14 Compact GC helping universities teach chromatography without the cost


Teaching labs and small research groups need hands-on chromatography, not long waits for instrument time. Many still rely on oversized or ageing systems that are hard to timetable and expensive to run. The Ellutia 200 Series GC gives departments a practical option: a compact, single-channel gas chromatograph that’s easy to set up, simple to use, and priced for education.


The origin story is straightforward. Ellutia designed the 200 Series for teaching first: small and light enough to move between rooms or store when space is tight, but with the performance staff expect from a full-size system. In use, universities found the capability matched larger, costlier instruments, while the lower entry cost and easy operation made it a strong fit for labs starting GC for the first time. Recent case studies (Cranfield and Surrey) show how teams put the system in front of students and keep it running through busy terms.


For research groups, a secondary GC takes routine runs off shared GC-MS systems, reducing queues and allowing more students to spend time at the bench. For teaching teams, complete education packages bring together the instrument, columns, gases/plumbing, consumables, lesson packs, installation, and training—so the system is ready to run upon delivery.


To learn more about the 200 series GC and for further details on how the GC fits into higher education, you can download the Gas Chromatography for Teaching & Research — 200 Series Buyer’s Guide and share it with your technical team.


More information online: ilmt.co/PL/QKWQ and ilmt.co/PL/6D0X 65951pr@reply-direct.com ABV testing by GC for alcohol free beers and ciders


If you brew alcohol-free or low-alcohol beer and cider, it is essential that the alcohol content is correct. If the amount of ethanol present is greater than expected, even by a fraction, and you could face re-labelling, or a product that can’t be sold. A hydrometer is commonly used to check ABV values; however, as this method infers alcohol content from the density of the beer, residual sugars, sweeteners, acids, and CO₂ in alcohol- free beer and cider can overwhelm the tiny density change from ethanol, resulting in inaccurate readings near zero. Another option is to send a sample to an external contract laboratory, but this can be time-consuming and costly if you need to run samples frequently.


That’s why many small breweries are now moving to test %ABV themselves in-house using gas chromatography. This doesn’t require massive amounts of prior experience and a huge lab setup. With a compact GC that’s simple to use and priced for a small team.


The Ellutia 200 Series GC is an ideal fit for this application. Its compact size and lower cost make it ideal for breweries looking to take the next step in improving their Quality control. The application itself is a simple process. This short video shows the whole method, start to finish: ilmt.co/PL/9OWw


If you would like to learn more, please contact Ellutia about how this could help your business. More information online: ilmt.co/PL/ko4q


65950pr@reply-direct.com New buyer’s guide helps small breweries bring GC in-house


Independent breweries don’t have time to wait on lengthy lead time from external testing labs. The new Gas Chromatography for the Brewing Industry - 200 Series Buyer’s Guide shows how you can run core QC on your own bench: verify %ABV before release, keep flavour steady batch-to-batch, make a quick diacetyl (VDK) pass/fail call, and understand your options on nitrosamines.


The guide keeps things practical and easy to read. It opens explaining GC in plain English - hat a chromatogram is, why peaks matter, and how calibration turns a signal into a number you can trust. Then it gets to the point: three brewery-ready methods (ABV, flavour profiling, diacetyl) you can run in minutes, plus a short section on nitrosamines so you know what to say if a trade customer or regulator asks. It also includes package options, software screenshots, an implementation timeline, and an ROI snapshot for teams balancing tight space, staff, and budgets.


What you’ll learn:


• ABV, fast: Degas, dilute, inject, and read a precise %ABV before you package - no couriers, no delays • Flavour profiling that guides action: Track esters and aldehydes against a “gold batch” so you can correct drift early • Diacetyl control, not guesswork: Make a ppb-level VDK decision in time to keep packaging on schedule • Nitrosamines, made simple: Understand the risk, when it might apply, and sensible next steps • What it costs and how to start: A two-week plan from delivery to first results, with clear, low-maintenance workflows


If you run a small lab space or no lab at all, the guide shows how compact GC fits alongside your existing kit and routine. You don’t need to be a chromatography expert. You just need a number you can act on - today, not next week.


Download the guide now. More information online: ilmt.co/PL/OmWX 65947pr@reply-direct.com Hands-on GC brewing workshop: learn to run your own %ABV test by GC


Outsourcing %ABV checks slows you down. You ship a sample, wait for a slot, and hold beer you could be packaging. Our one-day GC Brewing Workshop shows brewers how to bring that test onto the bench and get a number they can trust - fast.


The day is practical. we cover the basics: what a gas chromatograph does, why peaks matter, and where GC fits alongside sensory, gravity, and other brewery checks. We keep the language simple and the theory light.


You will also run an analysis yourself. You’ll degas a sample, make a small dilution, prepare a short ethanol calibration, then inject and read the result. Step by step, you’ll see how a compact GC separates ethanol from the rest and reports %ABV from your calibration curve. No prior GC experience needed.


What you’ll leave with: • a clear picture of where GC makes sense in a small brewery • hands-on practice from standards to result • a simple, step-by-step handout you can follow back at the brewery


Who should attend: head brewers, production leads, QA managers, founders—anyone responsible for release decisions on alcohol-free or low-alcohol lines, or anyone who wants tighter control of label accuracy. Workshops run at our facility. Sessions are free, but places are limited to keep the bench time meaningful. If you want to move from waiting to deciding, this is a good place to start. Book your place now. If you have questions about dates, accessibility, or what to bring, use the booking page to get in touch. We’ll help you choose a session that fits your schedule. More information online: ilmt.co/PL/b80O


65949pr@reply-direct.com


Diacetyl and VDK control by a low-cost GC


Diacetyl is a compound that yeast makes during fermentation that tastes like butter or butterscotch. In most lagers and clean ales, it is perceived as a fault because it dulls the hop and malt character. In a few styles - think some English ales or traditional Czech beers - a low level can be seen as desirable as the softness and be considered part of the profile.


Even extremely low parts per billion levels of Diacetyl can affect the beer. It drifts in as a soft butter note, then suddenly, a packaging day is on hold. Small breweries know the pattern: run a diacetyl rest, hope it clears, debate at the tasting bench, check again tomorrow. However, hope isn’t a viable plan of action.


A simple VDK test on a compact GC gives a straight answer at the ppb level. The method is simple. Degas a small aliquot to get CO₂ out of the way, purge the vial with nitrogen, then run a short headspace GC method with a selective detector so the trace diketones aren’t masked by other more abundant compounds such as ethanol.


The use of an ECD detector gives the sensitivity required to see these very low concentrations. In a recent application note, standard mixes at 100 ppb and 25 ppb separate cleanly, showing clear, quantifiable peaks for both VDKs. A British pale ale example lands near ~10 ppb diacetyl and ~4 ppb 2,3-pentanedione - numbers that align with a ‘green light’ for many lager and pale styles. That level of detail turns a vague worry into an immediate actionable data: extend the rest, warm the tank, check oxygen pickup, or sign off for packaging.


The Ellutia 200 Series GC with an ECD is a compact, cost- effective solution for VDK testing. The GC can be used with either an automated headspace autosampler for higher throughput or a manual headspace sampler to keep costs down.


Download the application note: ilmt.co/PL/ze9e


To see a video on how to run the application, please visit ilmt.co/PL/pmyX


More information online: ilmt.co/PL/xDLQ 65946pr@reply-direct.com


LABMATE UK & IRELAND - NOVEMBER 2025 - ADVERTORIAL


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