Water scarcity is becoming a harsh global reality. Climate change, population growth and political instability are combining to create extraordinary pressures on this precious resource. The brewing sector is a traditionally heavy user of water in products, and in the intensive cleaning programs required to ensure the highest standards of hygiene.  In this article we discuss what brewers need to know to save water and achieve their sustainability goals.

How water recovery, recycling and reuse technology can help meet water usage goals

Cost-effective solutions | Where they have been hit by droughts and water restrictions, brewing and beverages operators have suffered cutbacks in expansion plans and existing production. In this article, Bill Denyer explores how they can develop cost-effective solutions for safeguarding and optimising their use of their water resource in a water-constrained world.

Attractive new deionization technology for the brewing industry

New technology | Beer is mostly water, and minor ionic components have a major influence on brewing and beer quality. CapDi, a new membrane capacitance deionization technology developed by Voltea, can now offer brewers an alternative to traditional deionization treatments.

Bioelectrical systems for wastewater treatment

Intelligent wastewater cleaning | The development of bioelectrochemical systems for the recovery of process water permits integrated media and energy generation while simultaneously treating wastewater. This topic is addressed in a project entitled “Intelligent, hybrid, autarchic, bioelectrical systems for the generation of energy and media in the brewing industry” (I_habS).

ISBT | The ISBT Connection added a new, regular section to their website where they communicate new publications as well as publications that are being started.

Energy from wastewater

Anaerobic wastewater treatment | A process devised by FlexBio Technologie GmbH in Einbeck, Germany, allows breweries to handle their wastewater sustainably and to exploit the energy it contains. The new generation of anaerobic wastewater treatment plants is compact and modular and provides small and medium-sized breweries especially with a solution that is economically viable.

“By 2030 we’ll have achieved a water-to-beer ratio of 2:1 on a broad front.”

Water worldwide | Euwa water treatment systems guarantee top water quality and economy worldwide. Its portfolio of services ranges from consulting to turnkey plants. Euwa attaches great importance to the development and use of its own technologies, the majority of which are protected by patent. BRAUWELT International spoke to Michael Eumann, managing director, and Wolfgang Winkler, technical director, about the developments in and future of water treatment.

Disinfection method using diamond electrodes

Inactivation of bacterial contamination | Conventional disinfection methods are usually associated with high expenditure, risks and costs. This study describes use of diamond electrodes as a promising disinfection technology for inactivation of bacterial contamination in various water matrices.

Still room for optimisation: use of flash steam in brewery plants

Raising energy efficiency | In every brewery plant, there are places where valuable flash steam is blown off. This can principally be recovered in a simple and effective manner. Energy efficiency of a plant is thus significantly improved. This article describes various possibilities for utilising flash steam.

Ice-cold water treatment

Sustainable solution | Good water treatment is a guarantee for good beer. Using green, resource-efficient technologies without addition of chemicals and without waste, it is possible to produce beer while simultaneously having a positive effect on the environment. Freeze crystallisation offers this exact combination for environmentally conscious beer producers.

Wastewater recycling for sustainable clarification and biogas production

SME compatible | The Bavarian Karmeliten Brewery in Straubing is the first German brewery to decide on a turnkey installation of a fully biological treatment plant. The carrier-based system combining anaerobic and aerobic wastewater treatment of the Dutch company Aqana completes the energy/environmental sustainability concept of a CO₂ neutral brewery that has won several awards. It has been grant-aided by the German Federal Government.

USA | The Supreme Court will hear arguments in November in a major environment case concerning the Clean Water Act. Sixty craft breweries have clubbed together over the summer and told the justices in a brief that weakening the federal regulation would damage their businesses.