East African Breweries posted a 22 percent rise in first-half pretax profit to 6.45 billion shillings, ($94.85 million) for the six months ended December 31, 2007, boosted by sales in its main Kenyan market, the company said, according to Reuters, March 3.

"We have delivered extremely good profit before tax growth of 22 percent. Kenya has provided the powerhouse of revenue growth," group commercial director Chris Caldwell told a briefing for investors.

Kenya contributed 66 percent of the group's 16.1 billion shillings of revenues in the first half to end-December, up 27 percent from the previous year's total.

The company, majority owned by the world's biggest drinks group, Diageo, had pretax profit of 5.3 billion shillings in the first half a year ago.

EABL said post-election unrest in Kenya had disrupted transportation of products and fuel to plants in Uganda for five days in December, and slowed sales in January and February.

A disputed presidential vote triggered violence that killed at least 1,000 people, displaced 300,000 and interrupted economic activity.

The company hopes to recover in the second half, after President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga signed a power-sharing deal last week, helping ease tension in the country and restore investor confidence.

"In the last ...More Info

D. Evan Evans and Anne Surrel, Tasmanian Institute of Agricultural Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia; Megan Sheehy and Douglas C. Stewart, Joe White Maltings Ltd., Adelaide, SA, Australia; and Louise H. Robinson, Lion Nathan Limited, Lidcombe, NSW, Australia


Abstract
J. Am. Soc. Brew. Chem. 66(1):1-10, 2008 Rudin, NIBEM, lacing index, cylinder pour, and shake foam quality tests were comprehensively compared to evaluate their utility and responsiveness to beer components that are thought to influence foam quality. Each of the tests responded differently to beer characteristics that influence beer foam quality. The Rudin and shake tests responded positively to the level and content of foam-promoting proteins (i.e., protein Z4) and also to the level of isomerized hop a-acids in beer. However, the shake test did not differentiate between isomerized and hydrogenated hop a-acids, whereas the Rudin test did. The lacing index responded positively to isomerized hop a-acids, hydrogenated in particular, but possibly negatively to alcohol. Hydrogenation of hop a-acids and protein Z4 increased foam stability as measured by the cylinder pour test, whereas alcohol, higher pH, and CO2 level tended to reduce foam stability. A positive association with the level of isomerized hop acids was not observed; however, further investigation is required to clarify this. Finally, the NIBEM test results were influenced positively by the level of isomerized hop acids and protein Z4, while they were negatively correlated with viscosity and final gravity. Hop a-acid hydrogenation substantially improved NIBEM foam stability compared with isomerized hop a-acids. The NIBEM test was correlated positively with the Rudin, cylinder pour, lacing index, and shake (foam quality generated) tests. These comparisons and observations suggest how these foam quality evaluation tests may be best used for quality control/assurance and beverage development.
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