Hello,
I am a chemical engineering student and we are trying to figure out how to extract aroma without losing any of the compounds so that we can analyze by GCMS. We brewed New England IPA style by using dry hops, yeast, and a Zymatic brewing machine. We are trying to figure out what specific compounds gives the New England IPA the flavor so that we can manipulate the process. We are trying to run Head Space analysis in GCMS (testing the vapor aroma without injecting the beer). Our issue is that as soon as we open the bottle, the aroma gets lost when exposed to air and we are trying to find a mechanism to not lose any aroma. We want to make something homemade and inexpensive so that when we open the bottle all aromas are concentrated and captured. We need ideas of how to make a sealed process to do so if any of you have some suggestions it would be appreciated!
Please only post about a topic in one section. I’ll wait until tomorrow to remove the duplicate posts.
The link below is for a can tap that’s used to dispense refrigerants. It has a pin that penetrants the side wall of the can and a seal that prevents leakage. With the thin aluminum wall on a beer can you’d need to use the tool as close as possible to one end of the can where it wouldn’t be as prone to bend when the needed pressure was applied. It should work. Of coarse the can would need to lay on its side and tilted with the end the tool is on upward.
If not, I could be modified to work on the bottom of a can or a bottle cap.
I’m an old mechanic that specialized in HVAC, so that’s all I’ve got 
That’s an interesting problem, and right up my alley.
We never did headspace gas analysis in my GC/MS lab, but it ought to be easy. You need to bubble a neutral gas such as nitrogen through the beer sample and collect the volitiles in a chamber that can be attached to the injector. Use a balloon if your budget is tight, but be sure to run a control sample.
This can probably be done at RT, but I would start with a cold beer sample. Several replications at rising temperatures should give you a good idea of what you’re dealing with.
Charlie