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Tag Archives: GC-MS/MS
From Farm to Fork: The Importance of Nitrosamine Testing in Food Safety
By Andrew James
N-nitroso compounds (NOCs), or nitrosamines, have once again made headline news as their occurrence in some pharmaceuticals has led to high profile product recalls in the United States.1 Nitrosamines can be carcinogenic and genotoxic and, in the food industry, can compromise a food product's quality and safety. One nitrosamine in particular, N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), is a highly potent carcinogen, traces of which are commonly detected in foods and may be used as an indicator compound for the presence of nitrosamines.2
NOCs can potentially make their way into the food chain in a number of ways, including (but not limited to): Via the crop protection products used to maximize agricultural yields; via the sodium and/or potassium salt added to preserve certain meats from bacterial contamination; as a result of the direct-fire drying process in certain foods; and via consumption of nitrates in the diet (present in many vegetables due to natural mineral deposits in the soil), which react with bacteria and acids in the stomach to form nitrosamines.3
The crop protection and food manufacturing industries are focused on ensuring that levels of nitrosamines present in foods are minimal and safe. Detection technology for quantitating the amount of nitrosamines (ppm levels) in a sample had not advanced in nearly 40 years—until recently. Now, a thermal energy analyzer (TEA) —a sensitive and specific detector—is being relied on to provide fast and sensitive analysis for players throughout the food supply chain.
Regulatory Landscape
Both NDMA and the nitrosamine N-nitrososodiethylamine (NDEA) have been classified by national and international regulatory authorities as 'probable human carcinogens'.3 NDMA in particular is by far the most commonly encountered member of this group of compounds.7
In the United States there are limits for NDMA or total nitrosamines in bacon, barley malt, ham and malt beverages, yet there are currently no regulatory limits for N-nitroso compounds (NOC) in foods in the EU.7
Developers of crop protection products are required to verify the absence of nitrosamines or quantify the amount at ppm levels to ensure they are within the accepted guidelines.
The presence of nitrosamines must be traced and risk-managed along the food's journey from farm to fork. The issue affects testing from the very beginning – particularly at the crop protection stage, which is one of the most highly regulated industries in the world. Without crop protection, food and drink expenditures could increase by up to £70 million per year and 40% of the world's food would not exist.7
Development of a new crop protection product (herbicide, fungicide, insecticide or seed treatment) involves several steps: Discovery and formulation of the product, trials and field development, toxicology, environmental impacts and final registration. New product registration requires demonstration of safety for all aspects of the environment, the workers, the crops that are being protected and the food that is consumed. This involves comprehensive risk assessments being carried out, based on data from numerous safety studies and an understanding of Good Agricultural Practice (GAP).
One global producer of agrochemicals uses a custom version of the TEA to verify the absence of nitrosamines or quantitate the amount of nitrosamines (ppm levels) in its active ingredients. The LC-TEA enables high selectivity for nitro, nitroso and nitrogen (when operating in nitrogen mode), which allows only the compounds of interest to be seen. Additionally, it provides very high sensitivity (<2pg N/sec Signal to Noise 3:1), meaning it is able to detect compounds of interest at extremely low levels. To gain this high sensitivity and specificity, it relies on a selective thermal cleavage of N-NO bond and detection of the liberated NO radical by the chemiluminescent signal generated by its reaction with ozone.
The customized system also uses a different interface with a furnace, rather than the standard pyrolyser, to allow for the additional energy required and larger diameter tubing for working with a liquid sample rather than gas.
The system allows a company to run five to six times more samples with increased automation. As a direct result, significant productivity gains, reduced maintenance costs and more accurate results can be realized.
Food Analysis
Since nitrite was introduced in food preservation in the 1960s, its safety has been debated. The debate continues today, largely because of the benefits of nitrite in food products, particularly processed meats.6 In pork products, such as bacon and cured ham, nitrite is mostly present in the sodium and/or potassium salt added to preserve the meat from bacterial contamination. Although the meat curing process was designed to support preservation without refrigeration, a number of other benefits, such as enhancing color and taste, have since been recognized.
Analytical methods for the determination of N-nitrosamines in foods can differ between volatile and non-volatile compounds. Following extraction, volatile N-nitrosamines can be readily separated by GC using a capillary column and then detected by a TEA detector. The introduction of the TEA offered a new way to determine nitrosamine levels at a time when GC-MS could do so only with difficulty.
To identify and determine constituent amounts of NOCs in foods formed as a direct result of manufacturing and processing, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) approached Premier Analytical Services (PAS) to develop a screening method to identify and determine constituent amounts of NOCs in foods formed as a direct result of manufacturing and processing.
A rapid and selective apparent total nitrosamine content (ATNC) food screening method has been developed with a TEA. This has also been validated for the known dietary NOCs of concern. This method, however, is reliant on semi-selective chemical denitrosation reactions and can give false positives. The results can only be considered as a potential indicator rather than definitive proof of NOC presence.
In tests, approximately half (36 out of 63) samples returned a positive ATNC result. Further analysis of these samples by GC-MS/MS detected volatile nitrosamine contamination in two of 25 samples.
A key role of the TEA in this study was to validate the alternative analytical method of GC-MS/MS. After validation of the technique by TEA, GC-MS/MS has been proven to be highly sensitive and selective for this type of testing.
The Future of Nitrosamine Testing
Many countries have published data showing that toxicological risk from preformed NOCs was no longer considered an area for concern. Possible risks may come from the unintentional addition or contamination of foods with NOCs precursors such as nitrite and from endogenous formation of NOCs and more research is being done in this area.
Research and innovation are the foundations of a competitive food industry. Research in the plant protection industry is driven by farming and the food chain's demand for greater efficiency and safer products. Because the amount of nitrosamines in food that results in health effects in humans is still unknown, there is scope for research into the chemical formation and transportation of nitrosamines, their occurrence and their impact on our health. Newer chromatographic techniques are only just being applied in this area and could greatly benefit the quantification of nitrosamines. It is essential that these new approaches to quality and validation are applied throughout the food chain.
Christensen, J. (2020). More popular heartburn medications recalled due to impurity. CNN.
Hamlet, C, Liang, L. (2017). An investigation to establish the types and levels of N-nitroso compounds (NOC) in UK consumed foods. Premier Analytical Services, 1-79.
Woodcock, J. (2019). Statement alerting patients and health care professionals of NDMA found in samples of ranitidine. Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.
Scanlan, RA. (1983). Formation and occurrence of nitrosamines in food. Cancer res, 43(5) 2435-2440.
Dowden, A. (2019). The truth about nitrates in your food. BBC Future.
Park, E. (2015). Distribution of Seven N-nitrosamines in Food. Toxicological research, 31(3) 279-288, doi: 10.5487/TR.2015.31.3.279.
Crews, C. (2019). The determination of N-nitrosamines in food. Quality Assurance and Safety of Crops & Foods, 1-11, doi: 10.1111/j.1757-837X.2010.00049.x
(1989) Toxicological profile for n-Nitrosodimethylamine., Agency for Toxic substances and disease registry.
Rickard, S. (2010). The value of crop protection, Crop Protection Association.
Advances in GC-MS/MS Enhance Routine Detection of Dioxins and Dioxin-like Compounds in Food and Animal Feed
By Richard Law
Dioxins are highly toxic organic compounds that can remain in the environment for extended periods. These persistent organic pollutants (POPs), which include polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), are mainly generated by the combustion or manufacture of chlorine-containing materials such as plastics. Dioxins and other closely related POPs, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), are classed as carcinogenic by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, and present a significant threat to human health even at low levels.
Dioxins and PCBs can enter the food chain when livestock consume contaminated animal feed, and can accumulate in the fatty tissues of animals due to their high fat-solubility. As a result, over 90% of human exposure to dioxins and PCBs is through the consumption of meat, fish, dairy and other foods of animal origin.1 Given the health risks posed by dioxins and PCBs, effective food testing workflows are essential to ensure products do not exceed regulatory-defined safe levels.
GC-MS/MS: A Robust Technique for Analyzing Dioxins and PCBs in Food and Animal Feed
To control human exposure to PCDDs, PCDFs and PCBs from the food chain, global regulatory bodies have established maximum levels (MLs) and action levels (ALs) for various POPs in food products, as well as approved analytical methods for food testing laboratories to enforce these standards. In the European Union (EU), for example, European Commission regulations 2017/644 and 2017/771 outline sampling, sample preparation and analysis protocols for the detection of dioxins and other dioxin-like compounds in food and animal feedstuffs.2,3
With food testing laboratories tasked with handling potentially hundreds of samples every day, these workflows must be supported by robust and reliable analytical technologies that can confidently identify and accurately quantify dioxins and PCBs with minimal maintenance requirements in order to minimize downtime and maximize throughput.
Thanks to ongoing improvements in the robustness and sensitivity of gas chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) systems, regulations were updated in 2014 to permit this technique as an alternative to gas chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (GC-HRMS) for confirmatory analysis and for the control of MLs and ALs. The latest GC-MS/MS systems are capable of exceptionally reliable performance for the routine analysis of dioxins and PCBs, providing accurate and sensitive quantification of these compounds even at trace levels.
Case Study: Sensitive and Reliable Determination of Dioxins Using GC-MS/MS
The performance of modern GC-MS/MS systems was evaluated in a recent study involving the confirmatory analysis and quantification of 17 PCDDs and PCDFs, and 18 dioxin-like and non-dioxin-like PCBs in solvent standards and various food and feedstuff samples. The samples were analyzed using a triple quadrupole GC-MS/MS system equipped with the advanced electron ionization source (AEI) and a TG-Dioxin capillary GC column. Two identical GC-MS/MS systems in two separate laboratories were used to assess the reproducibility of the method.
Extraction was performed by Twisselmann hot extraction or pressurized liquid extraction. The automated clean-up of the extracts was performed using a three-column setup, comprising multi-layered acidic silica, alumina and carbon columns. Two fractions were generated per sample (the first containing non-ortho PCBs, PCDDs and PCDFs, and the second containing mono-ortho and di-ortho PCBs and indicator PCBs) and these were analyzed separately. The analytical method gave excellent separation of all the PCDD, PCDF and PCB congeners in less than 45 minutes.
Given the high sensitivity of modern GC-MS/MS instruments, a calibration-based approach was used to determine limits of quantitation (LOQs) of the analytical system. Using calibration standards at the LOQ and subsequent check standards at this level enabled the performance of the method to be assessed throughout the analytical sequence. This also allowed LOQs for the individual congeners to be determined, assuming a fixed sample weight. Individual congener LOQs could be applied to upper-bound, middle-bound and lower-bound toxicity equivalence (TEQ) results by substituting the result of any congener that fell below the lowest calibration point with this value multiplied by the toxicity equivalence factor (TEF) of the congener.
To evaluate the response factor deviation over the course of the analytical sequences, standards at the specified LOQ were analyzed at the start, during and end of each run. Using a nominal weight of 2 g, and assuming 100% 13C-labeled standard recovery and all natives were less than the LOQ in the sample, a minimum upper-bound value of 0.152 pg/g WHO-PCDD/F-TEQ was determined. This met regulatory requirements for reporting at 1/5th of the ML upper-bound sum TEQ for all food and feedstuffs with a nominal intake of 2 g, with the exception of guidance associated with liver of terrestrial animals and food for infants or young children, which both have legal limits defined on a fresh weight basis. In these cases, either a larger sample intake or a magnetic sector instrument would be required. All of the calibration sequences demonstrated response factor %RSDs within EU regulations, highlighting the suitability of the method.
To demonstrate the performance of the GC-MS/MS system, six replicate extractions of a mixed fat quality control sample (QK1) were prepared, split between the two sites and analyzed at regular intervals throughout the analytical sequences (14 injections in total). The measured WHO-PCDD/F-TEQ values for congener were in excellent agreement with the reference value provided by the EU Reference Laboratory for Halogenated POPs in Feed and Food, and the upper bound WHO-PCDD/F-TEQ value did not deviate by more than 6% from the reference value for all 14 measurements (Figure 1). The deviation between the upper-bound and lower-bound WHO-PCDD/F-TEQ for each measurement was consistently less than 1.2%, well below the maximum limit of 20% necessary to support compliance with EU regulations.
Figure 1. Upper- and lower-bound WHO-PCDD/F-TEQ values for all 14 measurements of the QK1 mixed animal fat quality control sample, for six replicate extractions.
Robust Routine Analysis of Dioxin and Dioxin-like Compounds
To assess the robustness of the GC-MS/MS system, the PCDD, PCDF and non-ortho PCB extracts were pooled into a mixed matrix sample and analyzed more than 161 injection sequences across a period of approximately two weeks. Each sequence consisted of 40 matrix injections and 40 LOQ standards, interspersed with nonane blanks. No system maintenance, tuning or user intervention was undertaken throughout the two-week study. Figure 2 highlights the exceptional peak area stability achieved for selected PCDD and PCDF congeners.
Figure 2. Absolute peak area repeatability over two weeks of analysis for selected PCDD and PCDF congeners in a pooled matrix sample (%RSD and amounts on column are shown for each congener).
These results highlight the exceptional levels of day-to-day measurement repeatability offered by the latest GC-MS/MS systems. By delivering consistently high performance without the need for extensive maintenance steps, modern GC-MS/MS systems are maximizing instrument uptime and increasing sample throughput for routine POP analysis workflows.
Developments in GC-MS/MS technology, namely the advanced electron ionization source, are pushing the limits of measurement sensitivity, repeatability and robustness to support the needs of routine dioxin and PCBs analysis in food and feed samples. By minimizing instrument downtime while maintaining exceptional levels of analytical performance, these advanced systems are helping high-throughput food testing laboratories to analyze more samples and ultimately better protect consumers from these harmful pollutants.
Malisch, R. and Kotz, A. (2014) Dioxins and PCBs in feed and food – Review from European perspective. Sci Total Environ, 491, 2-10.
European Commission. Commission Regulation (EU) 2017/644, Off J Eur Union, 2017, L92 9-34.
European Commission. Commission Regulation (EU) 2017/771, Off J Eur Union, 2017, L115 22-42.
This article is based on research by Richard Law and Cristian Cojocariu (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Runcorn, UK), Alexander Schaechtele (EU Reference Laboratory for Halogenated POPs in Feed and Food, Freiburg, Germany), Amit Gujar (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Austin, US), and Jiangtao Xing (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Beijing, China).
Keeping Baby Food Safe: Sensitive Pesticide Residue Quantitation Beyond Maximum Residue Levels Using GC-MS/MS
By Paul Silcock
There are more than 1000 different pesticides in use around the world. While these chemicals are designed to target insects, weeds and other pests, residual amounts can remain on food that is subsequently eaten by consumers. The effects of pesticides on the population can be acute or chronic depending on the exposure. Acute over-exposure can cause poisoning and result in long-term effects such as cancer or reproductive issues. Chronic, lower dose exposure to pesticides has been associated with health issues such as respiratory problems, skin conditions, depression, birth defects, cancer and neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease.
People who face the greatest risk for adverse health outcomes from pesticide exposure are those in agricultural roles, who are more likely to come into direct contact with these chemicals. However, developing fetuses, infants and children, as well as pregnant and nursing mothers and women of childbearing age are at increased risk of experiencing negative health effects due to the presence of unsafe levels of pesticides in food. Exposure throughout a child's development¬–including in the womb, infancy, early childhood, and puberty–can be particularly dangerous, affecting hormone regulation and brain development.
To minimize adverse health effects, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the European Union (EU) impose strict regulations on the amount of pesticides that can be applied to a crop, in order to limit the residue exposure downstream. Pesticides are assigned maximum residue levels (MRLs) depending on their toxicity, with the majority typically set at 10 µg/kg. However, due to the greater risk of certain compounds affecting the healthy development of infants and young children, some pesticides are controlled further: For instance, in the EU, specific pesticides are restricted in baby foods with MRLs of between 3–8 µg/kg.
Triple Quadrupole GC-MS/MS: Meeting the Needs of Pesticide Analysis
In order to test foods for pesticide residues at these very low levels, food safety laboratories require sophisticated analyte detection technologies. Gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) is a powerful analytical technique that offers the sensitivity and selectivity required to detect and identify pesticide residues at levels that often go beyond those mandated by regulatory authorities, even in complex sample matrices such as baby food. Indeed, GC-MS/MS can detect multiple residues within samples at levels as low as 0.025 µg/kg, much lower than the MRLs of regulated pesticides.
The sensitivity of the latest triple quadrupole GC-MS/MS systems is enabling levels of detection so low that many food testing laboratories have been able to adopt more efficient and universally-applicable sample preparation procedures based on QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged and Safe) methods. Combining these modern GC-MS/MS systems with QuEChERS sample preparation techniques allows food samples to be analyzed directly, significantly reducing workflow complexity. Furthermore, the specificity of triple quadrupole GC-MS/MS can easily compensate for the additional matrix components or residual acetonitrile carried over from sample preparation.
EU SANTE Criteria for Pesticide Residue Quantitation
When it comes to the detection of pesticides in baby foods, workflows must comply with rigorous quality control and method validation standards. The EU SANTE/11813/2017 criteria outline three specific requirements that pesticide residue analysis methods must satisfy to achieve compliance.
Firstly, a minimum of two product ions must be detected for each pesticide with a peak signal-to-noise ratio greater than 3 (or in case noise is absent, a signal must be present in at least five subsequent scans), and the mass resolution for precursor ion isolation must be equal to or better than unit mass resolution. Secondly, the retention time of an analyte within a sample must not differ by more than 0.1 minutes compared with standards in the same sequence. Finally, the relative ion ratio for each analyte must remain within 30% of the average of calibration standards from the same sequence.
Fortunately, modern triple quadrupole GC-MS/MS systems are ensuring food safety testing laboratories comply with these criteria. In terms of peak detection and resolution, the specificities achieved using the latest triple quadrupole instruments meet or exceed the EU SANTE requirements by providing consistent data points regardless of sample preparation approach or matrix type. Precise detection at the ultra-low concentrations required for pesticide residue quantitation is routinely achieved using modern triple quadrupole GC-MS/MS systems, with analyses offering qualitative identification of each analyte among a large group of residues. Furthermore, the latest systems deliver stable ion ratios that are well within the required 30% range at the default 10 µg/kg MRL across multiple injections.
Ultra-low-level Quantification of Pesticides Using Triple Quadrupole GC-MS/MS
In a recent study that put the capabilities of the latest triple quadrupole GC-MS/MS systems to the test, samples of baby food (carrot/potato and apple/pear/banana) spiked with a mixture of more than 200 pesticides at three concentrations (1.0, 2.5 and 10.0 μg/kg) were analyzed using the Thermo Scientific TSQ 9000 triple quadrupole GC-MS/MS system fitted with an Advanced Electron Ionization (AEI) source. Prior to injection into the instrument, the homogenized spiked samples were prepared for analysis using a QuEChERS method that included an acetonitrile extraction step, a clean-up step involving primary secondary amine (PSA) and dispersive solid phase extraction (dSPE), followed by acidification with 5% formic acid in acetonitrile.
The triple quadrupole GC-MS/MS system met all SANTE criteria at the three spiking concentrations in both food matrices. More than 97% of the target pesticide residues in the 1 μg/kg spiked sample had recoveries in the range of 70%–120%, highlighting the broad applicability of the method. The recoveries of the target pesticides from the apple/pear/banana sample spiked at 10 μg/kg are shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1. Recovery and precision data for apple/pear/banana extractions (n=6) at a concentration of 10 μg/kg, obtained using TSQ 9000 triple quadrupole GC-MS/MS system fitted with an advanced electron ionization (AEI) source.
(Figure 1 continued)
Triple Quadrupole GC-MS/MS: Supporting Exceptional Limits of Detection
To determine the limits of detection of the system, baby food samples prepared by the previously-described QuEChERS method were spiked with the same mixture of pesticides at 14 concentrations ranging from 0.025 to 250 μg/kg. Using the triple quadrupole GC-MS/MS system, the SANTE criteria were met for all of the pesticides targeted at the default MRL of 10 μg/kg. Additionally, more than 90% of the target compounds had a limit of identification (LOI) satisfying all SANTE requirements below 0.5 µg/kg, and more than 60% of the target residues met these criteria below 0.1 µg/kg (Figure 2).
Figure 2. Number of target residues satisfying the EU SANTE requirements (carrot/potato sample matrix). IDL, instrumental detection limit; LOI, limit of identification.
Instrumental detection limits (IDLs) were also determined for each pesticide residue by performing 10 replicate injections of the lowest matrix-matched standard of carrot/potato that met all SANTE criteria. IDLs were then evaluated using one-tailed student t-tests, taking into account the concentration and absolute peak area %RSD for each compound. The evaluated IDLs ranged from approximately 5 fg (for chlorobenzilate) to 2.0 pg (for bioallethrin), with over 95% of the residues exhibiting an IDL of less than 500 fg on the column (equivalent to 0.5 µg/kg in each sample extract). These results highlight the exceptional performance of the system, offering quantitative analysis of more than 200 pesticides over up to five orders of magnitude.
Enforcing regulations on the amounts and types of pesticides used is essential to limit our exposure to safe levels. The latest GC-MS/MS systems are capable of detecting and identifying pesticide residues at levels far beyond those required under regulatory standards, helping food testing laboratories efficiently ensure the food our children eat is always safe to consume.


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Falling Rock's Bryan Jansing on Craft Beer and The Great American Beer Festival
Welcome to Lifers, a feature in which Eater interviews the men and women who have worked in the restaurant and bar industry for the better part of their lives. Here, they share their stories.
by Jessie Levine Sep 23, 2015, 9:46am MDT
Via Italy Beer Tours with Bryan Jansing and Paul Vismara, Guide to Great American Beer Festival Beer-Paired Dinners [EDEN], and Guide to the Great American Beer Festival Tap Takeovers [EDEN]
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Bryan Jansing and Paul Vismara
The Great American Beer Festival steamrolls through Denver each fall, bringing with it hordes of people and national attention. Thousands of beer enthusiasts opt to visit places like Falling Rock, one of the most iconic tap houses in the country, to get their fix during GABF week. In a sense, Falling Rock is like ground zero for the beer festival — a veritable family reunion of brewers and industry folk from all corners of the nation will be drinking beer at the local tap house this week.
Anyone who has feasted their eyes upon the prolific tap wall at Falling Rock will recognize one man in particular. Friendly and knowledgeable Bryan Jansing has been the face behind the bar for eighteen years. He has weathered the storm of no less than seventeen GABFs at Falling Rock, co-written a book on Italian craft beer, and witnessed Denver craft culture grow into its own along the way. Here, he shares his experiences, thoughts, and effusive love for craft beer.
How many rounds of the Great American Beer Festival have you survived and what's your take on them? Seventeen of them. It's the greatest craft beer festival in the world and it's growing every year. It's a great time for brewers to get together and for us, it feels like a family reunion. Every year we get to see these people in the industry that we don't get to see very often. It's wonderful to touch base. But also the dynamics have changed a lot- there's a lot of younger brewers and people in the industry.
For people who don't know beer, GABF is a reminder of how big this is and how amazing it is too. It's endless.
For people who don't know beer, GABF is a reminder of how big this is and how amazing it is too. It's endless. If you just walked into the beer scene today it's so overwhelming and it's impossible to keep up now. There's no way. Even Einstein couldn't keep up. Before he gets it down, somebody else is brewing something completely new and different.
How does the festival and the American craft beer culture look very different now then in years past? From my experience, in 1996 it was just the fat, bearded, fartin' guys that came in to Falling Rock. Not anymore. Now it's a 21 year-old girl with her friends coming in on her birthday saying that she couldn't wait to come and try beers here. That's way different. Even in Italy, when I was in Rome for a festival this time last year, there were a lot of young, beautiful women.
In 1996 it was just the fat, bearded, fartin' guys that came into Falling Rock. Not anymore.
Why is it that you believe women are important for beer culture? Because beer has been associated with men for so long that I think it's great- it's necessary, and it's expanding the market. Women have better palettes for a flavor profile anyway so it's going to help create a better market. Having women in this industry is really crucial.
Even from a bartender's standpoint, I'd much rather have a lot of pretty women sitting at my bar because it's going to bring business. Face it: that's the science of a bar. I remember when it was a sausage fest and it was the same people over and over and the dynamic was just dull. But now it's exciting. I love it when anybody comes in but particularly women because there's that stereotypical thought: girls don't like beer. So I give them two samples of something and then they love beer. Man, I wonder how many converts I've had over the years.
...beer has been associated with men for so long that it's great- it's necessary, and it's expanding the market. Women have better palettes for a flavor profile anyway so it's going to help create a better market.
Has the beer industry becoming more inclusive helped its growth? It has to be open to everybody. If it's not then it's just a club, and it's not as much fun. This is for everybody and that's what makes it so exciting.
So the demographic has become more diversified in terms of people working in the beer industry and also people who are drinking the beer? Much more diversified. And in a positive way too. I see the same young kids coming in who are not there to get drunk. They're not there to buy the bucket of beer or the discounted stuff, they really and truly want to try beer. So they sit down and drink a beer. It's amazing to see a 21 year-old on their birthday come experience great beer not to get drunk but because they want to try beer. That's what this festival really represents. That makes it worthwhile. It makes me happy.
Is it an adventure to tend the bar at Falling Rock during GABF week? It's not as bad as you would think. It's not really a shit show; it's fun. I mean, it's packed, but the people are there for beer during this week. It's concentrated. They know what they're there for, we know what they're there for. A lot of people at Falling Rock this week are going to be experienced beer-drinkers and people who are in the industry so they understand how the bar works: how to wait, how to order, how to tip- they know how all that works. We don't wrestle with difficult customers during GABF as much as we do the rest of the year. Not as bad as opening day and nothing like St. Patrick's Day- now that's a shit show.
That's indicative of the more sophisticated beer culture you spoke of before, right? A new generation of drinkers that are not there to get obliterated, but to taste and enjoy beer. Yes absolutely. Look at the new drive for session beers. I love it. I love to drink a 4% beer because then I can have four of them. I'm a lightweight- two Pliny's and I'm pretty much drunk. If I can have a Pivo Pilsner and have more than one, I love it. I cannot get enough of that beer.
I agree. It's one of the most perfect beers ever created. So that's a great segue into talking about Italian craft beer. That beer is an Italian craft beer. It would be the first Italian craft beer ever made. That dry-hopped pilsner is the 'Tipo Pilsner' from Birrificio Italiano, which was the first brewery in Italy. The brewer was brewing in Germanic styles, hence the introduction of the pilsner style. So he
If I were to pinpoint America's true trademark style, it's the bourbon barrel-aged stout. That is a quintessential American beer.
took a German style pilsner, dry-hopped it with an English technique and called it: 'Tipo Pilsner' which means type of pilsner, because he knew it wasn't really a traditional pilsner. And what's his name from Firestone Walker?… Anyway, they're good friends, they brew together. And so they brewed the Pivo Pils as an offshoot to the Tipo Pils. but that is the first true Italian craft beer. If I were to pinpoint America's true trademark style, it's the bourbon barrel-aged stout. That is a quintessential American beer. Nobody could do that except for America. A bourbon barrel-aged stout is so uniquely America. Tipo pilsner, a dry-hopped pilsner, is uniquely Italian.
Why do you think countries like the United States and now Italy have been able to foster healthy craft beer scenes? We all know that American craft beer made it to the forefront because of its ingenuity. Not having an existing beer culture and being able to reproduce in our own manner all of these different styles is key. Like taking a pilsner and making it an American-style pilsner or putting stouts in bourbon barrels. That kind of ingenuity is what has made the American craft beer scene so unique and that's why its blowing up around the world. What we've been doing here in the the U.S. is based upon being able to do what we want to: make great beers with the freedom of creativity. Similarly as in Italy, without an ingrained beer culture, they can do whatever they want and there's no limitations. Germany, with their very strict beer laws, is now relenting on traditional beer laws and regulations and their craft scene is beginning to build a little more.
That kind of ingenuity is what has made the American craft beer scene so unique and that's why it's blowing up around the world.
What exactly is happening in Italian craft beer right now? I went home one year (my family's mostly in Rome) and my friend sent me to a brewery. And I was floored because it was just like what was happening in 1996 in Denver. Exactly like Denver '96. That struggle, trying to get there was so reflected in what they were doing. It was Italian craft beer. Now, next to the United States, Italy is truly the second best craft beer nation in the world. And nobody knows it yet.
In this vast pool of breweries and beer, are there any you have your eye on in particular for GABF this year? I won't be able to make it to the festival because we're so busy and I just sort of tune it out after a while. When I walk into Falling Rock this week, that list will be there. There's been a lot of beers passing through my mind so I just have to sort of turn it off for a little bit. But you know, I'm excited to see Comrade. We've been drinking it for a year and it's already a gold medal, I already know it. We're drinking gold medal beer. If that Superpower IPA is not a gold medal it'll be surprising.
Should it win a medal? It's such a great beer and they're a great brewery. I think if there was anybody I was really looking at, it's them. I think the guys at Comrade encompass a lot of what makes the craft beer scene great: they make great beers, they've learned the craft well, they've come up with a good business plan because at the end of the day, this is still your business and that's where a lot of breweries will fail. They were ready to expand but knew where they wanted to go. I was talking to Dave from Comrade and he explained how the plan is to get to a certain number and stop expansion because they'll start to lose the quality of beer and that is forbidden. That's the way you brew beer. Don't ever destroy the quality of your beer or else you're Budweiser or Miller or anybody else.
What is the last beer you will drink on this earth and your favorite beer-oriented book? The last beer would have to be Tipo Pilsner by Birrificio Italiano. I love that beer. It's the perfect craft beer: simple, but so hard to make. To make something so simple and so delicious, the Tipo Pils nails it. So the Firestone Walker Pivo Pilsner is how I get my fix here. The book that you have to read is obviously Michael Jackson's Great Beers of Belgium, that's the bible. There's no other book that says better what beer is, where it has been, where it's going, even today.
Falling Rock Tap House
1919 Blake Street, , CO 80202 (303) 293-8338 Visit Website

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