Optimized husk separation for increased brewhouse capacities

Pure malt grist | To help businesses facing the challenge of rising costs and fluctuating raw material qualities, Bühler introduces its innovative DDH Dry Dehusking technology. By replacing the hammer mill with a roller mill in mash filter applications, the new system increases brewhouse capacities, compensates for different malt qualities and allows for significant energy savings, less wear and reduced risk of explosions.

Detection performance of empty bottle inspection machines

Empty bottle inspection | The VLB proof of performance test for empty bottle inspection machines is a method for assessing the detection performance of inspection machines and identifying potential areas for optimization. Furthermore, analysis of the data gathered over the last ten years provides an insight into the development of detection performance and enables conclusions to be drawn as to which conditions need to be created for commissioning in order to be able to exploit the full potential of new empty bottle inspectors.

Taming wild barrels: Cleaning and sanitation of wooden barrels

Barrel ageing | In recent years, maturation of beers in wooden barrels is becoming an interesting avenue for breweries to expand and refine their beer portfolios. Especially in the craft beer sector there is an increasing consumer demand for more complex flavours and aromas, many of which can be obtained through barrel ageing of beer. However, microbial spoilage of the barrel has to be effectively controlled in order to ensure consistent product quality and reduce profit losses.

Protection against trace impurities: Safe purification of fermentation carbon dioxide

CO₂ quality | Many breweries purify their fermentation carbon dioxide and reuse it. Unfortunately, in conventional CO₂ purification plants, not all flavour substances potentially still present are removed and remaining ones could be carried over into the beer when purified carbon dioxide is reused. Carry-over of off-flavour impurities may be prevented by installing the MPlus PC02 from Parker, thus extending the recovery plant.

Factors influencing beer head retention

Foam stability | Various physical phenomena can be observed in beer foam. Foam membrane strength is an important factor influencing head retention. When comparing various foam analysis methods (Sigma, NIBEM and FCT developed by us), it was found that NIBEM and FCT were more sensitive in determining foam membrane strength than Sigma. In this article, the importance of the composition of hop bitter acids for foam membrane strength and visual foam stability is described. It summarises some research results which have already been published in BrewingScience, 2021, issue 6: November/December.

Providing security for investment decisions

Development environment | In October 2020 Alfa Laval opened its new Fluid Handling Application & Innovation Centre in Kolding, Denmark. At the centre that covers 1600 square metres, users from the food and pharmaceuticals industry can test their processes and the impact these have on their products under real conditions before deciding to invest. BRAUWELT spoke to food and water division manager Christian Garbers at Alfa Laval Mid Europe about the options and opportunities the facility offers its users.

Rapid measurement method for assessing the haze stability of beer

Colloidal stability | The colloidal stability of beer is an important criterion in filtered beers as any haze or flocculation is not accepted by consumers. For this reason, timely knowledge of the state of the colloidal stability is not only of interest to export beer breweries, but also to small and medium-sized brewing companies. As existing methods of analysis either only take some of the beer constituents involved in the formation of haze into account or require long analysis times, a new rapid measurement method for checking the colloidal stability was developed.

Potential for gentler pasteurization

Reaction kinetics studies | Gentle handling of beverages during the preservation steps is becoming increasingly important, particularly for products with sensitive ingredients. Relationships between chemical changes and microbiological deactivation could have the potential of retaining valuable ingredients, e.g. L-ascorbic acid, in juices.

Physical processes during gushing (Part 2): Determination of properties   of gas bubbles in beer

Analytics of gushing | In ongoing research, TU Munich is investigating the physical processes during formation of gas bubbles in liquids prone to gushing. Part 1 of this two-part series of articles described the theoretic fundamentals and the measuring instruments developed (BRAUWELT International no. 2, 2022, pp. 96–99). Part 2 presents examples of results of associated experimental studies.

Tools for testing, inspection and certification of grains

Assessment solutions | ZoomAgri, a technology company founded in 2017 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, provides assessment solutions for agricultural commodities using AI, computer vision, and IoT. It offers various products for malting barley variety recognition, and for recognizing the physical quality of grains and oilseeds such as corn, soybeans, wheat, and malting barley in real time, at location and against very attractive prices, leading to a higher quality malt and beer.

Digital solution for real-time analysis in the brewhouse

Always up-to-date | “Monday moaning meetings” – the start of the week for breweries is frequently met with a groan. It is when the folders and reams of data come out. As one of the breweries pioneering a digital innovation developed in a GEA design sprint, Störtebeker Braumanufaktur can in the future dispense with this paper chaos. GEA InsightPartner Brewery provides real-time data, helping quality control and making the Stralsund-based brewery faster, more productive – and smarter. The tool not only gives Störtebeker an intuitive overview of performance data, but also something even more precious: time.