[ChemEngStudent]

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!

[Slowbrew]

Have you considered using a heavy gauge needle?  Don't open the bottle but instead puncture the cap and extract the vapors into a sample tube.

My other thoughts would require brewing another beer and design/build a capping system the has something like a spunding value. You could rig up your collection system and open the valve.  Or simply keg the beer and use the PRV to collect samples.

You may need to make friends in the mechanical engineering school.  You have beer so that shouldn't be too difficult.

Paul

[jeffy]

You can put the finished beer into plastic bottles normally used for tonic or soda and add a "carbonator cap" https://www.homebrewing.org/CarbaCap_p_108.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=shopping&gclid=CjwKCAiA5JnuBRA-EiwA-0ggPTaYS3NPL-2rRYTuKGCLbZyWrVB0YMRYXjT9HBS4694-04XYY3ev8xoCvykQAvD_BwE
This way you could hook up a quick disconnect ball lock fitting to the bottle and send it to your machine by beer line.

[Thirsty_Monk]

You can put the finished beer into plastic bottles normally used for tonic or soda and add a "carbonator cap" https://www.homebrewing.org/CarbaCap_p_108.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=shopping&gclid=CjwKCAiA5JnuBRA-EiwA-0ggPTaYS3NPL-2rRYTuKGCLbZyWrVB0YMRYXjT9HBS4694-04XYY3ev8xoCvykQAvD_BwE
This way you could hook up a quick disconnect ball lock fitting to the bottle and send it to your machine by beer line.

This would work quite well. Now the only thing you need to worry is to collect a correct sample that you do not get false reading. But it you leave more head space in the bottle, you will have more gas to work with.