BRAUWELT International 6-2022

Working efficiently in an environmentally friendly manner while conserving resources has long been a matter of course in the brewing industry.

However, both the G20 Summit in Bali and the World Climate Conference in Egypt have once again shown all of us that there is an urgent need to do much more for our planet. Fortunately, there are many who are actively working on solutions for our future, some of which we will be highlighting in this issue.

Raw Materials and Climate Change – As pleased as we are to present the official alpha acid values for the 2022 hop harvest in Germany, this year’s numbers are not very encouraging. In addition to the low crop yields, the alpha acid content was unsatisfactory (p. 376). This is because our raw materials are strongly influenced by the weather. In Spain, a new type of grain has been developed from wheat and barley, which seems to be a climate-tolerant alternative. It appears suitable for a number of applications, including beer production. For more details, turn to p. 370.

Customized for Smaller Breweries – Whether in Germany, the USA or elsewhere, it is becoming increasingly appealing for smaller breweries to produce their own malt. Brewers are seeking custom-made malt or malt created using regional barley for their unique beers. And yet, due to their batch size, many malthouses are unable to produce these kinds of malt. Cord von Hantelmann and Karl Eichhorn fill this void with a concept for a compact malthouse. Their malting system, which employs a rotating deck, is introduced on p. 365.

Filtration – Made to Order – Speaking of…craft brewers are recognized for their DIY creativity and also because they know exactly what they want – unique beer with an impressive flavor and an undeniable charisma. Several different filtration processes allow the haze levels, color and flavor to be manipulated in a targeted manner. In the fifth and final part of our series on filtration in the brewery, find out how filtration can contribute to the appearance and quality of craft beer (p. 385).

Salt of the Earth – Water treatment is also an essential topic for brewers. Untreated water rarely possesses the high level of quality necessary for beer production. On p. 380, you can read about new membrane-based desalination technology, designed to reduce hardness and alkalinity in a flexible and environmentally friendly manner.
And even if all of these are merely small pieces in a puzzle and represent only a portion of the overall picture, they enable us to conserve resources while working even more efficiently and in ways that will preserve and help sustain our natural home. We should utilize any and all opportunities to do so!

Authors

• Lydia Junkersfeld