Monitoring of Italian Grape Ale aging in barrels by a graphite based sensor for polyphenols detection

The aim of this study was to investigate the first stages of total phenolics evolution and the antioxidant activity in Italian Grape Ales (IGA) aged in three wood barrels that previously contained, for three years, Vernaccia di Oristano D.O.C., a Sardinian white wine. Total phenolic content (TPC) was determined by a really simple and low cost amperometric graphite sensor and validated by Folin-Ciocalteu method. Antioxidant activity of beer was determined spectrophotometrically by DPPH, ABTS and FRAP assays.