A Study of American Beers and Ales

The bulletin reports systematic chemical analyses of commercially produced American beers and ales, comparing products made from all-malt worts and those containing adjuncts such as rice, corn, or cerealine. Inspectors collected brewery samples through production, measured extract, fermentable sugars, alcohol yield, acids, protein, ash, and phosphoric acid, and calculated fermentation losses. Results show similar alcohol yield per unit of fermentable solids across top- and bottom-fermented beers (average factor about 2.13), larger residual non-sugar solids in ales and porters than in lagers, slight increases of fixed acids during fermentation, and measurable decreases in protein, ash, and phosphorus; the study evaluates how raw materials influence the finished composition and suggests analytical criteria for detecting adjunct use.