Optical O<small>^2</small> measurement in commercial installations

In the context of modernisation measures carried out in recent years at C. & A. Veltins GmbH & Co. KG brewery in Meschede-Grevenstein, Centec GmbH delivered sensors, operating on the basis of optical O² measurement, that were installed in the filtration and filling process areas. Membrane-free, very accurate and especially low-maintenance technology is at the centre of innovative features of the instruments. At the beginning of 2010, a hand-held version, Oxytrans M, became available as a portable laboratory instrument; this operates on the same measurement principle. The compact instrument is impressive in terms of speed, high accuracy and ease of operation in a plant environment. This contribution describes the measurement principle, uses and advantages of the new systems.

Making money with a conscience

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is nothing if not a mouthful. Multinational companies over-engage in a vast range of activities that come under the doing-good umbrella. It spans everything: from volunteering in the local community to looking after employees’ health, from giving out micro-credit to women in Bangladesh to saving the rainforests. With such a fuzzy, wide-ranging subject, many companies find it hard to know what to focus on. Still, CSR is booming. Whether through their websites or glossy reports, big multinationals want to tell the world they are good and ethical and their bosses right and reasonable. None of this means that CSR has suddenly become a great idea. But in practice few big companies can now afford to ignore it.

The Italian beer market

Six out of ten Italians like beer, and more often they are choosing it over wine (20.6 % vs. 18 %). Seven years ago, the disparity between the two beverages (wine 38 %, beer 22.7 %) was clear-cut. At home, beer has also become more popular. The number of beer lovers has doubled; in the evenings, particularly for “special” occasions, beer is served at one of every three gatherings, with the same frequency as white wine. Beer’s effervescence (which has really enchanted the Italians) and its distinctive flavor have met with approval in Italy under the condition that it is served with a large head of foam and in the proper glass, even if two out of every ten Italians – ignoring all the rules of etiquette – drink directly from the bottle.

Brand values

Determining sensory preferences | Bidding for brands in the international beer market place has reached a peak. By mimicking the “growth by acquisition” of the main players in the spirits sector global brewers appear to have an insatiable appetite plus inexhaustible coffers for any attractive beer brand which appears to be in the shop window. This has brought with it a new set of problems with the pressing need for exceptional brand image creativity to help separate the sheep from the goats, coping with a self-opinionated retail trade diffident in its respect for brand propositions, and other market stresses. If the inherent sensory quality factors of drinking a particular beer could be understood in consumer preference terms would that help influence the buying decision? Acknowledging the difficulty in measuring these intrinsic values of a brand has been a block in the past. In partnership with a prominent UK market research organisation (Marketing Sciences of Winchester, UK) Better Lines has developed a methodology based on sensory evaluations/selected chemical analyses to identify the principal components determining consumer sensory preference.

If only there was more of Africa

The Republic of South Africa, prominently projected as a rainbow nation throughout the world football season, has done Africa proud. From the comfort of my living room I watched many of the Football World Cup matches. Not that I am a soccer fan. I just wanted to see for myself the century held presumptions and stereotypes about Africa dispersed. Jubilant African soccer fans put the prejudice to rest that the continent is all about woes, worries and what nots. And if it took the damned vuvuzelas’ incessant, monotonous, droning moan, which had millions of viewers and even players screaming for a little peace and quiet, to blast any remnant prejudgment out of our minds, so be it. Yes, Africa can. Now let them have a beer to that.

Heat recovery pushes down costs for compressed air

Much energy input is needed to generate compressed air. When a lot is needed, there is usually also room for big savings. If looking for possibilities for saving energy and costs in compressed air systems, one will strike it rich quickly in most instances. Compressor waste heat – oftentimes completely unused – has one of the largest dormant savings potential.

The Brewers Association, the trade association representing the majority of U.S. brewing companies, today released strong mid-year numbers for America’s small and independent craft brewers. Dollar sales were up 12 percent in the first half of 2010, compared to 9 percent growth during the same period in 2009. Volume of craft brewed beer sold grew 9 percent for the first six months in 2010, compared to 5 percent growth in the first half of 2009.

India is one of the fastest growing economies in the world. Today India is the tenth largest economy and the third largest food processor worldwide. Due to the extraordinary developments in all important industrial sectors, the demand for machinery and equipment has grown rapidly within the last ten years - a demand that cannot be met exclusively out of India’s production.

Decarbonising the distribution of beer

Governments around the world now agree that the increase in global temperatures (above pre-industrial levels) must be limited to 2 °C by 2100 to keep the adverse effects of climate change within acceptable limits. This will entail a global reduction in CO2 emissions of 50 percent by 2050 (against 1990 levels), with developed countries cutting their emissions by around 80 percent. The World Economic Forum and Accenture [1] have estimated that logistics accounts for roughly 5.5 percent of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This GHG “footprint” may appear relatively modest, though, unlike that of most other sectors, it is expanding.

It ain’t over yet

| It must be high summer, when all rational discussion of important issues is cast aside for the perennial debate on “who is doing lunch or being lunch” which has driven mergers and acquisitions in the brewing industry around the world for the past 15 years. Following the break-up of Scottish & Newcastle and the take­over of Anheuser-Busch two years ago, several armchair pundits declared that the beer monopoly game was over. All said and done. Finished. No more. However, many tablecloth strategists would not accept this verdict. Indignantly, they pulled out their crystal balls, polished them off furiously and peered into them. Here is what they saw at the murky bottom.