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Laboratory analysis

Request analysisWhich test do I need?

Viticulture & juice

Maturity sampling and crush: pH, TA, Brix, YAN, malic and potassium, so you know when to pick and what the yeast will need.

Winemaking

Wine chemistry on auto-titration, NIR alcohol, DMA density and SPICA enzymatics, plus qPCR counts for the seven organisms that cause most of the grief.

Brewing, cider & other primary industries

Alcohol, pH, acidity, density, residual sugars and spoilage organisms for beer, cider, spirits and other fermented products.

Test menu & prices Per sample · NZD · ex GST · Same day = dropped off by 12 noon
AnalysisApplies toMethodSampleTurnaroundPrice
pHJuice, wine, wort, beer, ciderAuto titrator60 mLSame day$16
Titratable acidity (TA)as tartaric · pH 8.2 end point (pH 7.0 on request)Juice, wine, wort, beer, ciderAuto titrator60 mLSame day$23
AlcoholWine, beer, cider, spiritsNIR · Anton Paar Alcolyzer60 mLSame day$32
Brix · density · specific gravityJuice, wine, wort, beer, ciderAnton Paar DMA60 mLSame day$25
Free SO₂guideJuice, wine, ciderEnzymatic · SPICA60 mLSame day$26
Total SO₂Juice, wine, ciderEnzymatic · SPICA60 mLSame day$26
Free + total SO₂Juice, wine, ciderEnzymatic · SPICA60 mLSame day$42
L-malic acidguideWine, beer, ciderEnzymatic · SPICA5 mLSame day$30
Glucose + fructoseresidual sugarWine, beer, ciderEnzymatic · SPICA5 mLSame day$38
Glucose and fructose, reported separatelyWine, beer, ciderEnzymatic · SPICA5 mLSame day$52
Total sugarsucrose + glucose + fructoseWine, beer, ciderEnzymatic · SPICA60 mLSame day$43
Volatile acidityas acetic acid · guideWine, beer, ciderEnzymatic · SPICA5 mLSame day$40
Citric acidWine, beer, ciderEnzymatic · SPICA5 mLSame day$43
CalciumWine, juiceEnzymatic · SPICA5 mLSame day$43
PotassiumJuice, wineSPICA60 mLSame day$46
YANammonia + NOPA · guideJuiceEnzymatic · SPICA60 mLSame day$54

Volumes are for a single analysis; when you request several on one sample, the request portal works out the total. Send full, sealed bottles with no headspace for SO₂ and alcohol.

PanelIncludesMethodSampleTurnaroundPrice
Juice panel · BasicpH, TA, BrixTitration · DMA60 mL settled juiceSame day$40
Juice panel · Basic, from grapespH, TA, Brix, including berry processingTitration · DMAGrape sampleSame day$46
Juice panel · ProBasic + YAN, L-malicTitration · DMA · SPICA60 mL settled juiceSame day$135
Juice panel · FullPro + potassium, glucose + fructoseTitration · DMA · SPICA60 mL settled juiceSame day$205

Settled juice for all juice panels unless you're sending grapes. Individual juice tests are priced on the Chemistry tab.

PanelIncludesMethodSampleTurnaroundPrice
Wine panel · BasicpH, TA, free and total SO₂, alcoholTitration · SPICA · NIR120 mLSame day$105
Wine panel · FullBasic + L-malic, volatile acidity, glucose + fructoseTitration · SPICA · NIR120 mLSame day$199
Full micro panelBrettanomyces, S. cerevisiae, Z. bailii, Lactobacillus, Acetobacter, P. parvulus, P. damnosus — cells/mL eachqPCR60 mL1–5 days$249

Panels need the panel volume, not the single-test volume.

AnalysisOrganismsResultSampleTurnaroundPrice
Full micro panel · 7 organismsBrettanomyces, S. cerevisiae, Z. bailii, Lactobacillus brevis/plantarum/hilgardii, Acetobacter, Pediococcus parvulus, P. damnosusCells/mL per species60 mL1–5 days$249
Brettanomyces · wineBrettanomyces bruxellensisCells/mL60 mL1–5 days$120
Brettanomyces · juiceBrettanomyces bruxellensisCells/mL60 mL1–5 days$135
Single species · otherAny one organism from the panelCells/mL60 mL1–5 days$122
Yeast panelBrettanomyces, S. cerevisiae, Z. bailiiDetected / not detected60 mL1–5 days$165
Lactic acid bacteria panelLactobacillus, PediococcusCells/mL60 mL1–5 days$149
Bacteria panelLactobacillus, Acetobacter, PediococcusCells/mL60 mL1–5 days$199
Confirmation · yeast or bacteriapost-filtration / bottlingYeast group or bacteria groupDetected / not detected60 mL1–5 days$120
Confirmation · yeast + bacteriapost-filtration / bottlingAll seven organismsDetected / not detected60 mL1–5 days$179.50
Beer full qPCR panelBeer spoilage organismsCells/mL per species60 mL1–5 days$289

qPCR runs in scheduled batches. Our assays count viable cells, culturable or not, and exclude dead cells, so a result after SO₂, filtration or chitosan shows what survived. How to read a qPCR result.

ItemPrice
Sensory assessment, per wine$75
Priority testingchemistry within hours, qPCR on the next run+25%
Courier or sample transport arranged by FermLabsAt cost
Aeration-oxidation SO₂ (manual reference method)free $35 · total $35 · free + total $58from $35

Reagents

For your own bench. Email the lab before pick-up so it's ready.

ReagentVolumePrice
Orthophosphoric acid 25%1 L$78.85
Orthophosphoric acid 25%500 mL$40.28
Hydrogen peroxide 30%250 mL$42.54
Sodium hydroxide 0.1 M1 L$44.77
Sodium hydroxide 0.1 M500 mL$32.95
pH buffer 71 L$43.52
pH buffer 7500 mL$22.91
pH buffer 41 L$43.52
pH buffer 4500 mL$22.91
When to use qPCRQuantitative panels from the end of ferment through to bottling. Confirmation tests suit bright tanks, post-filtration, post-sulphur and pre-bottling checks.
Partner laboratoryQuantitative qPCR panels are run with our partner laboratory, dnature diagnostics. Samples may also be referred out to validate a result or during peak demand.
Not on the list?Other analyses are often available on request, and anything we can't run here we can refer out. Commercial and volume pricing stays as it is until 1 January 2027. Ask us.
Labelled sample tubes in a green rack on the lab bench
Precision How we measure

The right analysis, at the right time, measured as well as it can be.

Precision starts before a sample reaches the bench. We help you choose the analysis that answers your question, match turnaround to the decision you're making, and run validated methods checked against reference standards. If a result doesn't sit right with what you're seeing in the cellar, tell us and we'll look at it again together.

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