New buyer’s guide that helps small breweries bring key GC testing in-house

For many independent breweries, waiting days for external lab results just doesn’t work. Brewers need fast answers on key metrics such as ABV, flavour drift, and diacetyl to keep beer moving while maintaining high quality. That’s why Ellutia has created the Gas Chromatography for the Brewing Industry — 200 Series Buyer’s Guide. It explains what GC can do for a small brewery, how much space you need, the costs involved, and how to run the core tests used every week.

The guide is written for brewers, not analytical chemists. It starts with the basics - what a chromatogram is, how peaks relate to flavour compounds, and why calibration matters when you want reliable numbers. There’s no jargon for the sake of it, just clear explanations that help you understand what the instrument is showing and how to act on it.

Next, it moves into everyday brewery tasks that GC handles well. There’s guidance on fast ABV checks to confirm strength before release and monitoring esters and aldehydes against a benchmark batch, giving a simple way to spot early shifts in your process. A step-by-step overview of VDK testing shows how to make informed decisions on diacetyl without delaying packaging.

A concise, plain-language section on nitrosamines explains what they are, when they matter, and what to consider if a buyer or regulator raises questions. The essentials are all in one place, easy to grasp.

Practicalities are also covered: what the 200 Series GC looks like on a bench, the consumables needed, typical maintenance, and day-to-day software use. Screenshots illustrate results, and a simple timeline shows how to go from delivery to first usable data. Most breweries can be up and running within two weeks, even without a full lab.

For those with limited space or no dedicated lab, the guide demonstrates how a compact GC can fit seamlessly into existing workflows, without requiring a specialist. The goal is simple: give you the data you need as soon as you need it, helping you take quality control to the next level.

More information online.