Euromalt, the European malting industry Association, and the European Brewery Convention (EBC), the technical and scientific arm within The Brewers of Europe, have reached an important breakthrough in the research on gushing: in a joint research project with the German Research and Teaching Institute for Brewing in Berlin (VLB), a potential method to predict the gushing potential of malt and beer samples was identified.

Sustainable energy data management

Continuous improvement | For many years beverage production plants had the goal of reducing consumption and increasing productivity. Both financial and climate protection aspects have been keeping continuous improvement processes alive. This article looks at the implications these optimization efforts have on users’ demands for energy data management systems (EDMS).

Refrigeration trends in brewing

Energy-efficient refrigeration concept | The brewing sector is experiencing high pressure on margins. Simultaneously, production costs are increasing rapidly due to rising energy costs. In order to provide refrigeration in the most efficient manner, the search for supply concepts that take account of technical, economic and ecological factors is growing in importance. The following contribution describes the multi-faceted aspects of providing factory refrigeration and offers refrigeration contracting as a solution.

Energy saving in malt milling

Potential usages | In recent years, energy savings have been achieved in the brewhouse, fermenting room/storage cellar and in filling. With modern malt reception and milling, energy usage could be lowered still further while simultaneously raising yield.

In the globally recognised annual sustainability ratings issued by Oekom Research AG, Munich, Germany, Krones AG, Neutraubling, Germany, has improved its status from a C+ Prime to a B- Prime. This is the best rating achieved since the company was first included in the analyses. With this rating, Krones AG now ranks among the three best companies in the “machinery” category, and is thus listed as an “Industry Leader”.

Krones AG, Neutraubling, Germany has rejuvenated its subsidiary Kosme, which produces machines and lines for the lower output range. The new organisation relates solely to Kosme’s facility in Roverbella, Italy.

VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland was commissioned to analyse the bottles of beer salvaged from the 1840s shipwreck found near the Åland Islands in 2010 (as BRAUWELT International reported). Living bacteria found in the bottles were subject to further tests to find out how the cells had survived for so long in the wreck.

The German firm Buse Gastek GmbH & Co. KG, headquartered in Bad Hönningen, is merging its business divisions for CO2 production and recovery plant construction and dry ice technology with the Swiss company Asco Carbon Dioxide Ltd, headquartered in Romanshorn. Employees of Buse Gastek working in these divisions will be transferred to Asco, a subsidiary of the German specialist in industrial gases Messer Group. Based on sales figures for 2013, the merger will result in a competitive company with an estimated annual turnover of EUR 32 million.

The Coca-Cola Company and Monster Beverage Corporation announced that they have entered into definitive agreements for a long-term strategic partnership that is expected to accelerate growth for both companies in the fast-growing, global energy drink category.

Krones improved all key financial performance indicators over the previous year in the first half of 2014. Revenue rose 4.2 percent year-on-year in the first half of 2014, from EUR 1377.5 million to EUR 1435.5 million. The emerging markets contributed an important part of this growth.