ALCOHOL-FREE SHOULDN’T MEAN UNCERTAIN
Producing non-alcoholic or low-alcohol beer comes with extra scrutiny. Legal thresholds for ABV must be precisely met, often below 0.05% or 0.5%, depending on the market. A few points over, and you risk fines, product recalls, or relabelling.
One leading global brewer turned to Ellutia for a reliable, in-house testing solution to safeguard their alcohol-free range. The challenge is accurately confirming that finished products remain below legal alcohol limits while keeping pace with a commercial production schedule.
In the UK, drinks labelled as “alcohol‑free” must contain no more than 0.05% ABV according to GOV.UK. In the U.S., the FDA permits up to 0.5% ABV for “non‑alcoholic” beers, per the TTB.
Global demand for alcohol-free beer is projected to grow 7.5% annually through 2027, but a recent industry study found 12% of tested samples exceeded legal ABV limits.
GC-FID Ethanol Testing for Non-Alcoholic Beer
Ethanol levels in non-alcoholic beer are often under 0.1%, requiring extremely sensitive and consistent measurement. Our 200 Series GC with Flame Ionisation Detection (FID) meets that challenge head-on, delivering quantifiable results down to 0.01%.
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Compact and production-friendly system
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Straightforward sample prep, no dilution or solvents needed
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Tested with real-world alcohol-free beer samples (0.03% to 0.09%)
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Repeatable, reliable performance across different batches

ETHANOL TESTING FOR QUALITY, REGULATION, AND TRUST
Ethanol testing is more than a box-ticking exercise. It’s how you:
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Protect the accuracy of your label
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Maintain product consistency across batches
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Catch fermentation or packaging faults early
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Prove compliance to retailers and regulators
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Stay competitive in a growing alcohol-free market

In-House ABV Testing That Integrates with Brewing Workflows
In real production settings, there’s no room for delays. The 200 Series GC integrates seamlessly into daily brewery routines.
Whether used for:
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Mid-fermentation checks
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Final pre-packaging validation
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Routine batch spot-checks
This system gives you control and confidence, with no need to send samples to external labs or wait days for results.

READY TO BRING ALCOHOL-FREE TESTING IN-HOUSE?
Visit our blog posts
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Ensuring Quality Control: Testing in Beer Production
Jan 22, 2024 by Ellutia