A discrete analyzer is an automated chemical analyzer in which the instrument performs tests on samples that are kept in discrete cuvettes in contrast to a continuous flow analyzer (SFA and/or FIA) that uses a peristaltic pump for a continuous stream of reagents.

Discrete analyzers have had a long, successful history in the clinical market, and were introduced into the Environmental and Wine markets about a decade ago.

Like other discrete analyzers, Astoria-Pacific’s rAPID-T system is very simple to operate:

• The Operator selects the test(s) he/she would like to run and enters the Sample IDs and any other pertinent information for the analysis
• Sample cups and reagent bottles are loaded onto the system
• The run is started
• The system uses its robotic arm, sample needle and syringe to mix samples and reagents in replaceable and reaction cuvettes. NOTE: If selected to do so, the system can create a calibration curve from a single stock standard, thereby reducing time and errors related to manual techniques
• Once the end point of the reaction is completed, the photometer measures the resultant absorbance
• The data is collected by the rAPID-T software. NOTE: The data can then be exported to your LIMS system or other worksheet.

rAPID-T allows for online calibration prep, autodilution of off-scale samples and easy export of data and run files. It is compact, highly versatile and affordable:

1. Dimensions: 20″ x 24″ x 15″
2. Weight: 32lbs
3. Runs common applications for Drinking Water/Waste-Water: Nitrite, Nitrate, Ammonia/Ammonium, Orthophosphate, etc.
4. Runs common applications for Wine: Acetic Acid, L-Malic Acid, Ammonia, NOPA, Glucose+Fructose, Total Sulfite, etc.
5. Compact and affordable for any lab

Click HERE for more information

Please contact Astoria-Pacific to see how our discrete analyzer can complement an existing SFA system or how it can automate your applications for the first time. (Because, you know, our moms would tell you were awesome!)

L‑Malic acid is a cornerstone in the art and science of winemaking. As one of the primary organic acids in grapes—alongside tartaric—it profoundly influences taste, freshness, stability, and microbial health throughout fermentation.

Measuring L‑Malic acid aids in determining grape ripeness at harvest and in tracking malolactic fermentation, where it’s enzymatically converted to softer lactic acid—reducing sharpness while enhancing mouthfeel, complexity, and microbial stability. Precise testing ensures malolactic fermentation proceeds as intended, avoiding off‑flavors and unwanted fermentations post‑bottling. In short, L‑Malic acid testing is essential for crafting balanced, stable, and flavorful wines.

For crucial detection below 0.1 g/L, consider using the rAPID-T System from Astoria-Pacific. The rAPID-T allows the operator to monitor a variety of specific tests vs panelized data. This affordable workhorse will become an invaluable tool in your laboratory.

As wineries scale their operations, the pressure to maintain quality while meeting production timelines grows exponentially. For wineries producing anywhere from 3,000 to 300,000 cases annually, routine analyses—like sulfites and volatile acidity—can quickly overwhelm a manual testing workflow.

The Need for Speed and Accuracy

Timely and accurate data is the foundation of high-quality winemaking. Critical tests such as sulfite levels and volatile acidity help winemakers make immediate decisions that impact the stability, taste, and longevity of their wines. Manual testing, however, is time-consuming and prone to inconsistencies—risks that increase significantly during high-volume production periods.

Automation: The Smart Solution

Astoria-Pacific’s automated wine analyzers, including the rAPID-T and Astoria2, are designed to alleviate the burden of manual testing by streamlining routine analyses. These systems deliver precise, repeatable results for sulfite and volatile acid concentrations—giving winemakers confidence in their data while freeing up lab staff for higher-value tasks.

Scalable Solutions for Growing Wineries

Whether you're bottling 3,000 cases a year or pushing into six-figure territory, automated testing solutions scale with your operation. Instead of relying on manual wet chemistry or off-site labs, Astoria-Pacific’s customizable analyzers allow you to bring efficient, real-time analysis in-house—helping you stay ahead of bottlenecks and ensure consistency across every lot.

Trusted Support from Industry Veterans

With over 35 years of experience in wine and beverage analysis, Astoria-Pacific has earned a reputation for reliability and innovation. Our team works directly with wineries to tailor analyzer configurations that meet your specific throughput, accuracy, and workflow needs—so your lab runs smoothly from harvest through bottling.

Discover how automation can elevate your production. 

Contact Astoria-Pacific Today to learn more.

The Astoria2 for Free and Total Sulfite analysis is a workhorse for laboratories with high sample loads.

Unlike other instruments, the Astoria2 does not use carcinogenetic reagents for the sulfite methods. It uses easy-to-use software on WIN10 or WIN11 and runs at up to 120 tests per hour.

Please note that the Astoria2 is designed for labs with lots of samples, so make sure to do appropriate cost analysis prior to purchase. We are happy to assist you with this endeavor. 

The rAPID-T is an affordable system. Choose when you want to run different tests on your time. Automate core tests such as Acetic Acid, Glucose+Fructose, Free Sulfite, L-Malic Acid, NOPA, Ammonia, Total Sulfite.

Stop by booth #238 at 

the Unified Wine and Grape symposium.

Ask us how you can run Acetic Acid, Free Sulfite, Glucose+Fructose, L-Malic Acid, NOPA, Ammonia and Total Sulfite analyses at your own winery!

Come by Astoria-Pacific's Booth # 623 at the WIN EXPO DEC 5, 2024. 

We want to discuss the idea of bringing real science back to Free Sulfite analysis in wine. Oh, yes, we also offer systems for other crucial tests.

Is your lab ready for the coming year? Are you using the best instrumentation for your wine analyses? To learn more, visit Astoria-Pacific, booth number 623, at the WIN Expo on Dec 5, 2024!

Will you be attending the ASEV Symposium in Portland this year? If so, please pop by our display. If not but know someone who is, have them stop by. Astoria-Pacific offers the rAPID-T for your common tests like Acetic Acid, Malic, Glucose+Fructose, etc. We also have a new system for Free Sulfite that will be introduced later this year.

Need a little help with your wine analyses?

Astoria-Pacific offers a very affordable system for the automated analysis of Acetic Acid, Glucose+Fructose, Malic Acid, Total Sulfites, Ammonia and NOPA. We understand that trying to analyze these tests manually and/or using handheld devices start becoming impractical for many wineries as they grow ... and, truthfully, there is also significant "sticker shock" when trying to look for other automated solutions.

Therefore, trust in us to provide you with the most affordable analyzer for these core tests in the wine industry. Also, benefit from driving your costs down from $4 - $7 per test to ~$0.50 - $0.70 per test via automation...

Hmmm ... do you have an FT-IR but still need a way to it calibrate every year? An inexpensive rAPID-T can do that and also be that additional layer of testing when your wine nears completion.

Astoria-Pacific ... yes, we're obviously trying to sell you something ... but we're also trying to help with sound, reliable chemistry...

Need a little help with your wine analyses?

Astoria-Pacific offers a very affordable system for the automated analysis of Acetic Acid, Glucose+Fructose, Malic Acid, Total Sulfites, Ammonia and NOPA. We understand that trying to analyze these tests manually and/or using handheld devices start becoming impractical for many wineries as they grow ... and, truthfully, there is also significant "sticker shock" when trying to look for other automated solutions.

Therefore, trust in us to provide you with the most affordable analyzer for these core tests in the wine industry. Also, benefit from driving your costs down from $4 - $7 per test to ~$0.50 - $0.70 per test via automation...

Hmmm ... do you have an FT-IR but still need a way to it calibrate every year? An inexpensive rAPID-T can do that and also be that additional layer of testing when your wine nears completion.

Astoria-Pacific ... yes, we're obviously trying to sell you something ... but we're also trying to help with sound, reliable chemistry...

Please visit our booth 253 at the Oregon Wine Symposium, Feb 13 - 15, this month. We can discuss various wine analyses, including our new Free Sulfite analyzer, which will be available later this year. We look forward to talking with you.

For decades, Astoria-Pacific has offered its clients reliable laboratory instrumentation from Newborn Screening and Environmental labs to Breweries and Wineries around the world. Our winery clients currently use our instrumentation for the analyses of Acetic Acid, Glucose+Fructose, L-Malic Acid, Ammonia, NOPA, Free Sulfite and Total Sulfites.

This year, we are excited to preview our new Free Sulfite module for Wine Analysis at the Unified Wine and Grape Symposium.

Please stop by booth 101 for more details.

Astoria Pacific
Unified Symposium Booth: 101

Astoria-Pacific is based in the Pacific Northwest. Our goal is to provide you with sound, reliable and affordable instrumentation for your laboratory.

Big winery? Small winery? Something in between? We’ll have you covered.

Free Sulfite Analysis Got You Down? 

No worries! Swing by Unified booth #101 for a preview of our new module for Free Sulfite Analysis. Big winery? Small winery? Something in between? 

Astoria-Pacific will have you covered. It's time to think about the future...

Recently, the Automated Hydrazine Reduction method for Nitrate-Nitrite Analysis was added to the Federal Register. Referenced is Standard Methods: Nitrate-Nitrite (as N) mg/L, Automated Hydrazine, 4500-NO3 H-2016:

eCFR :: 40 CFR Part 136 -- Guidelines Establishing Test Procedures for the Analysis of Pollutants

Astoria-Pacific has therefore added this method to its list of available applications for the rAPID-T system, which has proven to be an affordable workhorse in many laboratories. It is a great system to be used as a primary, secondary, or backup system.

If you currently have a rAPID-T system, contact us for the method update. Or ... if you are looking for an additional system (isn't it always nice to have another system around?), contact us for a list of available applications and how to purchase a system for < $17,000 (in the USA). 

The rAPID-T system is a versatile and affordable system!

It allows you to monitor your enzymatic assays and Total Sulfites with NOOOOOO need to pre-treatment samples with additional reagents! Load your samples and reagents and walk away!

Common tests:

>Ammonia

>Acetic Acid

>Glucose+Fructose

>L-Malic Acid

>NOPA

>Total Sulfite (no pretreatment of samples with reagents necessary!)

Astoria-Pacific offers affordable, reliable and dependable automated analyzers for Wine Analysis. Core applications for testing are: Acetic Acid, Glucose+Fructose, L-Malic Acid, Total Sulfite, and NOPA and Ammonia. This year, we are EXCITED to offer a new Free Sulfite module (AstoriaX-FS) that couples with our rAPID-T system--thereby creating an AMAZING platform for Free Sulfite analysis! The rAPID-XT will ELIMINATE the "guess work and unreliability" of current Free Sulfite reagent kits on the market. The rAPID-XT will offer "long sought" parity with your reference lab of choice (myEnologist, Baker Wine Lab, ETS, Vinquiry, etc.). Stop by our virtual booth, and/or zap us an email for more information. Make Wine Analysis DEPENDABLE again!

Astoria-Pacific offers true Free and Total Sulfite analyzers that match the reference lab of your choice. Systems are available for small to large wineries.

Contact Brady for more information about sulfite analysis and other analytical methods at:

brady@astoria-pacific.com

Astoria-Pacific offers wineries a variety of methods for their analytical needs. Depending on the test, two different analyzers are available.

To begin, the Astoria®2 Analyzer has been configured to monitor Free and/or Total Sulfite samples, which are determined using the DTNB method with Gas Diffusion Membrane. The working range for Free Sulfite is 5 – 100 mg/L.

This instrument has been designed for high throughput: 60 Sulfite determinations per hour.

Click Here to learn more.

The rAPID-T system is a versatile and affordable system!

It allows you to monitor your enzymatic assays and Total Sulfites with NOOOOOO need to pre-treatment samples with additional reagents! Load your samples and reagents and walk away!

Common tests:

>Ammonia

>Acetic Acid

>Glucose+Fructose

>L-Malic Acid

>NOPA

>Total Sulfite (no pretreatment of samples with reagents necessary!)