples where the additions include glycerol and sugars other than sucrose, the Modulyzer system using both density and refractive index measurement in parallel is ideal. It is also the only option for testing liqueurs with added cream or other dairy produce. This system will measure abv with an accuracy of +/- 0.04% and extract with an accuracy of +/- 0.12g/L. Automation options with Xsample 320 peristaltic pump or XSample 520 sample changer further. Read more.
 Alcolyzer Spirits/Liqueur System |
The measuring system based on the DMA5001 and Alcolyzer 3001 spirits is the ‘gold standard’ for large distilleries, and will test all spirits and liqueurs with extract content below 20g/L. It requires adjustment only with pure water and a binary ethanol/water standard.
For those samples with additional sugar added in the form of sucrose and a total extract >20g/L, the system can be augmented by the addition of an MCP 100 polarimeter.
The polarimeter calculates the sucrose content and this is used to correct the measured value for abv, which would otherwise be too high. Read more.
Find out more by visiting our website or contacting us via email info.uk@anton-paar.com.
About Anton Paar
Founded in 1922 in Graz (Austria), Anton Paar is the world market leader in the measurement of density and concentration, the determination of dissolved carbon dioxide,and the fields of rheometry and viscometry. Anton Paar’s customers include most of the major beer and soft drink manufacturers worldwide, companies active in the food,chemicals, petroleum, and pharmaceutical industries, as well as leading academic groups.
For many decades, Anton Paar has combined precise mechanical production with the latest achievements in the fields of research and development. In recent years, the Anton Paar GmbH has invested up to 20 % of its annual turnover in research and development.
The Anton Paar Group operates in more than 110 countries and has 35 sales subsidiaries and nine producing firms in Europe and the USA. More than 3,900 employees in a worldwide network spanning research and development, production, sales, and support are responsible for the quality, reliability, and service of products made by Anton Paar. Since 2003, the Charitable Santner Foundation has been the owner of Anton Paar. It is dedicated exclusively and directly to charitable purposes.
