In the brewhouse – addressing technological problems in breweries

Important control elements | The brewhouse is at the heart of beer production. A boiled, sterilised and hopped sugar solution is prepared from water, malt and hops, this is then fermented by yeast. Problems relating to water, malt and hops can often be easily remedied by optimising operation, including grinding, by adjusting the mashing process and wort boiling.

Ageing stability from malt to bottle

Ageing-relevant aldehydes | Ageing stability of beers pose a major challenge for brewers. Though many influencing factors such as heat or oxygen exposure are known to be beer ageing factors, there are still some unknown variables at work. In cooperation with 21 breweries, the Weihenstephan Research Center for Brewing and Food Quality has carried out tier monitoring from malt to wort and compared ageing-relevant aldehydes with the sensory characteristics of fresh beers and their ageing indicators.

Energy saving in the brewhouse

Energy saving potentials | When energy costs are high, brewers are trying to find  possibilities for saving energy. It is possible to optimise energy consumption in many sections, as evidenced by the article on energy optimisation on p. 162. However: to ensure high production quality, process measures have to operate smoothly both technically and technologically.

High-temperature mashing with thermo-stable enzymes

Biotransformation | Modern biotechnology has enabled the discovery of new enzymatic solutions that allow brewers to overcome limitations related to raw materials and brewing methods. The temperature stability improvement of enzymes plays a pivotal role in empowering brewers to develop mashing technologies that are more sustainable.

Great contribution | Not many brewers have made such a great contribution to the science and practice of malting and brewing as Professor Ludwig Narziß. Now his fundamental reference book “Abriss der Bierbrauerei” has finally been published in English.

Sauergut and acid malt for quality and process optimization

High demands | Fluctuations in raw materials properties frequently necessitate process adaptations both in the hot as well as in the cold section of breweries. Use of biological sauergut or acid malt in the brewhouse has meantime become a widely accepted option for optimisation of beer properties in many German breweries.

20 years of process and brewing technology

A reason to celebrate | 20 years is not an eternity but still ample time to stockpile a few good stories to tell. Rolec Prozess- und Brautechnik GmbH in Chieming, Germany, celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. Wolfgang Roth and Karl Lechner founded the company on July 16, 2003. In this article, Managing Director Ralph Wittkopp discusses the brewing equipment manufacturer’s early days and their first forays into the USA, as well as their current success on a global scale as a supplier of process and brewing technology. He tells of how they have established themselves as a firm fixture in the brewing world and not just in the craft segment.

Compact brewhouse with high energy efficiency

Sud Sixty Six | The novel brewhouse concept from banke GmbH combines many advantages in terms of technology, engineering and economy. With only two brew vessels and thus the smallest feasible footprint, a revolutionary 6 brews per day are achieved in 60 minutes of lautering time. Combined with the Exergon Brew energy management system, the lowest possible energy consumption can be achieved.

Digitalisation simplifies energy data collection and monitoring

Energy monitoring 4.0 | As a state-owned brewery, the Staatliches Hofbräuhaus in Munich, Germany, feels it owes it to the environment and its customers especially to assume responsibility for better protection of our climate and act as a role model for other companies by adopting a clear position in this respect. In order to identify and realise potential savings in its consumption of steam, water and compressed air according to its environmental targets, an energy monitoring system has now been installed with the help of Endress+Hauser that makes consistent use of digitalisation.

Effects of packing on lautering performance and wort quality (Part 2)

Mash filtration | Productivity of a brewery may be considerably compromised by lautering performance. In order to counteract inefficiencies and accelerate the process, a new process strategy was investigated in the context of a research project at the Department of Process Systems Engineering. In this second part of the article series, we present the results of laboratory tests and their significance for day-to-day brewery operation.

FAN measurement during mashing

Real-time quality assurance | Research initiative smartfoodtechnologyOWL at the OWL University of Applied Sciences and Arts is committed to the digitalisation of the food industry. One of its focuses is on the real-time quality assurance of food during production. Data-intensive and non-invasive sensors such as near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) detectors play an important role here, as measurement times can be achieved in the process that are also of interest for system control using specific quality parameters.