DLG Test Center Food

Standards for producers – orientation for consumers

The DLG promotes product quality of foods on the basis of binding and impartial quality standards, based on current scientific findings and the recognised test methods it has developed.

Every year over 27,000 foods from and other countries are tested in the DLG Quality Tests. The “DLG Award Winner” label is only issued to foods that have been found worthy of it in sensory testing and that satisfy the DLG’s stringent quality criteria.

Beer and Mixed beer Beverages testing

The DLG Quality Test for Beer and Mixed Beer Beverages is accredited in accordance with international norms. In the tests each product is tested in accordance with scientific quality standards and an expert report is produced.

The range of products tested comprises:

  • Strong beers top-fermenting and bottom-fermenting (light, dark, export, kellerbier, amber lager, Pilsen, smoked beer, Kölsch, dark beer)
  • Extra-strong beers (bock beer, extra-strong bock beer)
  • Alcohol-reduced beer, non-alcoholic beer
  • Medium-strong beers
  • Strong wheat beer, wheat export beer
  • Other beers (malt beers, porter, stout)
  • Mixed beer beverages

Test criteria:

  • Product-specific sensory analysis
    odour, purity of taste, body, carbonation, quality of the bitters, taste stability by comparing the A and B samples
  • Packaging, labelling
    checking of the label
  • Analytical parameters (e.g. checking the biological stability, original wort, alcohol content, turbidity)

Beer and mixed beer beverages that pass the DLG tests receive the “DLG award winner” medal in Gold, Silver or Bronze.

These include careful selection of beer as well as optimal processing and preparation. Only foods of above-average quality receive the DLG awards in Bronze, Silver, or even Gold.

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The Testing Methods of the DLG Quality Tests

The DLG testing methods are based on current scientific findings regarding quality assurance in the different food sectors.

Focal areas of testing: sensory tests, laboratory analyses, packaging and labelling tests

The DLG-Quality Tests are organized by the Certification Unit at DLG e.V. The Unit is accredited in accordance with DIN EN 45.011 for certifying foods and in accordance with DIN EN ISO/IEC 17024 for certifying sensory assessors. The Quality Tests are designed specifically for the respective product group. At the heart of the tests for all product groups is the sensory analysis of the foods and beverages (colour, appearance, consistency, odour and taste). Depending on the specific product group, these analyses are supplemented by testing of preparation, checking of the packaging and labelling, and chemical, microbiological and physical analyses in accredited laboratories.

Sensory analysis 

The sensory analysis is carried out in accordance with product-specific test schemes developed by the DLG Expert Committees made up of members from the fields of science and operational practice. In the tests attributes or defects are allocated to each test feature. These are assessed in accordance with the product-specific 5-point scheme.

5-Point Scheme

Points

Quality description

General description of properties

5

very good

quality expectations reached in full

4

good

slight deviations

3

satisfactory

perceptible deviations

2

less satisfactory

clear deviations

1

not satisfactory

strong deviations

0

inadequate

not evaluable

Please, contact the Press-Office of the Union for participation in DLG 2015 info@barley-malt.ru.