Complex device | A modern, properly designed mash filter is a rather complex hydrodynamic device. In the followig article the author discusses how mash filters could become more accessible.

Highest beer quality | Modern process engineering and automation are optimizing processes in the breweries. When it comes to quality, taste and beer shelf life, it pays to take a closer look at filtration, as it has a major impact on the entire brewing process. This is the first of a five-part series on the filtration process in the breweries. We start with an overview of the process steps before covering the topics of clarification and trap filtration, fine filtration, and membrane filtration in detail in the following parts. The series will conclude with special filtration solutions for craft beer production.

Centrifugal pumps | VLB Berlin has developed new methods for determining whether a pump is conveying fluids in a gentle manner and has thus created a new service that allows centrifugal pumps to be evaluated with regard to their pumping properties. The new method is based upon the formation of β-glucan gel from barley in response to shearing forces. Unlike established methods derived from the field of microfluidics, the pump does not need to be modified. It can be tested in the same condition as it would be supplied to the customer.

Since 1946, the name SIGRIST-PHOTOMETER AG has been firmly associated with turbidity measurement in beer filtration. We have also been committed to highest quality and precision, durability and reliability for more than 75 years. This is reflected in the continuous optimisation of existing products and the development of new ones. In 2009, for example, one further innovation was added to the SIGRIST portfolio – the TurBiScat. With its combination of precise dual-angle scattered light measurement, optional colour measurement and virtually maintenance-free operation, our in-line process turbidimeter is ideally designed to meet today's requirements of our international customers.

Process optimization | Filterability of beer is a complex process that is not just influenced by quantity and composition of raw materials in the beer but also by all process steps during beer production to the same extent. Methods have thus been developed early on to predict filterability of a beer. As all of these predictive tests relate to kieselguhr filtration, they are not conclusive for membrane filtration.

Energy savings | From today’s perspective, some of the individual stages in the beer production process are extremely energy intensive. Lots of breweries thus aim to save energy by integrating innovative technologies and concepts without having to suffer any loss of quality. Pulsed electric field technology provides a number of different approaches here.

Despite being a well-established technology, beer recovery from surplus yeast is often overlooked by small and medium-sized breweries as something which is only feasible for the big beer factories, having outputs of many millions of hectoliters per year.

Focus on sustainability | NX Filtration is a global supplier of beer microfiltration membranes, which is fast gaining momentum as the preferred filtration process for beer thanks to its quality assurance, cost savings, and sustainable credentials. Founded by some of the original developers of beer membrane filtration technology, NX Filtration also offers unique nanofiltration membranes for treating water, recovering and reusing chemicals and water recycling. The strong focus on sustainability can also be seen at the Spanish La Zaragozana brewery, where NX Filtration technology has been successfully implemented.

Membrane technology | Alfa Laval, a world leader in heat transfer, centrifugal separation and fluid handling, has acquired Sandymount, a US-based beverage technology company with a unique and patented membrane technology to concentrate beer. The signing and closing date was December 31.

Dealcoholization | In August of 2019, “Ghost Ship 0.5 %”, a pale ale with strong citrus notes brewed by the British brewery Adnams in Southwold, UK, sailed back to the island nation with the gold medal it earned at the World Beer Awards. The award rounded off a year of meticulous product development with the new GEA AromaPlus dealcoholization system.

Parker Hannifin | Brewers are being given the opportunity to trial innovative sterile filtration technology. Parker Bioscience Filtration , Bielefeld, Germany, has introduced free trial capsules for its Bevpor BR range of filters, enabling breweries to undertake taste and visual quality trials, and test the effectiveness of this filtration method.