Alcohol analysis

Our alcohol analysis enables reliable quality and conformity control of products containing alcohol, and ethanol. The international recognition of our STS 0119 test laboratory can simplify the export of goods.

Alcohol analysis is used to determine the alcohol content. — © METAS

Alcohol analysis in everyday life

Alcohol analysis is used to determine the alcohol content and helps to ensure the quality of products containing alcohol – such as spirits, food containing alcohol, industrial alcohol or denaturants – and to verify their compliance with legal requirements.

We support companies in monitoring the quality of their products containing alcohol and advise them on analytical issues. We also check whether products comply with legal requirements and applicable standards.

Typical applications of alcohol analysis

Alcohol analysis is used in various areas, such as:

• In the production and sale of spirits and foods containing alcohol as conformity control
• In the cosmetics and fragrance industry for quality control of raw materials
• In the pharmaceutical industry to verify conformity and processes

Our services in the field of alcohol analysis

The Field Chemical tests and consultancy offers a wide range of analyses of alcoholic beverages and food, as well as ethanol and other products.

“Drinks and tobacco” services

In the area of drinks and tobacco, we offer the following determinations and analyses, among others:

• Alcohol content determination (in spirits, liqueurs, beer, wine, food)
• Extract and sugar content determination, inter alia, according to EC 2870/2000, by means of HPLC or enzymatic determination
• Determination of typical and atypical ingredients such as methanol, high-percentage alcohol, thuion, ethyl carbamate (urethane), etc. using GC-FID or GCxGC-FID/MS
• Determination of fermentation by-products (in relation to spirits tax)

“Ethanol” services

We offer the following determinations and analyses for ethanol, denaturants and blends thereof:

• Identity and conformity testing of ethanol according to pharmacopoeias
• Identity and conformity testing of denaturants and denatured ethanol in accordance with legal requirements or pharmacopoeias

Is the service you are looking for not listed on the website? Please do not hesitate to contact us so that we can work together to find a customised solution to your problem.

Measuring methods and technologies

Our analysis methods are based on (cross)-validated and tried and tested methods. The measurement methods comply with the applicable laws, standards and pharmacopoeias.

Quality and expertise

This technical field is accredited according to ISO 17025 (STS 0119 test laboratory):

• Accredited scope of the METAS test laboratory STS 0119

You can find more information on the quality of our services on the “Integrated Management System” page.

Enquiry and contact

Chemical tests and consultancy
Federal Institute of Metrology METAS
Lindenweg 50
3003 Bern-Wabern

T [phone]
[e-mail]

FAQ

• Why are the analytical methods used at METAS more accurate than other technologies (e.g. portable density meters)?

  Portable density meters do not account for the extract of a liquid. Since the extract influences the density, the alcohol content can only be determined inaccurately. On the other hand, METAS’s measurement methods allow for a more precise determination of the alcohol content.

• Can I get in touch with you via the contact or registration form?

  A registration form does not exist. We would be happy to advise you personally by e-mail or telephone.

• To what extent can international recognition simplify the export of goods?

  Customs laws and taxes exist all over the world. If you want to export something, you have to take these different laws into account. Some countries have recognition lists (e.g. Japan), while others have recognition systems (e.g. Brazil). Others, in turn, rely on analyses from external laboratories accredited according to ISO 17025 to assess the conformity of the goods.
  Naming this laboratory on such a list or system may shorten the duration of the batch release.

More information

• Tables for determining the alcohol content

  PDF401.04 kB17 August 2026

• Legal basis

  • Federal Act on Alcohol (Alcohol Act, AlcA, SR 680)
  • Federal Act on Foodstuffs and Utility Articles (Foodstuffs Act, FoodA, SR 817.0)
  • Customs Act (CustA, SR 631.0)
  • FDHA Ordinance on Beverages (SR 817.022.12)
  • FDHA Ordinance on the Maximum Levels for Contaminants (Contaminants Ordinance, ContO, SR 817.022.15)

• Normative principles

  • Commission Regulation (EC) No 2870/2000 of 19 December 2000 laying down Community reference methods for the analysis of spirits drinks
  • European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.)
  • Pharmacopoea Helvetica online (Ph. Helv.) - Schweizerisches Arzneibuch