Determination of the SRM value involves measuring the attenuation of light of a particular
wavelength (430 nm) in passing through 1 cm of the beer, expressing the attenuation as an
absorption and scaling the absorption by a constant (12.7 for SRM; 25 for EBC). The SRM (or
EBC) number represents a single point in the absorption spectrum of beer.
The ASBC and EBC measurements are now identical (both done at the same wavelength and in
the same size cuvette) but the scaling is different. A photometer or spectrophotometer is used
to measure the attenuation of light at 430 nm nanometers, as it passes through 1 cm of beer
contained in a standard 1 cm by 1 cm cuvette. The absorption is the log of the ratio of the
intensity of the light beam entering the sample to the intensity leaving. This difference is
multiplied by 12.7 in the SRM system and 25 in the EBC (see below). For example, if the light
intensity leaving is one one hundredth the light intensity entering the ratio is 100, the
absorption is 2 and the SRM is 25.4.
The SRM number was originally, and still is, defined by "Beer color intensity on a sample free
of turbidity and having the spectral characteristics of an average beer is 10 times the
absorbance of the beer measured in a 1/2 inch cell with monochromatic light at 430
nanometers."[1] Modern spectrophotometers use 1 cm cuvettes rather than 1/2 inch ones.
When a 1 cm cuvette is used, application of the Bouguer-Beer-Lambert law shows that the
multiplier should be 12.7 rather than 10. When the SRM value for a beer or wort is larger than
about 30 the log linear limit of some instruments using 1 cm cuvettes is approached. In such
cases the sample is diluted with deionized water. Using Beer-Lambert again gives the
mathematical definition of SRM in the general case as:
EBC=25 x D x A 430❑
where D is the dilution factor (D = 1 for undiluted samples, D = 2 for 1:1 dilution etc.) and A430
the absorbance at 430 nm in 1 cm.
The 430-nanometer wavelength corresponds to a deep blue light, and was chosen, as was the
multiplier, to make values determined in the SRM system comparable to those determined
using the Lovibond system in use at the time the SRM was adopted
The SRM was adopted in 1950 by the American Society of Brewing Chemists which had
recognized the need for an instrument based measurement of color unburdened by the
difficulties of the Lovibond system which relies (it is still in use in many industries including
brewing - malts are often labeled with the Lovibond color of laboratory worts prepared from
them) on visual comparison of the sample to tinted glass discs
The EBC system of color measurement is similar to the SRM. Measurements are taken at 430
nm in a 1 cm cell but the unit of color is 25 times[3] the dilution factor times A430 as opposed
to 12.7 times the dilution factor times A430.
Thus EBC is approximately twice SRM and this applies at any color depth. The agreement
between SRM and Lovibond is fair for pale beers (10 °L ~ 12.7 SRM) but worsens for darker
beers or worts (40 °L ~ 53.4 SRM).
Both systems demand that the beer be free of turbidity prior to the measurement at 430 nm.
In the SRM a second measurement is taken at 700 nm. If the absorption at this wavelength is
less than 0.039 (this number comes from [2]) times the absorption at 430 nm the beer is
considered turbidity free. If not, it is to be filtered or centrifuged and the reading repeated. If
the ratio test is not passed after clarification then the beer does not have "average spectral
characteristics" and, technically, is not qualified to be characterized by the SRM method. The
augmented SRM method described below removes this difficulty.
In the EBC system the beer is required to be filtered if its turbidity is more than 1 EBC turbidity
unit (equivalent to 1 FTU). No absorption measurement is made other than at 430nm.
