Hanna Instruments HI847492 Portable Beer Turbidimeter

Overview

The Hanna Instruments HI847492 Portable Beer Turbidimeter is an ISO/ASBC-compliant optical instrument engineered for precise, field- and lab-based turbidity measurement in brewing applications. It operates on the principle of nephelometric turbidity measurement—detecting scattered light at a 90° angle relative to the incident infrared beam—ensuring high sensitivity and minimal interference from color or absorbance typical in hopped wort, finished beer, and filtration samples. Unlike general-purpose turbidimeters, the HI847492 is specifically calibrated and validated against the American Society of Brewing Chemists (ASBC) Method B6, making it suitable for compliance with brewery quality control protocols, including those aligned with ASBC, EBC, and MEBAK standards. Its dual-wavelength infrared LED source (890 nm primary, with secondary calibration support at 650 nm) minimizes spectral interference from yellow-to-amber beer matrices while maintaining stability across temperature fluctuations. The instrument conforms to ISO 7027:2016 for formazin-based turbidity quantification and supports unit conversion across FTU (Formazin Turbidity Units), FNU (Formazin Nephelometric Units), EBC (European Brewery Convention), ASBC, and HELM scales—enabling direct cross-laboratory data comparability.

Key Features

• Triple-range automatic scale detection: 0.00–9.99 FTU (0.01 resolution), 10.0–99.9 FTU (0.1 resolution), 100–1000 FTU (1 FTU resolution)
• Dedicated ASBC-standard optical path and calibration architecture, traceable to NIST-traceable HI847492-11 calibration set
• Infrared LED light source at 890 nm ensures immunity to sample coloration and reduces stray light contribution (<0.1 FTU)
• High-stability silicon photodetector with temperature-compensated analog signal processing
• Integrated dual-interface connectivity: USB and RS232 for seamless integration with LIMS or QC software platforms
• Onboard memory stores up to 200 measurement records with timestamp, unit, and range metadata
• Large 60 × 90 mm backlit LCD display with intuitive icon-driven interface and real-time unit indication
• Power flexibility: 4 × 1.5 V AA alkaline batteries or optional AC adapter (HI710006, 230 VAC / 12 VDC output)
• Auto-power-off after 15 minutes of inactivity; operating humidity limit: ≤95% RH non-condensing

Sample Compatibility & Compliance

The HI847492 is optimized for low-to-moderate turbidity measurements in clarified and unfiltered beer, wort, yeast slurries, and post-filtration effluents. Its optical design accommodates standard 25 mm round glass cuvettes (HI731333) and is compatible with both clean-rinse and low-volume sampling workflows. All factory calibrations are performed using ASBC-certified formazin suspensions and verified per ASTM D6708 and ISO 7027:2016 requirements. The instrument meets GLP documentation requirements through audit-ready calibration logging, user-accessible calibration history, and timestamped measurement records. While not FDA 21 CFR Part 11–certified out-of-the-box, its data export functionality supports compliant archival when integrated with validated third-party data management systems adhering to GMP/QSR frameworks.

Software & Data Management

Data acquisition and transfer are supported via bidirectional USB or RS232 serial communication. The included Hanna Lab Software (v3.0+) enables batch export of measurement logs in CSV format, calibration certificate generation, and firmware updates. Each stored record includes date/time stamp, measured value, selected unit (FTU/FNU/EBC/ASBC), active range, and operator ID (if configured). Internal memory retains data during battery replacement or power cycling. For enterprise environments, the HI847492 supports MODBUS RTU protocol over RS232 for integration into SCADA or MES platforms used in automated brewhouse monitoring.

Applications

• Final beer clarity verification pre-packaging per ASBC Beer-6 guidelines
• Filtration efficiency monitoring across diatomaceous earth (DE), sheet, and membrane filters
• Yeast sedimentation kinetics assessment during cold conditioning
• Wort clarification validation post-whirlpool and centrifugation
• Raw material screening (e.g., malt extract haze potential)
• Quality deviation root-cause analysis in conjunction with spectrophotometric polyphenol assays
• Contract brewing audit readiness and third-party certification support (e.g., BRCGS, SQF)

FAQ

What turbidity units does the HI847492 support natively?
The instrument provides direct readouts in FTU, FNU, EBC, ASBC, and HELM units, with automatic interconversion based on built-in polynomial scaling algorithms aligned with ASBC Table B6.1 and EBC 9.2.
Is the HI847492 suitable for measuring highly turbid wort samples?
Yes—it supports up to 1000 FTU in its highest range, though for wort >250 FTU, dilution with deaerated, particle-free water is recommended to maintain accuracy within ±2% + 0.05 FTU specification.
How often must the instrument be recalibrated?
Hanna recommends recalibration before each analytical session when used in regulated environments; at minimum, daily calibration verification using the HI847492-11 ASBC reference set is required for QC traceability.
Can the HI847492 connect to a laboratory information management system (LIMS)?
Yes—via RS232 or USB virtual COM port, enabling ASCII-based data streaming compatible with most LIMS ingestion modules supporting serial or file-based import protocols.
Does the device meet ISO 7027:2016 requirements for nephelometric turbidity measurement?
Yes—the optical geometry (90° scatter detection), 890 nm IR source, and detector linearity comply fully with ISO 7027:2016 Annex A for formazin-based turbidity instruments.