CO₂ content (carbon dioxide and overpressure)

In wine and sparkling wine

For wine, sparkling wine and semi sparkling wine, there are different limits for contents of carbon dioxide (g/l) or overpressure (bar) depending on quality. Therefor the evaluation of carbon dioxide concentration or Overpressure is an important parameter for the marketability.
Furthermore, the concentration of carbon dioxide or overpressure is an important quality parameter, in that the freshness of the product is influenced through the content of carbon dioxide.
For wine exist a maximum value of 3 g/l (~ 1bar) carbon dioxide, whereas semi sparkling wine must have an overpressure of at least 1 bar and sparkling wine (Sekt) must have an overpressure of at least 3,5 bar. Depending on production of semi sparkling wine or sparkling wine, there is a difference between exogenous and endogenous carbon dioxide:

Exogenous carbon dioxide will be added to the product after the completed fermentation. This kind of carbon dioxide is normally technical produced.

Endogenous carbon dioxide is from first and second fermentation of the product. This carbon dioxide stays directly in product as for example during the traditional method of sparkling wine or it could be collected during the fermentation and added to the product later again.

In beer

The dissolved carbon dioxide content of beer is an important quality characteristic. The “Rezenz” (tingle) of beer depends essentially on appropriate concentrations of carbon dioxide (bottom-fermented beer 0,40-0,60 GG%, top-fermented beer 0,40-0,80 GG%), whereby beer with stale taste has low carbon dioxide concentrations. Furthermore, carbon dioxide plays an important role for foam formation. Besides the concentration of carbon dioxide has a bearing on thresholds of flavouring components and aromatic components, so that flavour profile is influenced.