Wet milling | The malting and the brewing industries are in a constant need of saving money, energy and lowering their carbon footprint. What if maltsters could skip the most energy consuming step of nowadays malt production, i.e. the kilning process? And what if brewers had a workable process to mill the green malt? This article presents an introduction to brewing with green malt with an innovative wet milling system comprising two sequential mills, the first being used for cutting and the second for crushing.

Single rest | Interest in reduced-alcohol and alcohol-free beers is growing. Can they also be produced by craft brewers? The authors describe a simple, isothermal mashing process in which temperature is maintained constant at 72 °C for 120 minutes. Using different malt mixes, original gravities will range from 10.6 to 12.1 °P. The alcohol content of the finished beer is between 1.9 and 3.5 per cent ABV and, when adding Saccharomycodes ludwigii, about 1 per cent ABV.

Beer color values in comparison | This is the last part in a three-part series of articles about beer color. Part 1 examined the evolution of color measurements of finished beers [1]. Part 2 outlined the logic behind five popular, malt-based, mathematical color predictors that are commonly used throughout the world at the recipe design stage [2]. Finally, this article looks at three beers brewed specifically for this study to evaluate the saliency and precision of the formulae presented in part 2 by comparing their predictions to actual laboratory color measurements.

Exhaust heat project | An innovative concept that uses fermentation and refrigeration compressor energy via heat pumps has been introduced in the Puntigam district of Graz in Austria. The modern heating system for a new residential estate of 800 flats is the result of a cooperation between Brauerei Puntigam, Kelag Energie & Wärme GmbH and C&P Immobilien AG.

Fatty acids and foam | It is common knowledge that beer foam and fat(ty acids) do not get along with each other [1, 2, 3]. However, technologies and raw materials are natural sources of fatty acids in wort and beer. The extent to which medium-chain fatty acids regarded as detrimental to foam play a role will be described in more detail in this article.

So far and yet so near | The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the regular operations of many companies has shown that we need innovative solutions to be able to also guarantee safety of investment in times of crisis. With customers in over 60 countries of the world, medium-sized systems manufacturer BrauKon from Seeon in Germany has also been hugely challenged by the imposed travel and contact restrictions. It therefore decided to fast-track the development of its remote commissioning process.

Fully protected | To ensure IT security at Bell’s Brewery in Kalamazoo, Michigan, one of the largest craft breweries in the U.S., is fit for the future, three “highlight requirements” had to be met in just one project: Besides upgrading the control system, the server and the workstation operating systems, the database architecture was also fully updated. Working closely with the brewery’s IT team, ProLeiT was able to complete the whole project in just two weeks.

Infusion vs. decoction | Who in the brewing industry has not heard the often repeated saying: With modern, well-modified malts decoction is no longer necessary? But how does this work in practice? The authors of this article introduce an empirical sensory test to get closer to the truth.

Steinecker GmbH | Beginning in April 2021, the newly founded company Steinecker GmbH will offer all of the solutions and equipment required in a brewery.

Fermentation cellar extension | Exceptional beers require extraordinary design. Retrofitting new outdoor tanks and process technology at the Jopen Brewery near Amsterdam has created new opportunities for further developments in beer production while simultaneously increasing process reliability.

Industrial Internet of Things | The general economic and social conditions are forcing brewers to further optimize their consumption of raw materials and resources as well as their plant performance.