LED lighting: Will it skunk beer?

[Silver_Is_Money]

I've read conflicting reports on this. Can the typical white 120 VAC LED replacement bulb type of lighting (with A19 or A21 shape, and E26 threaded base) skunk beer, or is this form of light completely off the hook due to having no UV component within its emission spectrum?

 

[ajdelange]

LEDs have a more or less continuous spectrum throughout the visible range and as blue photons have enough energy to break the relevant bond (hence brown bottles) I'd expect that there is some potential for skunking with LEDs but I certainly have no feel for how much less or more it might be relative to say, CFL's.

 

[MaxStout]

It is my understanding that UV and near-UV wavelengths are the culprit. Thus, sunlight and fluorescent lighting can skunk beer. Incandescent bulbs less so, as they emit longer wave light and less on the other end of the spectrum. LED bulbs incorporate different colors of LEDs to achieve a particular color temperature of white light. I don't think any of those are close to UV.

There used to be a craft beer store in the Twin Cities (Four Firkins) that specialized in craft beer, before everybody started selling it. They lit the place entirely with LED lamps, which was rather expensive several years ago.

 

[day_trippr]

LED lamps are not created equally. I'd steer away from frosted bulbs as they typically use LEDs that emit in the UV/near-UV spectrum and use rare earth minerals in the frosting to convert that energy to something approaching the "daylight" spectrum. Whatever leaks through that frosting will appear as a big ass spike in the near-UV/blue range...

Cheers!

 

[Lefou]

White or frosted bulbs emit all colors of light in the spectrum but the major influence of what color dominates depends on the element, bulb's glass color, and energy output.
Shorter wavelengths of light have more energy intensity and that's why UV or blue/black lights in the blue/purple range can be a big culprit in skunking beer. I recall a video on YouTube by the two guys on "Basic Brewing" where they left a bottle out in the warm sun and compared the flavor and aroma to a fresh, cold beer. The result was sorta amusing and informative.

I have a "toy" laser that emits about one watt of LED power in the UV range. It isn't for kids or fools and emits an extremely bluish-purple beam of light that's visible for miles. It's startlingly noticeable and the light is unnaturally intense enough to burn objects a few feet away. Great stuff if you're marooned on a desert island or want a stupid amount of attention in a short period of time around a group of people, so it's something you DONT use in public.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

What about reflected sunlight, such as reflected off the walls of a home? Would such reflected light still have UV?

 

[flars]

What about reflected sunlight, such as reflected off the walls of a home? Would such reflected light still have UV?

Reflected light contains UV. Persons with photo dermatitis will sometimes need to have rooms exposed to sunlight painted with a non reflective and UV absorbing paint.

 

[Drk93TT]

No.