Beers aged in casks and barrels

The trend, as it is known today, of ageing beer in wooden casks is spreading rapidly in artisanal (and other) fermentation cellars. However, there is nothing new about this almost global phenomenon, which dates all the way back to antiquity. This article is the first part in a new mini-series on barrel aging which will be published in the following issues of BRAUWELT International.

Advanced simulation software for small brewers

Large breweries have been able to access the business benefits of simulation software for decades. The costs of purchase and implementation tends to mean that smaller companies, such as craft brewers, are not able to access these applications, even though they could gain considerable competitive advantage through their use. Generic simulation templates running on the Cloud offer small and medium sized companies the benefits of simulation without the time and cost of traditional bespoke solutions.

Biogas production from brewery yeast in an EGSB reactor

Experience over a five-year period of full throughput using anaerobic co-digestion of brewery yeast for biogas production is described in this contribution. The brewery, with a total amount of available yeast (0.7 v/v %), had a 26.2 % increase in COD load and a 38.5 % increase in biogas production resulting in an increase in the biomethane/natural gas substitution ratio in the brewery from 10 % to 16 %.

Reducing pressure on containers in filling lines

Containers are becoming lighter, more customized and often more delicate. At the same time, the performance of filling systems is improving, while demands to reduce costs are on the rise. The key questions within this context are as follows: How can one both monitor and optimize pressure on containers in the bottling line in order to reduce scuffing and broken bottles? How can the necessary optimization be carried out using simple and efficient methods and how can their efficacy be evaluated? This article shows to which extent this challenge can be met with the Quantifeel System© developed by Smart Skin Technologies Inc. in Canada.

Patented design for open fermentation

Through the development of a unique design, Christian Gresser Behälter- und Anlagenbau GmbH of Regensburg was able to fulfill the wish of brewmaster Axel Kiesbye by realizing his idea for an open, cylindroconical fermenter for the transparent fermentation cellar at Trumer Pils in Austria. From this singular notion, a concept that is now in demand in the United States was born. Despite the challenges inherent in the design, a system for automated cleaning and removal of the contents and of the carbon dioxide produced during fermentation was developed – a first for open tanks.

A portable yeast pitching skid for craft breweries

Dosing or pitching the exact amount of live yeast into each fermenter is critical for consistent fermentation performance and beer quality. Automatic dosing systems can provide a solution. However, in a typical expanding craft brewery, there can be a plethora of fermenters and yeast storage vessels located around the site, and the usual dosing equipment is not portable. Therefore Aber Instruments Ltd, Aberystwyth, UK developed a portable yeast pitching skid for use in craft breweries that can be connected to any yeast storage vessel or fermenter. A case study was carried out at the Meantime Brewing Company, London, UK.

Private brewery Mo ritz Fiege invests in new filler

Top-quality beer from the Ruhr region for the Ruhr region is what private brewery Moritz Fiege in Bochum, Germany, undertakes to produce. Says Hugo Fiege, who now owns the brewery in its fourth generation together with his brother Jürgen Fiege, “Private brewery Moritz Fiege sees itself as a home-brew company equipped with outstanding plant technology.” This statement is underlined by the brewery’s latest investment in a new KHS filling system for glass bottles.

An investment in the future

D.G. Yuengling & Son, the oldest brewery in America, was founded in 1829. Yuengling’s most recent investment in innovative engineering was to purchase a KHS keg line for the brewery facilities in Tampa, Florida. In 2005 the brewery had procured a KHS keg system for their site in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. Then Richard (Dick) Yuengling, fifth-generation

The Future is ergonomics

The Food & Beverage production environment is a very dynamic one. Competition, creativity, continuous improvement processes and the pressure for high performance impact daily on the professional life of any production team, be it in an independent plant or in an international group. Constantly-evolving technological developments and possibilities as well as plant characteristics such as product range, production equipment and target markets can be subject to spectacular changes. Maybe the only real constant for members of a production team is the continuous company orientation towards more efficient operations. How do the people in this working environment cope with this situation?

Kaiserdom Specialitäten Brauerei invests in new equipment

The Kaiserdom Specialitäten Brauerei (Kaiserdom Specialty Brewery) based in the Franconian city of Bamberg operates differently than other German breweries in many sectors and with great success. It was recognized at an extremely early stage that an increase in the volume of beer sales on the German market was highly unlikely, so export activities started as early as 1978. Today, Kaiserdom products are available in more than 50 countries worldwide. The company’s most recent investment is in the electronically controlled Innofill DVD volumetric can filler and the Innokeg Till PETBoy F 2 Petainer keg racking system by KHS, Dortmund, Germany.

New filler series for cans

With the electronically controlled, volumetric Innofill Can DVD filler KHS is launching a new series of canners to market. Like the generation of Innofill Glass fillers it is distinguished by its optimized hygienic design. Its excellent filling quality goes hand in hand with a further improved line availability, this brought about by shorter cleaning cycles and longer maintenance intervals. The system also profits from minimized water, energy, and sanitizing costs. In addition, a newly designed inert gas purging process (CAN+) is performed prior to filling. This not only cuts the amount of CO₂ used but also greatly reduces the residual oxygen content in the can. The centering bell for can sealing was hygienically improved and flavor-resistant materials were used in the filling valves. The Innofill Can DVD belongs to a new generation of can fillers which is based on tried-and-tested practices and has also been greatly optimized.