The Brewers Journal September~October 2020, iss 7 vol 6

THE MAGAZINE FOR THE PROFESSIONAL BREWING INDUSTRY

BREWERS

J O U R N A L

SEPTEMBER~OCTOBER 2020 | VOLUME 6, ISSUE 7 ISSN 2059-6669

VERDANT Creating a destination for

world-class beer in Cornwall 14 | JOHN KEELING: SBR CHANGES WILL DIVIDE US

47 | DROP PROJECT: MAKING WAVES IN 2020

66 | DRY-HOPPING: HANDLING PROCESS CHALLENGES

GROWING OLD GRACEFULLY

H

ello, and welcome to the

So I did...

latest edition of The Brew-

I was greeted with a poker-faced re-

ers Journal!

sponse. He had been in back-to-back meetings all day, after all. So I scurried

This issue marks the fifth

along to my first questions. But in those

birthday of The Brewers Journal. In that

years since, John has become a good

time we’ve published more than 50

friend, he’s spoken at, and helped host,

editions, hosted nearly 20 events and

many of our events and he is also a val-

welcomed thousands of this industry’s

ued regular contributor to the magazine.

finest through the doors at venues across the UK and Ireland.

I recall a train journey we took to Leeds

It has been a lot of hard-work but also a

visiting maltsters, Thomas Fawcett and

hugely rewarding experience to contrib-

Sons in 2018.

ute, in some small part, to this incredible sector.

“I remember going up to the old Heriot-Watt dinners on the train. We’d all bring

My first brewery visit for the maga-

a pack of beer and be easily finished by

zine took place in the summer of 2015,

Newcastle,” said John.

heading to Tottenham Hale to speak to Logan Plant about his brewery, Beaver-

“A six pack?” I reply.

town. Five years on, at the beginning of this month, I had the opportunity to visit

John: “What? No, 24!”

LEADER

Logan and the team at their incredible

brewersjournal.info

new home in Ponders End, London. It’s a

Everyone should be fortunate enough to

sprawling facility, one that will create 150

share a beer with John at some point in

new jobs, and also enable the brewery

their lives.

to produce up to 500,000HL per annum.

Logan also helped recreate the cover

Looking forward, the unprecedented

shot from that first issue, too! Look out for

nature of 2020 has meant we’ve post-

the full-lowdown on Beaverworld in our

poned our annual Brewers Congress and

next edition.

Brewers Choice Awards to May 2021. This means you have longer to get your Early

Putting together that first issue of the

Bird tickets and until December 31st to

magazine in the summer of 2015, I was

submit entires to the awards.

also lucky enough to visit Fuller’s of Chiswick, West London. Growing up in

We’ve also relaunched our Brewers Jour-

that part of the capital, Fuller’s played

nal Podcast series, which allows us to

(and still does) a major role in my own

tell the industry’s stories in a raft of new

world of beer. So the chance to interview

ways. Have a listen and let us know what

their head brewer, John Keeling, was an

you think!

exciting, and daunting task. Ahead of time, I was told to “Just mention

Tim Sheahan

Manchester United and you’ll be fine”.

Editor

SEPTEMBER~OCTOBER 2020

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SEPTEMBER~OCTOBER 2020

CONTENTS

Dear John | Small Brewer’s Relief

14

John Keeling outlines how proposed changes to Small Brewer’s Relief will divide the industry

Brewery Tour | Verdant How 2020 has meant a new home in Penryn, a raft of increased capabilities and a wealth of excellent beer releases for Cornwall’s craft masters

21

Focus | Brewhouse Technology

34

Core Equipment provide an insight into a new force on the UK/EU brewing scene

Sector | Packaging & Labelling

37

The latest innovation and invention taking place across the packaging and labelling sectors

Meet The Brewer | Drop Project

47

The London-based trio making their name with hopforward Pale Ales and IPAs

Focus | Software

51

Breww speak to breweries on how they leverage software to give them a competitive edge

Case Study | Marston’s

55

An in-depth look into their new level monitoring and control system from IO-Link technology

Crossing Continents | Põhjala, Estonia

58

Producing a diverse array of styles that excite and intrigue, Põhjala beers are enjoyed globally

Science | Dry-hopping

66

Navigating the challenges presented by dry-hopping techniques and volumes

Science | Refridgeration

70

How in-depth modelling and analysis can reduce consumption by up to 15% with minimal capex

14

Dear John | Small Brewer’s Relief

John Keeling outlines how proposed changes to Small Brewer’s Relief will divide the industry.

4

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SEPTEMBER~OCTOBER 2020

BREWERS JOURNAL

CONTACTS Tim Sheahan Editor tim@rebymedia.com +44 (0)1442 780 592 Velo Mitrovich Deputy Editor velo@rebymedia.com +44 (0)1442 780 591

06

Jon Young Publisher jon@rebymedia.com Reby Media 42 Crouchfield,

News

Georgina Young promoted to brewing director role at St Austell, overseeing operations at both St Austell Brewery and Bath Ales.

47

Meet The Brewer | Drop Project

The London-based trio making their name with hopforward Pale Ales and IPAs.

21 Brewery Tour | Verdant

How 2020 has meant a new home in Penryn, a raft of increased capabilities and a wealth of excellent beer releases for Cornwall’s craft masters.

brewersjournal.info

Josh Henderson Head of sales josh@rebymedia.com +44 (0)1442 780 594

Hemel Hempstead, Herts, HP1 1PA, UK

SUBSCRIPTIONS The Brewers Journal is a published 10 times a year and mailed every February, March, April, May, June, July, September, October, November and December. Subscriptions can be purchased for 10 issues. Prices for single issue subscriptions or back issues can be obtained by emailing: subscribe@ rebymedia.com

UK & IRELAND £29 INTERNATIONAL £49 The content of The Brewers Journal is subject to copyright. However, if you would like to obtain copies of an article for marketing purposes high-quality reprints can be supplied to your specification.

Please contact the advertising team for full details of this service. The Brewers Journal is printed at Manson Group, St Albans, UK.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system, without the express prior written consent of the publisher. The Brewers Journal ISSN 2059-6650 is published bimonthly by Reby Media, 42 Crouchfield, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP1 1PA. Subscription records are maintained at Reby Media, 42 Crouchfield, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP1 1PA. The Brewers Journal accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of statements or opinion given within the Journal that is not the expressly designated opinion of the Journal or its publishers. Those opinions expressed in areas other than editorial comment may not be taken as being the opinion of the Journal or its staff, and the aforementioned accept no responsibility or liability for actions that arise therefrom.

SEPTEMBER~OCTOBER 2020

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5

ST AUSTELL APPOINTS GEORGINA YOUNG AS BREWING DIRECTOR

S

t Austell has announced that Georgina Young has been promoted to the role of brewing director.

In hew new role, she will oversee brewing and operations at both St Austell Brewery and Bath Ales.

Young joined the company in May 2019 – leaving her leading role at Fuller’s to become Bath Ales’ head brewer. She was recruited by her long-time friend, Roger Ryman - St Austell’s previous Brewing Director - who sadly passed away in May. In her new position, she will continue to be based at Bath Ales’ headquarters Hare Brewery - while overseeing operations in St Austell.

Ales, offers me a new challenge. I’m She will report to Andrew Turner, man-

looking forward to this next chapter and

aging director of St Austell’s beer and

working more closely with the brilliant

brands business, who joined the compa-

team down in Cornwall.”

Georgina will oversee brewing and operations at both St Austell Brewery and Bath Ales

ny from Heineken earlier this year Georgina Young graduated from Heriot Kevin Georgel, chief executive, said:

Watt University, with an MSc in Brewing

“We’re delighted to have appointed Geor-

and Distilling, Georgina started her brew-

gina as our new Brewing Director.

ing career at Smiles Brewery in Bristol, working alongside Richard Dempster -

“As one of Roger’s oldest friends in the

one of the founders of Bath Ales.

industry, he was thrilled when she joined the business last year. He held her in the

She went on to run the pilot brewery

highest regard, and we know he would

at Camden BRI before joining Fuller’s

be very proud to see her take the helm

as a production brewer in 1999, where

and steer us forward.”

she served in roles across all aspects of production.

Commenting on her new role, Young said: “I’ve been a long-time admirer

She ascended to the role of Head Brewer

of St Austell Brewery’s beers and feel

in 2017 - succeeding John Keeling and

honoured to be taking up the reins from

becoming the first female at Fuller’s to

Roger.

take on the role. Young is also a master brewer of the Institute of Brewing and

“Overseeing production down in Corn-

Distilling.

wall, while continuing to head up Bath

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SEPTEMBER~OCTOBER 2020

BREWERS JOURNAL

BEAVERTOWN OPENS NEW BREWERY

Beavertown is to create up to 150 jobs with the launch of London’s largest brewery.

The new facility will enable the brewery to produce up to 500,000hl and to brew in 150hl batches, equivalent of 90,000,00 pints per annum, on its Krones brewhouse.

Logan Plant, founder of Beavertown, said: “Beaverworld has been a long time in the making and we’re thrilled that we’ve now started brewing on site in Enfield.

“We’re confident that with Beaverworld, we have created a quality-driven brewery with passion and love for the craft at its core. ”Beaverworld is the answer to our dream of getting more Beavertown in the hands of the masses and we could not be more excited that it’s now up and running. With Beaverworld we’re expecting to create our own lasting-legacy.”

DIAGEO’S SMART APPOINTED RENTER WARDEN OF THE WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF BREWERS

of the company’s operations including supporting the charitable works of the company.

The Brewers’ Company is Trustee of the Brewers’ Research and Education Fund (BREF), a major grants fund for the brewing industry supporting relevant scientific research and education as well as supporting an MSc student annually at the International Centre for Brewing and Distilling and presenting prizes for the top achievers in the Institute of Brewing and Distilling’s exams.

2016 – 2018, only the second woman to hold the role.

Diageo’s expert brewer Katherine Smart

Based in Diageo’s International Supply

is the first woman to be appointed Renter

Centre in Menstrie, Scotland, Smart holds

Warden of the Worshipful Company of

a PhD in Fermentation and Brewing

Company, said: “The Company is delight-

Brewers, one of the oldest of the City

Science, a DSc by publication in Brewing

ed that Katherine has been elected as

guilds or livery companies.

and Distilling Sciences and an honorary

Renter Warden.

Smart first joined in the Worshipful Com-

LLD and is a Fellow of three learned

”A hugely respected brewer, she brings

pany of Brewers (or Brewers’ Company

societies.

great experience to the leadership of the

Michael O’Dwyer, Clerk to the Brewers’

Company and will be a wonderful role

as it is more commonly known) as a liveryman brewer in 2014, becoming the first

She is also a Lecturer in Brewing and

model to other current and prospective

female Member of Court (the equivalent

Distilling at the University of Cambridge,

female liverymen as she moves towards

to the Company’s board) in 2018.

Professor of the University of Notting-

becoming Master.”

ham, Rectifier of the Gin Guild and is a As Renter Warden – one of the compa-

Liveryman Distiller of the Worshipful

Katherine leads Diageo’s Global Techni-

ny’s most senior leadership positions,

Company of Distillers.

cal function with responsibility for Innova-

Katherine is responsible, with the Master

Smart also served as President of the

tion, Research and Liquid Development,

and other Wardens, for the oversight

Institute of Brewing and Distilling from

Packaging and Governance.

brewersjournal.info

SEPTEMBER~OCTOBER 2020

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YEASTIE BOYS EXPAND CORE RANGE WITH NEW LAGER

BREWDOG ACHIEVES CARBON NEGATIVE STATUS Brewdog has revealed that it has achieved carbon negative status, removing twice as much carbon from the air as it emits per annum.

The brewery and bar operator said it is aiming to become the world’s “first carbon negative international beer business’.

To meet these goals, Brewdog said it will invest more than £30 million as part of a new climate action programme, developed in partnership with professor Mike Berners-Lee. The business has also purchased 2,050

Y

acres of Scottish Highlands, north of Loch Lomond, and says it will plant one million

eastie Boys has expanded its portfolio of core beers with the addition

trees over the coming years.

of new lager – The Reflex.

This will both restore 650 acres of

The 4.6% beer is the culmination of several years’ work, following the

peatland and also create 1,400 acres of

release of number of limited edition lagers.

broadleaf native wood-lands.

These limited releases allowed the team to “find our way to where we wanted it to

There are also plans to create a sustaina-

be” before settling on the new permanent addition.

ble campsite on the land, which will host

Stu McKinlay, co-founder of Yeastie boys, explained: “Dry-hopped lagers have

sustainability retreats and workshops for

been a huge part of the New Zealand craft beer scene for 25 years now.

the general public.

“Although the majority tend to be influenced by North German Pilsners – we have opted for a gentler end of the lager spectrum with a beer that straddles the Helles

James Watt, co-founder of BrewDog,

and Dortmunder styles and adds a flourish of Nelson Sauvin and Hallertau Blanc

said: “Our Carbon. Our Problem. So, we

hops.”

are going to fix it ourselves. Huge change is needed right now, and we want to be

McKinlay said a key part of making the new permanent release possible was mov-

a catalyst for that change in our industry

ing the brewery’s production to Utopian Brewing, in Exeter.

and beyond.

He added: “We’ve found a fantastic like-minded partner in Utopian, after five years

“We fully acknowledge that we are a

of living on the edge with our last two brewing partners, and the beers have truly

long way from perfect. However, we are

never tasted better.

determined to rapidly and fundamentally change everything as we work hard to

“They have all the character and nuance that we want, with the lowest possible

ensure we have a positive impact on the

touch brewing processes. These beers really are as good in can and keg as they

planet.”

were in the tank.”

Since the start of lockdown, more than five months ago, 8p from every can or

David Robertson, director at Scottish

bottle sold on the Yeastie Boys webstore goes to Hospitality Action – a group that

Woodlands, added: “Woodland creation

has been supporting hospitality workers (and ex-workers) in financial need for over

of this scale is at the forefront of the fight

180 years.

to sequester atmospheric carbon in the UK and the BrewDog Forest will be one

“This is not a short term thing so that we are seen to be doing the right thing, it’s

of the largest native woodlands created

something we’re very proud about continuing into the future,” added McKinlay.

in the UK for many years.”

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SEPTEMBER~OCTOBER 2020

BREWERS JOURNAL

Make the right kind of impact

#RedefiningPackaging

Beer packaging that makes your brand stand out Now, more than ever, you don’t want your products disappearing on the shelf.

Increased competition and rapidly evolving shopping habits mean if you’re not seen, there’s no sale. At DS Smith, our expert consultants are busy crafting packaging solutions for the challenges facing brewers like you today. What’s more, because everything we produce is 100% recyclable, it gets you noticed in more ways than one.

Make sure you’re stocked and seen at dssmith.com/beer-and-cider

CRISP SUPPORTS BREWING INDUSTRY WITH NEW £2M PACKAGING LINE

crushed malt from the region’s finest barley is now beingpackaged into 25kg bags, and whole malt into 500kg and 1 tonne bags for craft brewers of all sizes.

Hilary Jones, chair of Scotland Food & Drink’s Brewing Industry Leadership Group, said: “We really welcome this response to one of our recommendations for unblocking barriers to growth for brewers in Scotland. The craft sector in particular has been crying out for Scottish-sourced small batches of malt, in bags rather than through bulk delivery.

This is great news.”

The new facility furthers Crisp’s local sourcing policy and its commitment to supporting Scottish farming. All of the barley for its Alloa maltings is sourced from farms within the nearby counties of

Crisp Malt is increasing its support of

and distilling sales manager Colin John-

Fife, Perthshire, Angus, Aberdeenshire

Scottish farmers and Scottish craft

ston.

and Morayshire.

brewers with the opening of a new £2m

The Scotland Food & Drink strategic

There are more than 130 breweries

packaging line in Alloa.

report on the brewing sector (Brewing

spread across the mainland and islands

The new facility provides brewers with

Up A Storm, December 2018) set a goal

of Scotland, most already interested in a

the chance to buy barley that has been

for the sector to reduce its environmental

more sustainable supply chain.

grown, malted and packaged in Scotland.

impact, and highlighted a lack of local

The new bagging facility at Alloa pro-

Previously, most Scottish craft brewers

product in the supply chain.

vides a flexible service for the growing

were buying malt from England, or using

“Our new facility will help address these

customer base of smaller brewers. For

malt that had been produced in Scotland,

goals. Bagging Scottish malt in Scotland

example, those who want to can come to

bagged in England and then trucked

will save up to 35,000 HGV miles a year*,

the site to collect smaller orders, some-

back to Scotland.

significantly lowering carbon emissions –

thing that larger maltsters don’t offer.

“The investment comes as a response

as well as supporting breweries with local

Crisp also have a maltings on the North

from brewers for a more sustainable,

sourcing,” he added.

coast in Portgordon, Moray.

more Scottish supply chain, and also as

The new packaging line is based at Alloa

Exports support the economic wellbeing

part of our endeavours to reduce our

where the company produces almost

of countries. The new packaging line will

carbon footprint,” said Crisp craft brewing

30,000 tonnes of malt a year. Whole or

help Crisp expand its exports.

DOTMATIX LAUNCHES NEW GRAVITY MONITOR

David Griffiths, Dotmatix Director, said “In these difficult times, the ability to monitor and control fermentation without having to go into the brewery is a real benefit.

Our new monitor has been through a significant upgrade and is now useable on any sized vessel. The monitor simply clamps onto the CIP downpipe and com-

Dotmatix has launched a new gravity

municates by wireless.”

monitor, designed to save “precious staff time” taking manual readings and allow

The company has also released gyle.io,

remote monitoring and control.

described as a complete brewery man-

It offers the ability to get continuous grav-

agement system covering recipes, raw

ity readings direct on your smartphone,

materials right through to sales, deliver-

PC or tablet. Users can also have full

ies and duty. “You can integrate it with our

temperature monitoring and control of

monitoring and temperature controllers

your fermenters from home or anywhere

to ensure you’re always in pole position

else.

for every brew,” added Griffiths

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SEPTEMBER~OCTOBER 2020

BREWERS JOURNAL

y b e R

Brewers J o u r n a l

p o d c a s T

Listen online at brewerspodcast.reby.media On Spotify - Stitcher - Apple Podcasts - Google Podcasts Podcast Addict - Acast - or wherever great podcasts live

HOP BREEDING COMPANY ANNOUNCES COMMERCIAL RELEASE OF TALUS The Hop Breeding Company, a joint venture between Yakima Chief Ranches and John I. Haas, has announced the commercial release of the Talus brand HBC 692 hop variety.

roots as a cultivated daughter of Sabro

new flavors and aromas not traditionally

Talus HBC 692 delivers big aromas of

brand HBC 438.

available in hops.

pine resin, tropical fruits and sage.

By pairing its neomexicanus heritage with

“Talus brand HBC 692 has the distinc-

Its impactful citrus, floral, wood and fruit

a local Pacific Northwest hop, this ex-

tion of being exceptionally unique yet

aromas remain throughout the brewing

citing new hop delivers a one-of-a-kind

appealing and very translatable in beer.

process.

flavour experience.

Moreover, its complexity lends itself

pink grapefruit, citrus rinds, dried roses,

to functionality in the brewing process

“From farm to glass, Talus is a robust hop that provides a great, consistent flavor

This latest creation from HBC’s advanced

alone or in combination with other hops.

outcome,” said Virgil McDonald, innova-

breeding program, led by breeders Mi-

Talus checks a lot of boxes,” said Perrault.

tions brewmaster at John I. Haas.

chael Ferguson of John I. Haas and Jason

Talus joins a growing selection of brand-

He added: “Its bold aroma translates

Perrault of Yakima Chief Ranches, show-

ed HBC hops, including Citra brand

to strong brewing performance, with a

cases the creativity of the HBC program.

HBC 394, Mosaic brand HBC 369, Sabro

versatility that lends itself to many beer

The development of Talus represents

brand HBC 438, Ekuanot brand HBC 366,

styles, particularly hop-forward beers.”

a continuation of HBC’s exploration of

Pahto™ brand HBC 682 and Loral brand

Talus’ bold flavor profile draws from its

novel genetics with the goal of deriving

HBC 291.

CONTRACT BREWING GROWING AT SEB

Following exceptional demand for their

For many expanding or start up breweries

contract brewing services, SEB have

the cost of equipment can be prohibitive-

invested almost half a million to develop

ly expensive.

their on-site contract brewing facilities and are delighted to say that from Sep-

In an increasingly uncertain market it

tember 1st 2020 will be able to accom-

makes more sense for brand owners to

modate orders ranging from 30 to 60

trial products with a re-liable partner be-

Hectolitres.

fore committing large capital to projects.

Brewery), Eddie Gadd (Ramsgate

Duncan Sambrook, said: “We’d been

“By using SEB, brand owners don’t

Brewery) and Robert Wicks (Westerham

planning on the expansion to our con-

need to worry about the manufacturing

Brewery) first founded SEB Brewing and

tract brewing facility since last year and

process, we provide them with an end-

Packaging (SEB) in 2013 it was to support

unsurprisingly when Covid-19 hit we were

to-end solution alongside unparalleled

the industry as a bottler of craft beer.

in a bit of a quandary as to whether to

flexibility of package type,” he added.

Fast forward seven years and things have

proceed or not.

When Duncan Sambrook (Sambrook’s

The onsite expansion mark the first step

changed considerably.

“It was clear early on that the demand

towards SEBs ambitious plans of dou-

The business has introduced a raft of

for our services was still there so the

bling their size within the next three years

new services including; canning, brewing,

decision to go ahead was made. SEB had

as they continue to run their business

kegging and blending, not just for beer,

always been designed to assist the in-

with their vision of being the ‘Highest

but for all manner of alcoholic beverages

dustry and this is just another example of

Quality Craft Drinks Packager in the UK’.

and are now, once again expanding.

us responding to our customers’ needs.

brewersjournal.info

SEPTEMBER~OCTOBER 2020

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13

DEAR JOHN

LOCKDOWN DRINKING AND SMALL BREWERS DUTY RELIEF

W

ell it has been

Therefore, the question arises. Why was

eventful.

this beer was so good and further, why

From drinking

can’t they all be this good? The short

Barleywines and

answer to this is freshness. Since that day

Imperial Stouts

I have had several pints of cask beer and

(well that’s all I had left in the cupboard)

all were excellent. All pubs have had to

around the kitchen table to going to the

restock with new cask beer.

pub for the first time after lockdown and

There has been a latent demand which

drinking the freshest cask beer (bliss!).

has led to good throughput, so I have

Then we had the proposed changes

had no lacklustre beers. Many pubs

to the Small Brewers Duty relief, an

including all the Fuller’s pubs I have

unwelcome bombshell for the small

been in have only had two cask beers

brewer indeed. In the scheme of

on, which again has greatly helped

Covid-19, it’s relatively small but for

throughput and therefore quality.

the people involved in the breweries

The single most important thing for cask

affected, it could change their lives

beer is throughput. Most cask beer is at

irreversibly.

its best when you change the container once a day, every day. Yes, the cask will

But back to lockdown. My drinking at

last three days and some beers taste

home obviously increased, but not just

best in the second day (ESB for one),

beer. I drank wine, cider and spirits. I

however generally it is at its best on day

also took to cocktail making with great

one.

aplomb. My pub drinking, of course, disappeared entirely.

So, landlords, please don’t overstock

They probably balanced themselves out

cask beer. Don’t serve it in its fourth day

overall, so I was drinking no more and no

when it is flat and tired. Send it back to

less. I was however longing for the pub

the brewer as ullage. Brewers, please

experience especially that perfect pint

support the landlord and give them good

of cask.

advice on stocking policy. After all, cask beer quality is a partnership between

PUBS REOPENING MEANT ONE THING TO JOHN - THE CHANCE TO ENJOY A PINT OF HIS BELOVED CASK. THAT, AND TIME TO DWELL ON THE FUTURE OF HIS BELOVED INDUSTRY.

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SEPTEMBER~OCTOBER 2020

So, at long last that day did arrive. Melissa

landlord and brewer.

Cole invited me to the Red Lion in Barnes for a beer and a catch-up. I ordered

To me the future of cask beer needs to

a pint of London Pride and I was not

be supported by preferential duty rates.

disappointed. A good-looking beer with

I have argued this so much in the past. It

a loose fluffy head, perfect temperature

is the beer of Britain and it is unique in its

and perfect condition.

demands on the supply chain. It is also

Symone tried it too and thought it was

generally the beer of the small brewer.

wonderful. Now London Pride is not her

I would say a larger proportion of cask

favourite. Instead, Stouts and Porters are

beer is produced by the smaller brewer

more her cup of tea. However, this was a

than the larger brewer. Keg ale and lager

cask beer served perfectly. The best beer

beers are produced by smaller brewers

in Britain is a cask beer in my opinion,

but as a proportion of the total it is tiny

however the worst beer in Britain is also

compared to the larger brewer.

a cask.

Therefore, I would say that a positive

BREWERS JOURNAL

duty change would support the smaller

The small brewers’ voice consists of

brewer more than the bigger brewer.

several different fractions instead of one. Together they can form both an

Now some of this argument is based on

economic argument and an emotional

where you draw the line between big and

one too.

small. In America, some craft brewers brew more than a million barrels per

The British public would naturally

year. To me that is big. Fuller’s at their

have been on their side. Small brewers

peak never produced more than 220,000

also employ more people per barrel

barrels of beer and I always thought of

produced than the big brewers with

them as small.

all their efficiency. Surely in these times, employment is important to the

The biggest brewer in Britain produces

government.

more than six million barrels I have been told. I personally believe big is above

Now, the various small brewing factions

500,000 barrels and therefore small is

have a voice that is too small for either

below 300,000. In-between is for others

the government or the public to hear. A

to define.

great shame and an opportunity lost. The

The only damage that has been done is to the small brewer.

Put simply, the big brewer is untouched by this.�

only damage that has been done is to the Following on from this I have always

small brewer. Put simply, the big brewer

believed that those small brewers should

is untouched by this.

speak as one voice for their benefit. And not to align themselves with big brewers

My personal advice before this happened

who often have differing interests.

was to leave SBR alone and fight for duty

So, for me the biggest regret over the

relief on cask as one voice with CAMRA.

spat on Small Brewers Duty relief is how it has completely split the voice of the

Sadly, that time has passed.

small brewer.

brewersjournal.info

SEPTEMBER~OCTOBER 2020

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15

INVESTIGATE INNOVATION FUNDING WE LIVE IN STRANGE TIMES BUT THAT SHOULDN’T MEAN YOU PUT A HALT TO INVESTING INTO THE R&D SIDE OF YOUR BUSINESS, EXPLAINS JAY DESAI, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR FOR INNOVATION FUNDING SPECIALIST LEYTON UK.

D

espite Covid-19 forcing

of revenue will continue to come from.

huge restrictions on brew-

Also, the latest announced changes to

ers and their operations

the Small Brewer’s Relief, which previ-

during the lockdown and

ously supported small brewers through a

pubs, restaurants and other

50% reduction in beer duty on production

watering holes being forced to close,

of less than 5,000 hectoliters (4,260 U.S.

the UK alcohol industry has remained

barrels) a year, as of 2022 will now only

buoyant with sales generally well-up

be applicable to breweries producing

throughout.

less than 2,100 hl (1,790 BBLs).

However, as businesses now adjust to

This will have a significant financial im-

the re-opening of restaurants and pubs,

pact for at least 150 breweries includ-

and Government initiatives encouraged

ing the likes of Burning Sky Brewery in

consumers to eat out through the ‘Eat

Sussex, Hackney Brewery in London, and

Out to Help Out’ scheme, calculating the

RedWillow Brewery in Macclesfield. Not

future of consumer trends will remain

only will it be an immediate impact for

tricky.

those breweries already over 2,100hl but

The scheme didn’t work on alcoholic

it may discourage smaller breweries from

drinks and there is a risk that the scheme

growing any bigger.

will take away from weekend trade, given

However, there is one government incen-

that it only works Monday to Wednesday,

tive that is significantly underutilised with-

which is when more people will be likely

in the brewery industry and which could

to enjoy a drink.

provide some relief in light of the current

While the alcohol industry is likely to see

economic climate and changes to Small

a continued upward trend due to the

Brewer’s Relief where applicable: R&D

summer weather and holidays, it is hard

tax claims. The majority of innovative

to predict demand in September and

brewers easily qualify for such claims,

beyond.

providing access to potentially thousands of pounds of extra cash.

16

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SEPTEMBER~OCTOBER 2020

These concerns are only heightened

There are many variations of innovation

with the fears of a “second wave” and the

or development that brewers carry out

recent re-lockdown of some areas. Con-

on a daily basis that would qualify them

sumers may continue to be cautious to

to claim tax relief.

eat out, they may continue to buy more

Covid-19 has even accelerated devel-

from supermarkets, or they may quickly

opments for some brewers, with new

return to their ‘local’.

direct-to-consumer sales strategies and

This can be difficult for producers and

new approaches to operating with re-

brewers in maintaining cash flow and un-

duced staff or limited supplies potentially

derstanding where the strongest stream

qualifying for tax relief.

BREWERS JOURNAL

Many have also utilised the opportunity

Similarly, any limited company can make

to supply new markets or to adapt supply

a claim, regardless of whether the brew-

chains. Others may have worked to help

ery is profitable or loss-making.

the Covid-19 relief efforts and temporarily

For loss-making companies, the brewer

pivoted their operations to create differ-

can claim benefits or cash worth up to

ent products such as hand sanitizer. All of

33% of qualifying expenditure, and for

these ideas could qualify for relief.

profit making companies, they can either

Although Covid-19 may have been the

claim a reduction in future corporate tax

latest trigger for some forms of innova-

or a cash refund, which has on average

tion in the beer industry, it is not a new

been around 26% of qualifying expendi-

concept.

ture. Claims can also be made for previ-

The original recipe for beer is one of the

ous financial years even if the company

oldest recipes in the world (found on Pa-

is currently operating a reduced rate,

pyrus scrolls around 5000BC), while beer

perhaps because of Covid, compared

has been drunk in some form for even

to those years in which they were fully

longer than that.

operational.

It is constantly adapting to new tastes

As brewers continuously work to dis-

and styles, regulations and sales

tinguish themselves in the competitive

methods. For example, developments

market or streamline their operations for

in low-alcohol or alcohol free beers,

more effective margins, it is crucial that

reduced calories, additional flavours,

they employ the incentives available to

new forms of bottling or labelling, new

them.

fermentation processes or engineering

With the current cash flow issues pre-

improvements and modifications to

sented by fluctuating consumer demand,

production processes all come under the

these Government incentive schemes

umbrella of innovation.

are more important than ever.

Similarly, with sustainability increasingly

Innovation funding is one of the easiest

important in daily and long-term opera-

schemes for brewers to use as many

tions of most businesses, those that look

businesses will already be doing many

at more sustainable production methods

things which would qualify.

such as reducing water consumption, recycling ingredients or materials or

For businesses that take advantage of

finding ways to decrease or re-use waste,

these incentives, improved cash flow

would count.

and further innovation may drive further

Surprisingly, brewers can also claim

growth, while those that miss out on

for innovative ideas that were tried and

the cash available risk facing further

tested but were not successful as well as

challenges as the uncertainty of 2020

those that were.

continues.

brewersjournal.info

As brewers continuously work to distinguish themselves in the competitive market or streamline their operations, for more effective margins, it is crucial that they employ the incentives available to them,� Jay Desai, Leyton UK

SEPTEMBER~OCTOBER 2020

|

17

SUPPORTING THE INDUSTRY DAVID BESWICK, MANAGING DIRECTOR AT CLOSE BROTHERS BREWERY RENTALS, KNOWS HOW CHALLENGING THE MARKET IS RIGHT NOW. HERE, HE EXPLAINS WHAT MEASURES THE BUSINESS IS TAKING TO SUPPORT ITS CUSTOMERS.

I

depots are ready to help with logistics and supply containers quickly.

During lockdown, our drinks equipment specialists have been able to help several brewers with canning and bottling lines. For some, this has allowed beers to move into new channels, such as supermarkets or web sales, while others have grown their capacity.

With strong, long-standing relationships

t goes without saying that the coro-

some of the work we are doing to sup-

across the sector, we excel when sourc-

navirus crisis has had a significant

port the industry as we evolve together.

ing equipment and agreeing finance

impact on brewery and hospitality

We’re well-known in the industry for

terms. We hope to continue supporting

businesses. The immediate and

our easy container solutions, which

brewers who adopt new and alternative

dramatic impact that lockdown had

allow breweries to take a ‘fill and forget’

trading opportunities.

on footfall, sales and productivity was

approach to wholesale distribution. You

sobering for us all and now, as restric-

simply rent and pay a fill fee, tell us which

We understand that the cleanliness of

tions have eased, we are getting used to

wholesaler they have been delivered to,

containers is of utmost importance to

a new normal.

and our team will collect them when they

brewers and have invested more than

While my experience in the industry

are empty.

£850,000 into our world-leading cleaning

makes me confident that many brewers,

Now, to help breweries with cash flow as

process. Using techniques such as ul-

pubs and more will find ways to get back

lockdown is eased, we’re offering 50 per

tra-high pressure (UHP) water jetting and

on their feet, I do not underestimate the

cent off unwashed 9-gallon ecasks until

chemical washing, we achieve optimal

challenge. At Close Brothers Brewery

the end of September, up to a maximum

results.

Rentals, we work with drinks produc-

of 72 casks per month. In addition, we’re

When using our cleaned casks and kegs,

ers across the UK and deliver tailored

extending payment terms for those using

you can be confident that containers are

solutions to suit their requirements. Right

this service to 60 days, giving businesses

sanitised and will maintain the integrity of

now, it is clear support is vital as we move

an additional 20 days to pay.

your products.

forward.

We’re also offering our one-time un-

With over 2.2 million containers, we have

Our flexible and innovative approach

washed 30 litre ekegs at £5 per container

one of the largest owned groups of casks

allows us to help brewers of all sizes and

for a limited time this summer. Again,

and kegs in UK and can help business-

this feels more relevant than ever. There

the offer is limited to 72 containers per

es with both long and short-term rental

is no one solution for all businesses, but

customer, per month, and will be subject

solutions.

our wide range of expertise does mean

to extended 60-day payment terms.

With short term rental ecasks, we offer

we can provide somewhat of a “one-stop

We work with over 250 wholesalers

contactless distribution, using email

shop” for the sector.

across the UK and have a large fleet of

delivery notes, to help with social dis-

containers available to support custom

tancing. The service is designed to keep

As well as the cask and keg rentals

requirements, including short-term and

everyone safe, as well as facilitating

we’re most well-known for, we also offer

flexible leases.

smooth and efficient work.

equipment finance, sale and rent-back

Our decanting services help brewers and

In addition, we are introducing a bulk

and, in recent times, we’ve even been

pubs to dispose of container contents in

scan facility which enables faster veri-

accredited to offer the government’s

an environmentally friendly manner. This

fication of containers at wholesale and

Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan

part of our service has remained open

customers sites, so that you can reduce

Scheme (CBILS).

throughout the crisis, and now, as usual

losses and ensure a consistent supply

With all this in mind, I wanted to share

keg and cask cycles get going again, our

during busier periods.

18

|

SEPTEMBER~OCTOBER 2020

BREWERS JOURNAL

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VERDANT IN FULL BLOOM

A LOVE OF HOPPY BEERS LED JAMES HEFFRON AND ADAM ROBERTSON TO START BREWING THEIR OWN BACK IN 2014. JOINED BY CODIRECTOR RICHARD WHITE TWO YEARS LATER, THEY’RE PRODUCING WORLD-BEATING HOPFORWARD BEERS AND IN DOING SO, HAVE GONE ON TO BECOME ONE OF THE MOST REVERED BREWERIES THE UK HAS TO OFFER. brewersjournal.info

H

ey James, I’ve got an idea.

How about we get the shark design from our beer printed on some facemasks?” asks Adam.

“I love it, why not!” James replies.

The team around them nod enthusiastically and the latest addition to Verdant’s merchandise store might just have been

SEPTEMBER~OCTOBER 2020

|

21

The brand and the beers have got their own momentum.

So it’s our responsibility to try and manage the direction of this beast,” James Heffron, Verdant

22

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SEPTEMBER~OCTOBER 2020

decided on there and then. T-shirts,

And a trait that has followed them from

snapbacks, tote bags. They are old news.

those early days is that unwavering sense

The ways you can promote your brand

of belief in what they’re doing and why

in 2020 are markedly different to pre-

they’re doing it. Robertson and Heffron,

vious years but let’s be honest, 2020 is

who would be joined by director Rich-

hugely different to what has come before.

ard White at the tail-end of 2015, have

Whether we like it or not, well that’s a

approached each decision along the way

completely different matter.

with that same mentality.

The design to which Adam Robertson

“I don’t think we find things daunting.

refers can be found adorning the striking

Since year two it has literally been like a

keg badge and can label for ‘Even Sharks

dog on a lead dragging us, and you just

Need Water’, a 6.5% IPA showcasing Citra

go with it,” says Robertson. “You’re faced

and Galaxy..

with having to make decisions rather than

A bright yellow shark, complete with a

being worried whether they’re right or

mouth full of beautiful hops, flies across a

not.”

jet black background. The design, along with the beer it promotes, is fantastic and

Heffron adds: “If your gut feels right about

stands out on shelves across the land.

something, then just go with it. For me, that’s right up on the list of prerequisites

“We’ve got a lot of strong labels, I’m

of whether I do something or not.

just happy to see them used in dif-

“As Adam said, we have this dog called

ferent ways,” exclaims James Heffron.

Verdant, which has always been running

Along with Robertson, the duo founded

away and we just try to keep hold of it.

Falmouth’s Verdant Brewing Co back in

The brand and the beers have got their

2014.

own momentum. So it’s our responsibility

BREWERS JOURNAL

to try and manage the direction of this

“I tell you what, I’m bloomin’ glad we have

labelling post-fill either works very well,

beast.”

a lot of this hop on contract!” he laughs.

quite well or is a right pain in the ass. And

Six years in, it’s safe to say they’ve done

Verdant’s canning run is midway through

a pretty fine job of steering the good ship

the packaging of some 16,000 cans. The

Verdant. Even with the choppy waters of

culmination of a double batch that, with-

The CanPro canning line was supplied by

2020 and all that has thrown at them.

out stoppages, takes the team circa four

Moravek International. It sits proudly at

and a half hours to complete.

one end of the brewery’s impressive new

It’s late July and it’s all hands to the

“We still we really like having labels on

facility in Penryn. Located some three

deck on the canning line for one of the

our cans and haven’t taken the leap

miles north-west of its old site, the team

brewery’s latest releases. Blended Blur

towards printed containers,” he explains.

have swapped their automotive neigh-

is a 4.8% Pale Ale showcasing Loral,

“So with that, you have to accept that

bours of old for a kids soft play centre

if it is pain in the ass, then the canning line run is a fair bit longer.”

which hits you with orange flavours front and centre. It’s the first time the beer has been produced and, despite some Columbus being used for bittering, it’s a full-on expression of Loral and head brewer Heffron is particularly pleased with the results.

Adam Robertson, co-founder of Falmouth’s Verdant Brewing Co July 2020

brewersjournal.info

SEPTEMBER~OCTOBER 2020

|

23

that is currently shuttered by Covid-19

before the aforementioned engineers

restrictions.

were called away to isolate.

“The cans have been flying ever since,”

While the pandemic forced Verdant to

I think by having that in your back pocket makes starting a brewery a little less daunting,” James Heffron, Verdant

smiles Robertson.

make some major decisions about their business, they did so with that earlier

None of the three directors at Verdant are

sense of confidence that has successfully

natives of Falmouth, but it’s the town in

got them to where they are today.

which they all met. Bonded by a passion

“When everything hit, and lockdown was

for five-a-side football, good beer and

introduced, I suppose you could say I

the desire to work together, Verdant

was really quite emotional,” Robertson

came into being back in 2014.

reminisces. “It was scary, it was uncertain and we were still somewhat fresh to this

A skiing trip nearly two decades earlier

new brewery of ours”

would see Heffron meet a group from New Zealand. A bond was made and he

On-site engineers were called away to

agreed to visit their beautiful country on

isolate, and the brewery shut down for

a backpacking trip in 1999. It is here he

two weeks to allow the team to gather

would meet his future wife Hagit who

their thoughts.

was also enjoying a similar visit. The cou-

“We reopened and fired up the non-com-

ple would go on to mark the occasion

missioned canning line, and due to Rich’s

returning to the country again in 2010.

hard work, we’ve managed to keep canning until the present day,” says Heffron.

“I just remember spending one day in the South Island, drinking beers brewed with

26

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SEPTEMBER~OCTOBER 2020

Thankfully the new line was commis-

Nelson Sauvin and then driving through

sioned in good time and such was the

Nelson Sauvin hop fields. With the moun-

need to fire it up, the first packaged cans

tains in the distance, the romance just

were coming off the machine 24 hours

almost killed me.

BREWERS JOURNAL

“So of course I came home and started

While Nelson Sauvin and beers from the

brewing on the kitchen stove!”

microbreweries of New Zealand opened his eyes to the world of flavour that exists

Heffron had no previous professional

within beer, Heffron would develop this

brewing experience prior to starting

passion thanks to the UK’s very own

Verdant. Instead, he boasts a passion

excellent breweries. Often after weekly

for exploration, flavour and invention.

five-a-side football games he’d play with

Something that would lead him and Hagit

future business partner Robertson.

to start their own street food business in Falmouth, Fal Falafel.

“I remember the big grapefruit hit you got from a pint of Proper Job,” he recalls.

“The whole process of starting a com-

We’d both drink it when we used to play

pany, even though it was very small,

football each week. Well, to be fair, Adam

involves taking a step. You create a little

still plays.”

brand, you create a product, and you

“Oakham Citra, Pale Fire from Pressure

invest some money,” he explains. “And

Drop Brewing and beers from The Kernel

that’s what burden is. Adam has done it

all played a big part for me,” says Robert-

himself with his own businesses, too. I

son, who has a background in marketing

think by having that in your back pocket

and design.

We were down the pub and thought - we need a name.

Half an hour later, we had it!”

Adam Robertson, Verdant

makes starting a brewery a little less daunting.”

“And Punk IPA, it’s important not to forget that,” adds Heffron.

Heffron adds: “Back then I was making falafel and selling it to people in front of

The duo had a passion for beer and

me. Now I’m making beer and sending

before long, it became evident that they

it out to people further away. But I see

wanted to make a go of it themselves.

similarities in both.”

And although it was a major decision to

brewersjournal.info

SEPTEMBER~OCTOBER 2020

|

27

make, Heffron says it was important to

working men’s club, post office and the

“Early on people asked us why we hadn’t

approach it head-on.

house of Captain Bell and his family.

called the brewery ‘Cornish Brewing’ or

“Beyond time with family and friends, I

It is also the birthplace of the brewery’s

Robertson. “And then you have those that

don’t think there’s really anything better

name.

mispronounce the name. Put the word

something equally uninspiring,” laughs

Verdant in a sentence and I’m sure you’ll

than starting an adventure,” he explains.

“When I first moved to Falmouth I worked

“We were down the pub and thought -

pronounce it the correct way. It used to

in retail, and I was made redundant twice.

we need a name,” says Robertson. “We

annoy me but no longer. It can be what-

Starting the falafel business was a risk,

mused, wow this is going to take a while

ever you want it to be!”

but once you’ve taken a risk once, it’s

but half an hour later, we had it!”

easy to do it again.”

Heffron was familiar with The Adventures

“I love the fact its mispronounced so

of Mr. Verdant Green, a novel by one

much,” says Heffron. “It means the the

Heffron adds: “If you are really passionate,

Cuthbert M. Bede. The book focused on

brand is vocalised far more often.”

and believe in the quality of your product

the various exploits of Green, a first year

and where you’re coming from with it,

undergraduate at Oxford University.

Heffron and Robertson’s initial forays

then you’re got nothing to worry about

“There was something about the word

into brewing took place in the former’s

and everything falls into place.”

Verdant that stood out,” says Heffron.

kitchen during the Autumn of 2014. Be-

“Meaning green, and lush, we felt it was

fore long, they had moved to a humble

perfect for us.”

shipping container that was rented for

A much-celebrated part of Falmouth’s

less than £200 a month.

nightlife is Beerwolf Books, a quirky, though incredibly popular, pub housed

And that was that. Though the name has

Come 2015, Richard White had joined the

in a 17th century building that was once

been the cause of varying degrees of

group and by October of 2016, the team

a customs house, packet ship station,

amusement over the years.

had up graded from an existing 200ltr

28

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SEPTEMBER~OCTOBER 2020

BREWERS JOURNAL

setup to a 16HL system. Verdant were

“It has been great to approach this

Heffron took on the role of specifying the

also named ‘Best New Brewer’ at the

building as a blank canvas,” says Heffron.

equipment for the new brewery, while

2016 Ratebeer Awards.

“We’ve been able to work with SSV Limit-

Robertson continued working on mar-

ed from an early stage to ensure that this

keting, design and sales. White, a former

Though they were in no mood to rest on

site is the perfect fit for the brewhouse

domestic and commercial electrician,

their laurels and fast-forward two years,

they supplied and installed.”

handled project and site management.

“Rich is super practical and has a great

the trio would launch a super-successful crowdfunding campaign to fund further

The centrepiece of the new facility is

engineering head on him,” he says. “Hav-

expansion, which would involve the

the 35HL brewhouse from SSV Limited.

ing someone like him on board during

investment in a new brewhouse, canning

While they describe the brew length

this process has been invaluable.”

line and a move to their shiny current site

as “modest”, Heffron and the team are

in Penryn, which provides employment to

already testing the system’s capabilities.

Enter the Penryn brewery and you pass

a team of 20.

“We’ve been knocking out 40, sometimes

a brand new bulk CO2 system alongside

45HL per brew,” he says.

two malt silos. These house Extra Pale from Crisp Malting and Golden Promise

A total of 2017 investors would help Verdant raise £1.32m and enable the

“The original plan was to triple brew

from Simpsons Malt, the primary ingre-

business to take the next major steps

105HL into one of the FVs, giving it ample

dients of Verdant’s malt bill and often

in its brewing journey. Located in the

headspace for the huge krausen beers

ones that are blended together slightly to

Parkengue Kernick Industrial Estate, the

fermented with our house strain have. But

achieve the colour the brewer desires.

team is now very much at home at their

here we are filling it right to the top where

new facility. And although the site is

it’s almost touching the sprayball so out

Heffron was exacting of his demands

fully-specified, the addition of a taproom

comes the antifoam. Anyway, hey ho!”

from equipment partners that include

will add to the proposition in 2021.

SSV Limited, Alfa Laval and Moravek.

brewersjournal.info

SEPTEMBER~OCTOBER 2020

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29

“I think we pushed SSV when it came to

Back on ground level, Heffron highlights

you’re using it wrong,” he says. “So we

the design. We wanted two lauter tuns,

the intricate pipework that exists under

went down this rabbit hole of trying to

and three jackets on the MCV, which is

the brewhouse and fermenter gantry.

specify the centrifuge to the point where

somewhat unusual and they rose to the

“It’s pretty amazing under there. There’s

we could put the whole contents of an

challenge,” he says.

something like 400 valves in that part

FV of Double IPA through it and not just a

alone,” he exclaims.

blended portion of the solids of the cone.

The primary lauter tun is one of Heffron’s

Three CIP units across the site individual-

favourite elements of the new system.

ly handle the brewhouse, tanks and the

“In my mind’s eye you have all this flavour

“It has a lovely wide bed so you keep the

canning and kegging operations.

that you normally throw away, so why not spin all the liquid out of the hops and

grain bed thin to aid run-off,” he says. “You can throw a Double IPA in there with 10 to

Another major addition to the Verdant

keep it in the beer? I think that whole

20% flaked additions and it just laughs at

armoury is the investment in a centrifuge

argument of it losing flavour is wrong, “

you saying is that all you’ve got?”

from Alfa Laval. A system, Heffron be-

says Heffron.

lieves, is helping improve the brewery’s

“Anyone who works in the cellar of a

output across the board.

hop-focused brewery will know how

The team also wanted a way to chill the

wonderful the hops smell that have been

wort in a single pass from the kettle to the whirlpool. Much of the whirlpool

“A centrifuge is tough to get to grips

left behind in the cone of an FV. Why

process is carried out at 80C, particularly

with, but reaps very large rewards,” he

not attempt to spin that flavour into the

for New England styles and the solution

says. “We never chose to have one so

beer, rather than simply chuck it down

was to integrate a large in-line shell and

we could increase yield, instead it was

the drain”

tube heat exchange between the kettle

always to improve the beer, to refine

and whirlpool. By knocking 20 degrees

the beer and hopefully improve the hop

He adds: “The centrifuge has been the

off they can create huge hop saturation

character present in them, too.”

most challenging element of this brew-

without the addition of harsh bittering.

Heffron has enjoyed learning the ropes

ery but also the most exciting part at the

A central gantry provides access to FVs

with the new equipment, but says mis-

same time. And within the last couple of

1-12, affording sprawling views of the

guided preconceptions regarding centri-

months we’re really beginning to own it

whole facility. You’re a good six metres

fuge technology exist in the industry.

and make it do what we want it to do.”

up at this point so a safety gate was

“I remember being told on separate

The brewery has ample fermentation

installed to allow for the secure addition

occasions that centrifuges will reduce

capacity at present but the facility has

of hops and yeast direct into the vessel’s

the flavour in your beer as you are simply

been designed to allow for expansion if

manway.

spinning the flavour out. I thought no,

needed.

30

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SEPTEMBER~OCTOBER 2020

BREWERS JOURNAL

Being part of a brewery is like life itself. It is full of huge lessons, and it’s a series of learning curves.

You’ve just got to be willing to take them,” Adam Robertson, Verdant

“It’s simply ridiculous spending so much

but we entered this business through the

blend it with Lallemand New England

money on a quality brewery floor and

love of IPA. So it’s the hazy pales, IPAs

yeast. They also admit that they hadn’t

drainage if you’re not going to leave

and West Coast we’ll continue to focus

perfected their water chemistry or dry-

enough space for another row of tanks,”

on.”

hop processes in those early days.

he smiles.

Among a myriad of beers produced in

Headband has come a long way since

The team are leveraging the new facil-

the last six years, Heffron holds Head-

its inception, though it still retains the

ity to output three beer releases each

band as his crowning glory.

original hop bill of Mosaic, Citra, Chinook

week. Some of these are new launches,

“When it’s on song, it is as good as any-

and Columbus. These days it’s a beauti-

such as Blended Blur or the Double IPA

thing out there,” he states.

fully hoppy beast with a big tropical nose

Unconventional Tactics, while others are

and a hint of dankness to balance out

rebrews of favourites such as Fruit Car

Earlier releases of the beer were drier

the flavours. One factor which is often

Sight Exhibition and Headband.

and less juicy than they are now. Work-

overlooked is the malt bill. The Munich

ing full-time jobs meant the team were

and Crystal malts have given Headband

solely using US-05 yeast where they now

the burnt orange shade of a sunset, and

Although Verdant has brewed more than 100 different beers in its time, Robertson is keen to consolidate its approach to releases going forward, especially with a growing export market that includes territories such as Norway, Denmark, Germany and Spain to Thailand, Singapore and China.

“We’re trying to cut down on producing so many new beers. We want to have core range and a series of rotational releases,” he explains. “Personally I think the whole industry has made a rod for its own back with too many new beers that are too similar to previous ones.”

Heffron adds: “We love all types of beers,

brewersjournal.info

SEPTEMBER~OCTOBER 2020

|

31

sweet caramel vibes to accompany the

variety of styles, team Verdant have

Verdant’s head brewer says he has no

candied orange flavours.

proudly nailed their colours to the mast

problems in being so open with the wider

of hop-forward pale ales and IPAs. Their

beer community, despite being initially

“We love that beer, but it is also the one

well-placed strength of conviction in the

hesitant.

of the trickiest beers to produce too,”

beers they brew even goes as far as po-

says Robertson. “There is a little window

litely informing the yeast producers they

“We obviously work very hard developing

where it’s A1. Of course, it is still very nice

purchase from that they should be using

our recipes and processes but decided

either side of it, but every time you brew

and promoting the brewery’s own strain.

this was an opportunity to truly become part of the community,” Heffron says.

a beer it doesn’t matter if all the process points are the same, there can be slight

“I recall meeting Rob [Percival, technical

“It’s also crucial to understand that you

variations owing to the nature of the

sales manager for Lallemand Brewing

can give your exact recipe to some-

yeast.”

and unofficial member of team Brewers

one, and tell them what to do, but it will

He adds: “The colour can go a little too

Journal] at a tradeshow in Germany,” says

always taste different to how you do it.

dark for me because of that orange

Heffron. “They had just released a New

Either way, I think people appreciate

thickness and if it’s too dark it can look

England yeast and I cheekily told them

knowledge sharing, and the ability to try

oxidised, so maintaining the appearance

they were wrong, and they should have

new things.”

of that beer is key.”

worked with ours.

“I offered them access to it and two years

And it’s that desire to try something new,

While Headband holds such a special

later, here we are with the strain being

and not to be afraid of doing so, which

place in the hearts and minds of Heffron,

available to homebrewers and in whole-

has led Verdant to the lofty heights they

Robertson and team, it doesn’t actual-

sale, too!”

continue to hit.

With that, LalBrew Verdant IPA was born.

“Working at a brewery is a never-ending

According to Lallemand, it was specially

cycle. But I love it, absolutely love it. I

“We all have one favourite hop and that’s

selected for its ability to produce a variety

wouldn’t swap it for any other job,” says

Nelson,” says Heffron. “And if anyone dis-

of hop-forward and malty beers. Promi-

Heffron.

agrees with us then they’re wrong!”

nent notes of apricot and undertones of

ly feature their favourite hop - Nelson Sauvin.

He adds: “When it comes to Nelson

tropical fruit and citrus merge seamlessly

“Being part of a brewery is like life itself. It

with hop aromas.

is full of huge lessons, and it’s a series of learning curves,” adds Robertson. “You’ve

beers, I take a sniff and for the duration of that same sniff, a whole world of different

With medium-high attenuation, the

flavours emerge. You don’t only get one

LalBrew Verdant IPA strain leaves a soft

and stop, it just keeps on going.”

and balanced malt profile with slightly

just got to be willing to take them.”

more body than a typical American IPA While they have produced beers in a

32

|

SEPTEMBER~OCTOBER 2020

yeast strain.

BREWERS JOURNAL

IGCisisyour your nationwide high-quality BIGGER BREWERIES NEED MORE IGC IGCnationwide is your IGC nationwide high-quality is your IGCnationwide high-quality isCO your high-quality high 2 nationwide 2 CO2 provider provider of choice for beers and cider.

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Thepopularity popularityof ofbeer beer andcider cider demands quality. reliable and quality The The popularity and ofdemands beer The andpopularity quality. cider demands AA of reliable The beer popularity quality. and and cider quality A of reliable demands beer and andquality. cider quality dema A re is therefore crucial to your business, whether you operate supply of CO therefore crucial to your business, crucial isyour therefore business, you crucial operate is therefore to your youbusiness, operate crucial towhe yo supply of CO2 2issupply of CO supply of COto supply of CO 2 is therefore 2whether 2whether within the manufacturing beer and soft drinks industry. within the manufacturing within thebeer manufacturing and soft within drinks beer theindustry. and manufacturing softwithin drinksthe industry. beer manufacturing and soft drinks beerindustry. and sof IGCstrive strivetotoensure ensure thatyour your business continues tooperate operate efficiently ascontinues IGC IGC strive that to ensure business that IGC continues your strive business toto ensure IGC continues that strive asas your efficiently to toensure business operate as that asyour efficiently business to op as possible,so socan can provideyou you with thepossible, necessary CO storage and gas 2 possible, possible, provide so can with provide the necessary you with soCO can the necessary possible, provide you so CO can with provide the necessary you with CO the storage and gas storage and gas 2 2 2 stn supplytotoaid aidcarbonation carbonation softdrinks drinks cider production. supply supply to aid &&soft carbonation supply && &cider to soft aidproduction. drinks carbonation supply & cider to aid &production. soft carbonation drinks & & cider softprodu drin

OurComprehensive Comprehensive ServiceOur Guide Our Our Comprehensive Service Guide Comprehensive Service Our Guide Comprehensive Service Guide Service

Salesand andrental rental CO and vessels ONLY ••Sales • Sales ofofCO and rental NN of •CO Sales and N2 rental vessels • Sales of COand and rental N2 vessels of CO2 and N2 vess 2 2and 2 2vessels 2 and 2 UK Vesselcapacities capacities fromcapacities 120ltrup upto2500 to2500 tons independent ••Vessel • Vessel from 120ltr from • Vessel 120ltr tons capacities up to2500 • Vessel from tons 120ltr capacities up to2500 from 120ltr tons up to2 • New and reconditioned pressure vessels supplier of • New and reconditioned • New andpressure reconditioned vessels • New pressure and reconditioned vessels • New andpressure reconditioned vesselspressure ve

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The popularity of beer and cider demands quality. A reliable and quality supply of CO2 is therefore crucial to your business, whether you operate within the manufacturing beer and soft drinks industry.

IGC strive to ensure that your business continues to operate as efficiently as possible, so can provide you with the necessary CO2 storage and gas supply to aid carbonation & soft drinks & cider production.

selectionof ofselection Breweries using IGCStorage Storage vessels AAselection A Breweries ofusing Breweries A selection IGC using of A Breweries IGC selection vessels Storage of using Breweries vessels IGC Storage using IGC vessels Stora

Hall Woodhouse AstonManor Manor••Hall •Aston •Hepworths Hepworths Adnams •Adnams McMullens Beavertown Brewdog Williams St Austell Hall && Woodhouse Hall •&•Aston Woodhouse StStAustell &Austell Woodhouse Manor •Bros •Hall St Austell •&Aston Woodhouse •••Adnams Manor Hepworths ••St Aston McMullens Austell • Adnams Manor • Hepworths •• St McMullens Austell • Adnams • Hepworths •M Our Comprehensive Service Guide • Sales and rental of CO2 and N2 vessels • Vessel capacities from 120ltr up to2500 tons • New and reconditioned pressure vessels • Engineering and servicing undertaken • Mixed Gas filling

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Hall & Woodhouse • Aston Manor • St Austell • Hepworths • Adnams • McMullens

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FORM A PARTNERSHIP PURCHASING NEW BREW KIT IS MORE THAN CONDUCTING A SIMPLE TRANSACTION. INSTEAD, IT SHOULD BE REGARDED AS FORMING A PARTNERSHIP. HERE, CORE EQUIPMENT, EXPLAIN WHY THEY’RE COMBINING ITS LARGE EUROPEAN-BASED ENGINEERING AND SERVICE TEAM WITH THE HIGH-QUALITY FABRICATION SKILLS OF NINGBO’S PREMIER BREWING EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURER YOLONG BREWTECH, TO FORM A NEW FORCE ON THE UK/EU BREWING SCENE

I

t’s common knowledge that

Many talented brewers and savvy

high-quality brewing equipment at

businessmen who have the technical

competitive prices can be sourced

brewing skills and the ambition to open

from Chinese manufacturers these

a brewery, often lack the manufacturing

days. The difficulty can be selecting

experience and design skills to deal with

the right equipment supplier amongst

Chinese fabricators directly. It’s almost as

the many on offer. For example, how do

if the welders speak a different language!

you know exactly what you are buying,

To solve this problem, Core decided

that the quality will be right and even if

on a partnership approach with YoLong

your money is safe?

whereby Core developed its robust and market tested brewhouse engineering

It was with this in mind that the brewery

designs together with YoLong Brewtech,

engineering team at Core, decided to

developed a new range of brew kits

make the process of buying from China

specifically designed for the European

risk free and much more straightforward.

market.

Over the course of several years, Core have built up a good working knowledge

“Selecting the right brewery equipment

of the brewery equipment supplier base

manufacturer can make or break a brew-

in China and after a significant amount of

ery’s chances of success down the line”,

research, factory visits and technical eval-

explains Sam Wright, project develop-

uation, decided to partner with YoLong

ment engineer at Core. “That’s why the

Brewtech of Ningbo province, China.

partnership approach is so important.

Once a customer places an order, the

Jonathan Chaplin, managing director of

sales and engineering team at Core will

Core Equipment says: “We visited many

work with the customer to understand

factories in several areas of China on

the exact project requirement and ideal

a number of visits and looked for the

set of equipment to meet the customer’s

following traits for our potential partner:

expectations of cost, design, and quality.

sophisticated stainless steel fabrication equipment, an organized workshop, a

“This project requirement will then be

hard-working team of welders and en-

shared with the YoLong engineering

gineers and a committed management

team on a project basis, to ensure that

team that put customer service first.

the final result is on target. The Core in-

“After visiting the YoLong facility in Ning-

stallation and service team will handle all

bo, we knew that we had found the right

installation, commissioning, and servicing

partner

requirements to provide a total turn-key solution”

“At the YoLong 36,000m2 production workshop an impressive array of fabrica-

To meet the needs of small and me-

tion equipment including CNC laser cut-

dium-sized craft breweries, Core and

ters, welding turntables, orbital cutters,

YoLong have developed a series of

barrel rollers, and polishing equipment

standardised brewhouse designs which

distinguished YoLong from others. It was

can be ordered as is or modified to cus-

important to see dimple jackets metic-

tomer needs.

ulously machined instead of being built

34

|

SEPTEMBER~OCTOBER 2020

with a man and his hammer (like some of

Core-Primary Brewhaus (5-20HL) allows

the facilities we saw).”

customers who are just starting, to get

BREWERS JOURNAL

going at an affordable price. This is an

set recipes, additional safety features,

at the design stage for your brewery.

ideal solution for a home-brewer looking

and accurate material flows.

Efficiency: You spend good money on

to start their first commercial venture or

Below, Ray Ran, international commer-

quality ingredients. Don’t flush it down

a publican looking to diversify. There is

cial director at YoLong gives some further

the drain.

an increase in demand for local and sto-

insight into the principles behind the new

The high-quality products that maltsters,

ry-driven experiences in the market that

Core YoLong range of brewhouses.

hop farmers and yeast labs produce

the craft beer movement encapsulates

have improved dramatically over the

and the Core-Primary system enables

“In developing the new range of standard

past years. There are many ways to save

customers to take advantage of that

brewhouses, we have been guided by

money using Core brewhouses.

demand.

four basic principles that we see in action

Lauter rakes in our CORE-Principal Bre-

around the world - scale, quality, efficien-

whaus mashing procedures can increase

cy, and the environment”.

extract yields of grist from 70% to 85%

Microbreweries often find that they need

compared to traditional mash vessels.

to grow to meet demand. An essential step to enabling that growth is the ability

Scale: Don’t start too small if you want to

Hops can be steeped in the whirlpool at

to scale up efficiencies through more

grow.

different temperatures to increase flavor extraction and decrease bitterness. Using

productive equipment.

For the more advanced brewer, the

A lack of initial capital investment can

the CORE yeast-brink to re-pitch yeast

Core-Principal Brewhaus (5-30HL)

lead to increased labour costs to scale

can speed up fermentation and reduce

ideal. Using rakes to increase extraction,

up a brewery. It’s a simple equation:”

spending on new cultures.”

combi-vessels to decrease footprint, and

“Brewing 45HL on a 15HL kit will take 12

skid-mounted pumps/pipework to re-

hours, which will mean hiring two brew-

Environment: Reducing your footprint is

duce installation costs, the Core-Principal

ers over two shifts.

important for the future.

brewhouse range is size and efficiency

Brewing that same 45HL batch on a

for an affordable price.

Core-Pro 45HL kit will take one brewer

“Breweries produce lots of waste that is

5 hours, with time to focus on quality,

often ignored. Poor planning can lead to

cellaring, packaging and cleaning.

excessive water/energy consumption,

As the total number of breweries increase, so too does the number of

emissions of CO2, and generation of

breweries expanding at regional level.

Quality: Choose the right brew kit for your

waste-effluent.

To operate at a larger scale, degrees of

beer styles.

“By having a discussion with Core about

automation are required to help control

energy savings using different heating

increased batch sizes. To meet this de-

“It can be very difficult to brew a DDH

sources, capturing your CO2 during

mand Core offers the Core-Pro Brewhaus

Pale Ale using a traditional electrical im-

fermentation, generating nitrogen on-site

(10HL-50HL) with PLC automation for

mersion kettle or a traditional lager using

for purging/packaging operations and

valve control, touch-screen HMI, and full

a single infusion temperature mash tun.

dealing with effluent, you can minimise

process control integration. Complete

Matching your product range with the

the amount of waste and energy that is

control of Mash/Lauter temperatures to

correct equipment is a critical discussion

used.”

brewersjournal.info

SEPTEMBER~OCTOBER 2020

|

35

Gravity Systems was formed to meet the growing demand in the craft beer market for a single source for all brewhouse, fermentation, services generation and distribution. It is our aim to be the most complete partner in the brewery industry by building long term partnerships with our customers.

+44 (0) 1733 834264 | www.gravity-systems.co.uk

CONTRACT PACKAGING FOR THE CRAFT DRINKS MARKET BREWING & PACKAGING

We’ve expanded our Contract Brewing Facilities and will be able to accommodate orders from 30 to 60 hectolitres from the 1st September 2020!

Why use SEB? We’ve been in this game for a long time and we’re here to support you. Whether you’re a small Brewer that hasn’t got the funding or space to brew in-house, a new Brewer that is dipping a toe in the market or even a large Brewer that wants to test new a product, has a one-off order or you’ve simply out-grown your internal capacity, we can help!

Our Flexibility: Our Excellent Customer Service Split Packaging Runs n Variety of Packaging Options n End to End Solution Our Commitment to Quality n Transparent Pricing n Printed Cans n SALSA Accredited n Technical Advice n 10HL - 100HL Batches n Increased Shelf Life n Flexible Filtration Methodology n 40+ Years Experience n

Book your Brewing or Packaging Slot 01843 865000 sales@sebpackaging.co.uk Bottling | Canning | Kegging | Blending | Contract Brewing TBJ Aug.indd 1

19/08/2020 13:18:34

STAND OUT FROM THE COMPETITION THE WORLD AROUND US HAS CHANGED AND AS A RESULT, BREWERIES MUST BE ABLE TO REACT TO, AND FULFIL, CHANGING MARKET DEMANDS. HERE, BRENDAN GREENWOOD, STRATEGIC ACCOUNT MANAGER AT DS SMITH, EXPLAINS HOW PACKAGING PLAYS ITS ROLE IN HELPING YOU ACHIEVE YOUR COMPANY’S GOALS.

A

t DS Smith our designers

which also means potentially 35% less

and packaging strate-

warehousing space to light and heat too.

gists work closely with breweries to support their

Impact on-shelf has always played a

evolving needs. Plastic

major role in driving sales, brewers con-

replacement innovation and sustainability

tinue to have high print expectations and

are key drivers along with brand integ-

more complicated printing requirements,

rity, and the high-quality, cost-effective

which DS Smith has the technology and

packaging is critical in delivering on that

expertise to accommodate for.

promise and catching the attention of the

On top of this new variant types are key

consumer.

drivers, particularly in the craft category, which requires a visually attractive pack

We’ve developed over 650 designs fo-

to capture consumer attention on shelf –

cused specifically on plastic replacement

over 70% of purchase decisions are made

and our packaging designers have cre-

after your customers enter the store.

ated a range of sustainable alternatives for multi- can carriers, can clips and fully

Our latest consumer insight shows a ‘new

enclosed, high-sided trays to replace

normal’ has arrived, where big shops

plastic film.

replace more fre-quent, smaller shops

Thinking about the whole package we

and over half of UK shoppers say they are

are working on eliminating plastic tape

visiting supermarkets less. A habit that 1

in our box designs, by creating boxes

in 4 shoppers say they expect to continue

with different closure mechanisms.

long-term. Brewers need to compete

Innovations like this can have a huge

at fixture and DS Smith’s innovations in

impact, one of our customers has already

packaging design and print capability

eliminated 18,000km of plastic tape by

allow us to create attention grabbing

implementing this design - enough to

designs for our customers.

stretch halfway around the world.

Our partnership with Eyetracker, a leading European packaging research

Sustainability for our brewery customers

group, demonstrates that with the help

is not just focused on the packaging, but

of impactful Shelf Ready Packaging (SRP)

the entire supply cycle. Making minor

shoppers find what they’re looking for

changes in packaging design can make

10% faster 11 and 80% of retailers report

a huge difference throughout the supply

impactful SRP can deliver a sales uplift of

cycle.

4% or more.

Here at DS Smith we work with partners

brewersjournal.info

to create tailored ‘distribution efficient’

The growth of e-commerce, particularly

packaging, that cuts carbon footprint and

due to recent world events, has boomed

reduces delivery miles.

as staying home is the new going out.

Switching from heavy weight card board

Even as bars and restaurants slowly re-

packs to a lighter alternative like our

open, all the indicators are that it will be

R-Flute® packaging can reduce pack-

some time before on-trade footfall and

aging volume and weight, reducing the

sales return to pre-Covid-19 levels. Brew-

number of deliveries to the breweries.

ers want to move quickly and adapt to

For a large brewery customer this led to

selling online, and the significant oppor-

a 35% decrease in the number of pallets

tunities that exist, from sales to sampling,

being delivered to their warehouses,

personalisation to subscription models.

SEPTEMBER~OCTOBER 2020

|

37

up customer designs to maximise each 2.8m-wide sheet.

Our capabilities allow us to help smaller brewers to develop urgently needed ecommerce chan-nels and find innovative ways to protect products and optimise supply chains. We are committed to designing plastic out of packaging, reducing the carbon impact of the justin-time supply chain and reducing the end-of-life impact of packaging.

We’re currently working on a number of exciting projects with our customers, At DS Smith our innovations in e-com-

pint sized can. Consumption off-trade has

these include working with a major beer

merce packaging design, robust testing

increased but was recently impacted by

supplier to replace the plastic high cone.

methods and unrivalled insight into Euro-

supply chain issues and a lack of availa-

This resulted in 1 million single-use items

pean supply chain complexities mean we

bility within the UK.

of plastic being removed from supply chain and a continued listing with major

can support our customer with scalable packaging solutions and support brewers

Aluminium shortages have affected can-

stockist.

get online quickly and safely, supporting

ning manufacturers over the past couple

With each year over 20 million tonnes of

our customers as they grow.

of months, as shopping habits changed

plastic packaging produced in Europe

Our e-commerce solutions include our

in reaction to the Covid-19 pandemic.

and globally 8 million tonnes of plas-

ePack site that offers a simplified range

The initial bulk buying of supplies from

tic waste entering the oceans, a small

of off-the-shelf packaging solutions and

supermarkets, meant canned bever-

change like this can have a big impact.

bespoke solutions, where customers can

ages experienced a surge of sales, that

design packaging to delight consumers

coincided with a shortage of material to

Recently for a customer, we designed

with personalisation, limited editions,

supply the demand.

a bespoke point-of-sale display (POS) to support a new product launch and

collectibles and the quality of print.

Investing in packaging with DS Smith

promotion in wholesalers. Part of our POS

Our innovations are bespoke for the

provide a whole host of benefits to a cus-

range which are available in every shape

customers we work with and we ensure

tomer’s brewery packaging and whole

and size and put our customers’ products

our solutions meet the unique needs of

operation. Volume production capabilities

centre stage offering customised and

every brewery customer. We’ve worked

and low cost are the main benefits, as

unusual shapes. This particular project

to find the balance between protecting

well as delivering on the recyclability

resulted in an 86% uplift in sales and the

packaging and limiting the amount of

agenda.

promotion spread further than just store.

The distinctive displays drove interaction

materials used, as it’s a key concern for our customers.

Beyond this, it’s DS Smith’s mission to

with store colleagues, with some dress-

Our DISCS™ technology enables us

ensure all Beer & Cider brands stand out

ing up to match the attention-grabbing

to scientifically assess our customers’

at fixture. Our printing capabilities means

display and uploading photos to social

requirements and get this balance right,

we can create disruptive promotional,

media.

with a real-world packaging testing

seasonal and exclusive versions of cus-

process for creating high performance

tomers packaging a commercial reality.

We’re also working with another custom-

e-commerce packaging.

These are scalable operations, as we

er to relaunch their brand, providing new

Named after the types of testing (Drop,

can print as few as 5000 units per design

high-quality graphics across the range.

Impact, Shock, Crush, Shake), the pat-

and deliver multiple prints in a single run,

This includes mixed can packs in a varie-

ented system con-sists of five pieces of

without having to stop each time to make

ty of combinations and we col-laborated

equipment, each replicating a part of the

ready.

with the client to develop High Quality Post Print outer packs for customer

product journey to ensure our packaging solutions are durable as well as sustain-

To support smaller brewers, we can

able.

even bundle the print runs of more than

facing SKU’s.

one brewery on a single machine, this

The quality of the print and vibrant de-

We’re experiencing that canning has

increases our operational efficiencies

signs were strategically designed to grab

been buoyant throughout the various

and cost-savings in all quantities. With

shoppers attention on the shelf. They

stages of lockdown with particular

the UK’s largest digital printer, we easily

also drove brand awareness and ensured

growth in larger can sizes, such as the

switch to larger volumes too, planning

a successful brand relaunch.

38

|

SEPTEMBER~OCTOBER 2020

BREWERS JOURNAL

Project Engineering Manager Sales Represenative - Nationwide Field Service Engineer - South

WE'RE HIRING!

Be a part of our team!

For more information please visit our website http://www.core-equip.com/page/jobopportunities

CANNING SOLUTIONS DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR.

THE UK’S LEADING SUPPLIER OF MOBILE CANNING Adaptive solutions for beer, hard seltzer, cocktails, white labelling & much more.

Product design ser vices available. Find out more at www.themthatcan.com info@themthatcan.com

BRANDING FOR BOUTIQUE BREWERIES ATTRACTING THE CONSUMER IS KEY AND STARTS LONG BEFORE THAT FIRST SIP. FROM THE LABEL, TO THE MARKETING MATERIALS PROMOTING THE BRAND, THESE ALL HELP INFLUENCE PURCHASING DECISIONS BY STANDING OUT IN A CROWDED MARKETPLACE, EXPLAINS GUY BOXALL, SENIOR MANAGER FOR LABEL PRINTING AT OKI EUROPE.

T

here are over 10,000 brew-

a small business.

eries in Europe alone and

As a result, smaller breweries need to

the EU is second only to

find creative and cost-effective ways to

China when it comes to the

stand out, for example through person-

volume of beer produced

alised labels and bottle collars as well as

annually. It’s clear there is a strong and

hosting and sponsoring corporate events.

enduring global appetite for beer, and craft beer represents an opportunity to

These very small-to-medium scale brew-

appeal to different consumer tastes and

eries will not have anywhere near the

preferences around the world.

same level of marketing budget as their larger counterparts. With smaller hecto-

The value of the global craft beer market

litres of beer production, they often do

is expected to reach USD 502.9 billion by

not require the large volumes of labels

2025, which means brewers that follow

and promotional assets that larger beer

the craft trend can open up new reve-

brands require making their production

nue streams by increasing their appeal

costs expensive.

beyond traditional style beers.

OKI has experience in supporting the Great-tasting beer is the primary goal for

brewery market and understands that

any brewer. What makes a good beer?

while larger breweries have the buying

Its appearance, head, flavour, depth,

power to negotiate special prices for

colour and aroma. Add to a good tasting

hundreds of thousands of printed labels

beer, the best designed packaging with

as well as the warehouse space to store

a stylish bottle or can and a label, bottle

them, smaller breweries would benefit

collar or sleeve which promotes the high

from in-house printing to their strategic

quality and uniqueness of the refined

advantage.

‘craft’ beer within and you have a beer that is also visually appealing.

Using a label printer like OKI’s Pro1050, small breweries can print the exact

The microbrewery, nanobrewery and

volume of labels as and when they need

more recently the craft brewery, are often

them, or up to 8000 labels a day. This

small independently owned businesses

enables breweries to save on the cost of

that employ more traditional methods

using a third-party print supplier as well

to brew smaller batches of beer with a

as removing the lead times.

unique quality and flavour. Capitalising on this trend also gives these smaller brew-

And with a minimum volume of just one

eries the opportunity to challenge larger

label, this also means personalised labels

breweries for more market share.

are an affordable additional opportunity.

Product personalisation can make all the

However, the uptake in craft beer drink-

difference considering 80% of frequent

ing means thousands of small breweries

shoppers only shop with brands that

are competing in what has become a

personalise the experience.

saturated market. Standing out against

brewersjournal.info

both the competing craft breweries and

OKI’s Pro1050 label printer is the perfect

the larger brands can be a challenge for

addition for any brewery that wants to

SEPTEMBER~OCTOBER 2020

|

41

maximise cost-efficiency by printing its

brand and capture attention at events

Talis chose OKI’s Pro1050 Label Printer

own labels. The compact device delivers

and trade shows with hanging banners,

due to its 5-colour printing capability

short-run colour label printing on-de-

pop-up banners, waterproof menus and

(CMYK+WHITE), cost efficiency and

mand with versatile media handling,

wristbands.

its ability to be fully customisable and

producing waterproof labels perfect for

It is also using the device to create ma-

compact enough to sit alongside the

withstanding refrigeration.

terials for its own small chain of boutique

company’s die-cutter. Following an initial

pubs. The CEO attributes the brands

run of 600 labels, Heineken ordered a

What’s more, the Pro1050 can help craft

skyrocketing sales to the flexibility OKI’s

further 20,000 which Talis Labels was

beers stand out through CMYK+White

C800 Series has provided his business.

able to produce on time thanks to OKI’s Pro1050.

printing a new colour dimension and providing greater flexibility in label design

“Whether it’s banners, menus, bottle

including labels for darker bottles as well

collars or wristbands, when you have a

“The Pro1050 represents great cost

as a range of media including paper, syn-

printer right here on site, all sorts of new

savings over other, less versatile label

thetics, clear, coloured or textured.

ideas are possible,” explains Amaurys

printing solutions and it definitely was a

Perez, CEO at Zion Birra.

successful brand boosting promotion for Heineken,” says Paul Stretton, owner and

Variable Data Printing (VDP) is another

founder of Talis Labels.

area where the Pro1050 adds value for

The C800 Series is easy to use, making it

breweries, enabling them to print small

ideal for breweries with no previous print-

runs of labels with variations in the name

ing experience. Like the Pro1050 label

For craft beers, breweries would like to

of the beer, seasonal production, name

printer, the C800 Series helps businesses

think it’s all in the taste. However, it’s the

of a retailer or distributor or any other

to reduce print expenditure and achieve

overall appeal that counts! Attracting

variable information such a barcode and

creative, professional results without the

beer lovers is key and starts outside the

small batch data.

lengthy processes experienced with third

bottle. From the label to the marketing

party print suppliers.

materials promoting the brand, all help influence purchasing decisions by stand-

It’s not just in-house label printing where

ing out in a crowded marketplace.

smaller breweries can gain a competitive

South African label supplier Talis Labels

advantage. OKI’s multi-award winning

was recommended to assist in a project

C800 Series complements the Pro1050

for Dutch brewing company Heineken

OKI’s Solutions for the Craft Beer market

in delivering a comprehensive range of

which involved printing limited edition

can do so much more than simply com-

marketing materials printed in house, in

labels to help promote their sponsorship

municating what a product is and who it’s

professional quality.

of a global rugby tournament in 2019.

made by. It can help create and promote

The brief was for a stunning transparent

a brand identity.

From bottle collars and sleeves to water-

label that displayed well on the dark

proof, tearproof menus, event invitations

Heineken bottle and required a quick

For breweries that are both seasoned in

and free standing banners as well as

turnaround.

the craft beer trend or seizing the opportunities that the growing marketplace

self-adhesive floor and window stickers.

All this and more will enable craft beer

However, Talis Labels lacked the nec-

offers, OKI will help their brand stand out

breweries to actively promote them-

essary equipment needed to achieve

from the competition with professional,

selves as well as offering customers the

the label finish that Heineken required

affordable personalised results delivered

opportunity to personalise their events

particularly in the specified time frame.

on demand.

and beers.

To meet the brief, Talis Labels began the Italian craft brewery Zion Birra chose the

search for an end-to-end label printer

C800 Series as a reliable and cost-ef-

that was different to traditional CMYK

fective printing solution to help grow its

label printers.

42

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SEPTEMBER~OCTOBER 2020

BREWERS JOURNAL

Great Beers

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M O R E

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PACKAGING OUT OF THIS WORLD TO CELEBRATE ITS 8TH BIRTHDAY, BEAVERTOWN RETURNED TO TRUSTED PARTNER SAXON PACKAGING TO PRODUCE THE HOUSING FOR THE BREWERY’S EIGHT ANNIVERSARY BEERS AND A LIMITEDEDITION GLASS.

I

n February 2020, we received a special enquiry from Sam Millard, (Brand Manager at Beavertown) for a limited edition gift pack to celebrate their 8th official birthday that

would house 8 x 330ml beer cans and 1 x promotional glass.

The packaging artwork provided by Beavertown showed off a rich black flood coat, garlanded with their unique and distinguished typography and designs of their intergalactic theme.

This eye-catching artwork and structural packaging design houses their products perfectly and the addition of a tear strip to facilitate ease of opening made

cardboard sheets to the level of precision

helped give this pack the extra special

required in order to create the ‘out-of-

touch.

this-world’ look and feel for the packag-

Due to the number of units required for

ing design.

this limited edition run, it was decided

Mike Impson, sales director at Saxon

that the digital printing process was the

Packaging, explains: “With an initial quan-

optimum print solution for the job. Digital

tity of 450 units, we were thrilled to learn

printing uses a 4 colour print process

that these special release limited edition

(CMYK) and provides high quality print

beer packs were a great success. We’ve

detail with no origination costs – a great

thoroughly enjoyed supporting Beaver-

solution when high quality print is re-

town with their packaging solutions over

quired with lower quantity requirements.

the years and look forward to continue

Through the collaboration of our in-group

producing many more quality stand-out

digital printers at Display UK, we were

examples of packaging for them.”

able print and die-cut the corrugated

“We needed boxes sturdy enough to be posted direct to the consumer, speedy to assemble by hand but also have our trademark, bight, in your face design all over it, adds Sam Millard, brand manager at Beavertown Brewery.

“Kelly and Mike over at Saxon couldn’t have been more helpful, offering great solutions and turning around something that delivers on every level, in a tight timeframe. It’s the kind of excellent service and levels of quality we’ve come to expect from Saxon, and we ended up with a finished product that really stands out.”

44

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SEPTEMBER~OCTOBER 2020

BREWERS JOURNAL

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MAKING WAVES DROP PROJECT LAUNCHING & ESTABLISHING A NEW BREWERY ALWAYS COMES WITH ITS OWN SET OF CHALLENGES. BUT THE TEAM AT LONDON’S DROP PROJECT BREWING CO ARE LETTING THEIR BEERS DO THE TALKING, & MAKING A NAME FOR THE YOUNG OUTFIT AS A RESULT.

brewersjournal.info

B

rewing beer is easy, but

going in which tank,” he recalls. “But now

producing good beer takes

I’ve got my boots back on and of course,

real skill,” explains John Tay-

it’s refreshing to be making beer again.”

lor, co-founder of London’s Drop Project Brewing Co.

JT is a third of the trio that makes up Drop

“I’ve brewed more lager in my career than

Project Brewing Co. Along with Joe Simo

anything else but now, I’m brewing a lot

and Will Skipsey, the team have set out

of hazy styles. They look great, they taste

with a clear goal in mind.

great and I disagree with anyone that says they’re an easy type of beer to brew.”

“We want to creating the freshest, premium flavoursome beers with consistent

And Taylor, known to his friends as JT,

high-quality results,” says Simo. “We’re

knows a thing or two about beer. For-

pushing creative boundaries and creating

merly head of production at Gipsy Hill

the beers that both inspire our passions

Brewing Co, he played an integral role in

for the industry and our lifestyles. We

an ambitious growth and expansion pro-

don’t cut corners and you can taste it.”

ject at the South London business.

And the market reaction to those early “They are on a large growth arc. Last

beers has vindicated that approach. The

year, when I was there, we put out 53

majority of Drop Project’s output to-date

new beers. A lot of your time is taken up

has centred around a number of hop-for-

with managing rotas and deciding what is

ward Pale Ales and IPAs.

SEPTEMBER~OCTOBER 2020

|

47

Shifty is 5.2% DDH New England Pale fermented with Vermont yeast, and packed

Team Drop Project: JT, William Skipsey and Joseph Simo.

The trio would go on to take that leap

full of Citra and Mosaic, while Vanguard

of faith and Drop Project Brewing Co

is an 8% DIPA collaboration with Yakima

was born in the Autumn of 2019. Launch events at beer institutions such as The

Chief Hops.

The decision to step away from their day-

Rake in Borough Market would intro-

Double dry-hopped on active fermenta-

to-day lives and start their own operation

duce eager drinkers to their Shifty New

tion with their house New England yeast,

came after JT had facilitated a conver-

England Pale Ale alongside Lip Smack,

the beer features experimental Cryo

sation between his would-be fellow

a 5% Fruited Sour with Raspberry and

blend YCH TRI2304CR, Mosaic, Citra,

co-founders.

Blackberry.

“I think we all knew we could make a real

“We wanted to hit the market with a a bit

Elsewhere, Cruiser is 5.2% Pale Ale show-

go of this. However I did so without realis-

of a hammer,” says JT. “By launching with

casing Citra and Simcoe, while BS Salad

ing which direction any of this could go,

a DDH Pale and a Fruited Sour, I wanted

is a 7.2% West Coast IPA brewed with

but here we are,” says JT.

to show people that we can make beer,

Azacca and Ekuanot.

and make it well.”

Simcoe, Centennial and Cascade.

Simo, who knew JT from his own time Launching their first beers to market last

working in sales at Gipsy Hill, is described

He adds: “In my experience, craft beer

year, JT is frank in his assessment of the

as the “perfect facilitator” by Skipsey.

is a very insulated world. So launching a new brand is a big challenge. There were

team’s early months in business.

“Running my own business, I’ve worked

lots of doors shut early on and it can be

“It’s exhausting!” he laughs. “It was an

and been friends with Joe for years now,”

tough to open them, but you need to

interesting time to launch a new brew-

he says. “We spoke for months regarding

stick at it.

ery, and 2020 has changed things once

what this new project could look like but

again.”

one thing was clear, Joe had to be part

“We have faith in the beers we make. I’ve

of it!”

been in this game a while now so there

48

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SEPTEMBER~OCTOBER 2020

BREWERS JOURNAL

was no denying things would be hard at

And when the time comes to open their

the start. But I firmly believe these beers

own facility, it will have followed a testing

stand up to the competition.”

time for the business, which has had to navigate the choppy waters of recent

The Drop Project team sees Simo

months.

handling sales and Skipsey heading up business management responsibilities.

“It’s been an interesting time for a new

JT looks after brewing, production and

brand like ours,” says Simo. “You’re faced

cellaring, which currently takes place

with a situation where you have a mas-

at Missing Link Brewery based in West

sive downturn in demand but thankfully,

Sussex.

followed by a huge uplift.”

JT says the team needed somewhere

He explains: “Before the pandemic hit, we

that suited their needs more than a sim-

were primarily wholesale with little to no

ple contractor.

business done online.

“There is no doubt without the brilliant

“60% of what we sold was in keg with the

support and willingness to work with us,

remaining 40% in can. Now, that’s pretty

we would not have been able to have

much flipped to 100% sold in can, most

the success we have to date,” he says.

of which is done direct online.

“Jeremy and the entire set up at Missing Link have been top class from the start,

“There is obviously a lot more work re-

and we can all say it’s been a pleasure

quired to move as much volume but the

working with them.”

margins are higher as a result.”

JT adds: “We effectively rent the kit from

Despite the incredibly challenging condi-

them - brewing, packaging, the lot. We

tions that have faced brewing, hospitality

wouldn’t do it any other way though, as

and countless other industries the team

there’s no fun if someone else is making

are not deterred in their goals.

the beer for us.”

“We’re now hitting our stride as a brewWhile Drop Project currently leverage

ery,” says JT. “I’m in love with brewing

Missing Link’s facilities, they remain on

again, and we’re in no mood to look

track to start their own operation in due

back.”

course.

“We’re probably the best-equipped brewery without a brewery!” he laughs.

“We have a lot of kit ready to roll out of storage however the pandemic has put us back slightly, but we will get there.”

brewersjournal.info

SEPTEMBER~OCTOBER 2020

|

49

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STAY COMPETITIVE WITH SOFTWARE WITH THE PRESSURE ON BREWERIES FOLLOWING THE COVID-19 LOCKDOWN, IT HAS NEVER BEEN MORE IMPORTANT TO STREAMLINE OPERATIONS TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE IN SUCH A CHALLENGING MARKET. BREWW SPOKE TO THREE DIFFERENT BREWERIES ABOUT HOW THEY’VE MANAGED TO CONTINUE IMPROVING EFFICIENCY, REDUCE ADMIN AND GIVEN THEMSELVES A FURTHER COMPETITIVE EDGE WITH THE USE OF SOFTWARE.

brewersjournal.info

S

ignature Brew, based in

team and now we have a seamless end-

Walthamstow in London,

to-end solution. Breww knows exactly

worked innovatively at the

how much is due to come out through

start of lockdown to increase

both our retail and trade channels, so nei-

their direct to consumer

ther channel can now over or undersell

sales through their online shop, but

a product. It’s solved a serious problem

found keeping stock levels on the store

for us.”

increasingly difficult to manage.

Wild Card, another London brewery, Overselling started to become a signifi-

have also experienced the admin bene-

cant issue. Deciding that they needed an

fits of using a dedicated software solution

end-to-end solution to manage inventory

for breweries.

levels and keep stock always up-todate on two separate online shops, they

Having used Breww for over a year,

turned to Breww, a cloud-based brewery

Andrew Birkby, Co-founder and director,

management system.

commented how “In 2020 we are on track to produce almost double the volume

Sam McGregor, founder and director at

of beer compared to the previous year.

Signature Brew, noted: “As our online

But the amount of time spent on admin

shop became so important so quickly

has not massively increased thanks to

during lockdown, not having live and

Breww.”

accurate stock levels on it became a real problem.

Saving admin time every day has enabled their team to focus on what they’re

“We discussed the issue with the Breww

so good at, brewing and selling great

SEPTEMBER~OCTOBER 2020

|

51

scratches the surface of the benefits

spent looking through old documents

breweries are finding by turning to dedi-

and no answer to any question was

“Breww has helped us track our raw

cated software. The Flower Pots Brewery

immediate.

material stocks, complete our duty

have used it to take advantage of the in-

returns, manage tasks in the brewhouse,

stant, actionable data that it can provide.

beer whilst growing their business.

“With Breww, anything we need to know is immediately there. We’ve installed

see the progress of the beers in production, amongst many other things. Having

They use Breww’s integration with

iPads in the brewery logged into Breww,

everything in one place has made a huge

fermentation monitoring hardware to log

so everyone knows exactly what’s going

difference.”

temperature and gravity data directly

on all the time.

against their batches. This allows them Key to Wild Card’s requirements from

far greater insight into the fermentation of

“We have also added a large format

their software partner was that anyone

their beer.

tablet screen in the brewery showing everyone what is happening with each

could access and input their information from anywhere, whether from a

Not only has this helped them produce a

vessel and other KPI’s. Before we were

phone, tablet or computer, and that they

more consistent and higher quality beer,

limited, but with Breww the potential to

could see exactly who had made which

but the ability to check in on fermenta-

improve is unlimited. We are excited for

changes.

tion whenever and from wherever using

what more is to come.”

their phones has removed the need for “We knew that unless everyone was

constant manual checks.

It’s quite clear that switching to a dedicated brewery software solution has

using the system throughout the day then the data in the system would be

Nick Smith, director at the brewery says

advantages the can reach all areas of the

consistently out of sync with reality and

their partnership with Breww has revolu-

day-to-day running of your brewery, from

we’d have a constant battle trying to get

tionised their brewery.

production to distribution and general admin.

it up-to-date.

He explains: “We looked at five potential “So we wanted something that was

partners before settling on Breww, and

“With uncertainty ahead, using software

cloud-based, accessible through a

we’re so glad that we did. The whole

to improve processes and provide impor-

browser, easy to use and that anyone

team found immediate benefits as soon

tant insights could be the key to making it

could access with their phones. Breww

as we started.

through to the other side.

stood out from the competition in this “We used to rely wholly on spreadsheets

respect.”

and paper, which massively hindered Reducing time spent on admin only

52

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SEPTEMBER~OCTOBER 2020

our ability to grow, as so much time was

BREWERS JOURNAL

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STAYING LEVEL WHEN MARSTON’S NEEDED TO UPDATE THEIR LEVEL CONTROL OPERATION, THEY TURNED TO SENSING EXPERTS IFM ELECTRONIC, WHICH INSTALLED A NEW LEVEL MONITORING AND CONTROL SYSTEM BASED ON IFM ELECTRONIC SENSORS WITH IO-LINK TECHNOLOGY.

M

arston’s Brewery has

more dependable level control solution,

been brewing in Burton

Marston’s Brewery approached sensing

on Trent in Staffordshire

experts, ifm electronic.

since 1898. But although

Key requirements were that the new

tradition has much to

solution should enable accurate auto-

recommend it when it comes to the

matic control of levels in the tanks, that it

techniques of beer production, this is not

should interface with the plant’s existing

always the case with process control.

PLC and SCADA systems to allow the levels to be monitored remotely, and that

Modern options can sometimes offer

it should provide clear level indication

important benefits, as proved to be the

adjacent to the tanks via digital displays.

case when the company decided to update the level control system on six

After carefully assessing the require-

of its massive bright beer storage tanks,

ments and noting the need for solution to

each of which can hold up to 21,000 litres

be compatible with the hygienic require-

of beer.

ments of the food and beverage industry, engineers from ifm electronic proposed

Prior to the update, the plant operators

that each tank should be fitted with two

monitored and controlled the level of

flush-fitting hygienic PI2796 pressure

beer in the tanks manually with the aid

sensors with integral displays and one

of sight glasses – essentially the same

LMT100 hygienic level sensor.

system that had been in use since the brewery first opened.

These sensors incorporate IO-Link interfaces, meaning that digital process

The sight glasses required regular clean-

values are transmitted, which greatly

ing, however, which was a difficult and

simplified interfacing them with the exist-

inconvenient operation, and some were

ing plant systems, and also ensured that

not readily visible, making it hard for the

the data they captured would always be

operators to keep track of the levels.

transmitted accurately.

As a result, a tank was sometimes allowed to become completely empty,

The plant systems use an Ethernet

allowing air into the system which dis-

network with redundant ring topology

rupted the operation of the bottling lines.

to ensure high reliability. The ifm IOLink sensors were connected to this via

For help with devising a better and

brewersjournal.info

AL1121 Ethernet interface modules which,

SEPTEMBER~OCTOBER 2020

|

55

The decision was taken to mount the sensors in the pipes that supply the top pressure to the tanks.

with their IP65 rating, are suitable for

Despite the exceptionally high reliabil-

The new sensors were installed and

installation in the field without additional

ity of modern sensors, the engineering

commissioned in just four days com-

protection.

team at Marston’s wanted to be sure

pared with the six days that had been

The requirement for local display of the

that, should it ever prove necessary, they

allocated for the work and, as an added

tanks levels was met with E30391 IO link

would be easy to replace. This require-

bonus, the overall cost was also under

display modules which also connect

ment was satisfied not only by installing

budget.

directly to an IO-Link master port on the

the sensors at a convenient working

AL1121 and, like the Ethernet interface

height, but also by an intrinsic feature of

The new level monitoring and control

modules, require no additional protection

the IO-Link system which allows configu-

system based on ifm electronic sensors

when mounted in the field.

ration data to be directly loaded into the

with IO-Link technology has operated

sensors.

faultlessly since it was commissioned.

have been installed on top of the tanks,

If a sensor needs to be replaced, all that

It has received an enthusiastic reception

but in this case, space above the tanks

is necessary is to send the configuration

from both the plant operators and man-

was limited and access was difficult.

data to the replacement via its normal

agers as it makes their lives significantly

The decision was therefore taken to

IO-Link connection and it is then ready

easier.

mount the sensors in the pipes that sup-

for immediate use.

In fact, so successful has the upgrade at

ply the top pressure to the tanks. In this

The need for inconvenient and time-con-

Burton on Trent been, that the possibility

location, the sensors provide identical

suming manual setting up is completely

of rolling out similar solutions to other

data, but installation was much faster,

eliminated, which helps to ensure that

plants in the Marston’s Brewery group is

easier and safer as no scaffolding was

plant downtime is kept to a minimum.

now under active consideration.

In most applications, the sensors would

needed.

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SEPTEMBER~OCTOBER 2020

BREWERS JOURNAL

y b e R

Brewers J o u r n a l

p o d c a s T

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WALK ON THE WILD SIDE I STARTING OUT AS AN OUTFIT THAT WANTED TO MAKE BEER FOR LOCAL DRINKERS, PÕHJALA HAS GONE ON TO BECOME THE WORLD’S ESTONIAN BREWERY. PRODUCING A DIVERSE ARRAY OF STYLES, OFTEN WITH WILD AND FORAGED INGREDIENTS, THEIR BEERS ARE ENJOYED ACROSS THE GLOBE. AND AS THEY APPROACH THEIR 10TH BIRTHDAY, IT FEELS AS IF THEY’RE ONLY REALLY GETTING STARTED.

t’s good to step out of your comfort

to Tempest, and also where I grew up.

zone. That’s what excites me,” ex-

“We wanted a particular profile and were

plains Chris Pilkington, head brewer

prepared to go the whole nine yards to

at Põhjala. “To find yourself in a

achieve it,” he explains.

position where you’re thinking ‘Wow,

And doing things their own way, while

this like nothing we’ve ever done before’ is

going that little bit further when doing

an important place to be.”

so, is an approach that’s been vindicated over the last nine years.

And it’s a position Pilkington and the team at the Tallinn outfit find themselves

Starting out as a brewery armed with five

in on a regular basis, which is part of the

24HL FVs, to become one that boasts

reason the Estonian brewery has devel-

a 4 vessel, 50HL Rolec brewhouse,

oped such a renowned reputation in its

Framax filing line (with canning to follow

near 10 years making beer.

in the next year), and state of the art lab

The latest project Pilkington references

facilities, is evidence enough. And that’s

is a collaboration with Tempest Brew-

before you even mention the 120 seater

ing, based out of Galashiels in Scotland.

taproom and restaurant complete with

Located on the Scottish borders, the

24 taps.

brewery lies some 200 miles south of

The Põhjala of 2020 calls Noblessner

Fraserburgh, the area where Pilkington

home. The historical shipyard area,

grew up and would also go on to find his

located by the sea in North Tallinn, has

feet in the world of brewing.

housed the brewery since the end of

“We’re producing a beer that replicates

2018.

the old ‘160 Shilling Ale’,” he says. “Edin-

“That first full year here was an expensive

burgh Ale yeast is used for fermentation

one. 2020 was set to be the time where

and we’re also adding heather honey to

we took everything we had learned so far

the mix.”

and improved as a result,” says Pilkington. “Everything was taking shape, until

But the focus point here are the barrels

February…”

being utilised to age the beer, a skillset

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SEPTEMBER~OCTOBER 2020

that has become part of the brewery’s

The Covid-19 pandemic impacted Põhja-

calling card, both locally and abroad.

la as it did each and every business glob-

“We’ve opted for a blend of Auchentos-

ally. What’s different is the way people

han and Glengarioch Whisky barrels. It

react, and overcome, these challenges.

seemed somewhat fitting to age this beer

“It’s not been easy,” he says. “We are a

in barrels from distilleries located close

small country of 1.3m people and one

BREWERS JOURNAL

by one, we saw most of our markets go

collective name, they needed some

offline. Whether that was closing the

proven production experience before

taproom, or losing exports which account

making the step to a professional brew-

for 70% of everything we produce. It was

ing business.

scary to say the least.”

Following a chance encounter with BrewDog co-founder James Watt in Ab-

Estonia entered lockdown on 13th March.

erdeen, they secured some brief intern

Thankfully for Põhjala and many busi-

experience at the Fraserburgh brewery.

nesses like them, early talk of banning

Here, the aspiring Estonian brewers

alcohol sales in the country during this

would encounter the respected brewer

extended period of emergency, failed to

Pilkington.

materialise.

“If that came to be then who knows,

“They came over to learn more about a

we might not be here now!” Pilkington

brewery works, and were interested to

exclaims.

see more of the process,” he recalls. “We

If that came to be then who knows, we might not be here now,” Chris Pilkington, Põhjala

clicked on the idea of exploration and On a production front, the team assessed

concepts. Malt was pretty uncool back

what beers should take priority in tank,

then but we bonded over discussion of

offering up opportunity for those that

barrel-ageing, and the implementation

required longer maturation times.

of ingredients and you wouldn’t usual

The brewery thankfully navigated these

consider trendy.”

recent challenging months through sales

Though not a barrel-aged number, one

via supermarkets, as well as its incredi-

of Pilkington’s creations that caught the

bly popular online store that has satiat-

eye of his Estonian counterparts was

ed drinkers across Estonia throughout

White Noise; a White IPA brewed with

lockdown. In doing so, it has ensured the

plenty of wheat, fermented with a Bel-

Põhjala story can continue.

gian yeast with features the addition of coriander thrown in for good measure.

Pilkington is the head brewer and the fifth member of the team to join the brewery,

“That’s the beer that got me hired!” he

which was founded by Enn Parel, Peeter

laughs.

Keek, Gren Noormets, and Tiit Paananen in 2011. Now, it’s a group with numbers

The team spent three days in each

into 50 with 12 in production alone.

other’s company before heading home

While the founding partners could boast

to Tallinn. But in that time, the seeds had

some home-brewing knowledge to their

already been sown for Pilkington to swap

brewersjournal.info

SEPTEMBER~OCTOBER 2020

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59

his Scottish home for a new life in the

The brewery’s specials range is home

Either way, the move to their new facility

Nordics.

to collaborations, riffs on core beers and

in 2018 enabled the team to produce

Põhjala’s maiden beer, Öö Imperial Baltic

seasonal releases such as the 12.5% Win-

more beer than ever before.

Porter, would see the light of day at the

ter Bänger. inspired by British Christmas

“We approached the expansion wide-

start of 2013. For most of that year, their

Cake, gluten-free Imperial Stout Gimme

eyed,” Pilkington recalls. “The options

beers were contract-brewed at other

Danger, Tuul - an Imperial Gose with local

were there; move to a new unit and

breweries’ production facilities while they

delicacy whitecurrants Tuul and Moon-

invest in a slightly larger 20HL brewhouse

prepared to open their own. Construction

raker, a DDH IPA that features a rotating

or take a bigger step, draw a line and in

of the first brewery was completed in

hop bill.

doing so, build a forever home.”

April 2014 in Tallinn’s Nõmme district with

However for overseas drinkers, which

Pilkington having moved to Tallinn the

account for the majority of Põhjala’s pro-

year previous.

duction, it’s the beers that stem from the

The brewery would start out with the five

Forest and Cellar Series, that most hold

An order for an impressive 50HL bre-

24HL FVs but, thanks to the popularity

as a reference point for the brewery’s

whouse from Rolec was placed in 2017,

of other early beers such as Rukkirääk,

output.

with construction taking place the follow-

They chose the latter.

a 5.7% Rye Ale and core beer Virmal-

ing year.

ised IPA, they would quadruple annual

“It felt both like a long time and one that

production capacity within two and a half

passed very quickly, too. When the kit ar-

years, frequently bumping up against

rived in 2018, I thought I’d be on site once

(and raising) the excise limit for small

or twice a week. Instead, I barely left the

breweries in Estonia of 400,000L and

building for all of July and August!” he

then 600,000L.

smiles. “We ended up spending much

Other early numbers like Session IPA Uus Maailm and Must Kuld, its popular porter, complemented a raft of one-off releases, be they hop-forward or barrel-aged in nature.

“I’m proud of these beers, but it’s interesting how we evolved from an early age,” Pilkington explains. “Starting out, we had the guiding principle of being a local Estonian brewery that would produce some Belgian styles, some IPAs and maybe a stout.”

But the script was flipped.

“Now look at us,” he smiles. “In our minds

There would be days where we’d be taking taxis between sites complete with thousands of Euros worth of kit,” Chris Pilkington, Põhjala

more time sweating the small stuff during installation – adding custom pipework and valves everywhere so we could do anything we could think of, like mash in with juniper tea, add apple juice to the wort kettle, cool wort before adding whirlpool hops, or safely add hundreds of kilos of whole fruit whilst boiling. The install and commissioning team ended up having to re-draw the diagrams so many times they lost count.”

With the entire team going above and beyond, Põhjala would end up running both breweries concurrently for around five months.

“I don’t recommend it, but it happens,”

we’d sell most of our beer locally with the

laughs Pilkington. “There would be days

potential for some minor export opportu-

where we’d be taking taxis between sites

nities. Instead, we found a blank slate and

complete with thousands of Euros worth

we could do anything. We weren’t happy

of kit.”

doing just enough, we wanted to really

“The majority of our production is in light-

He adds: “We couldn’t slow down at

make a mark.”

er beers, but it’s nice to challenge peo-

the old brewery until the new one was

And they did just that. Põhjala’s output

ple’s perceptions for what your brewery

fully online. We ran things down at the

can be split into four categories; core

is about,” says Pilkington. “Approximately

former site to two batches a month from

beers, specials, Cellar Series and the

70% of our volume is in the lighter beers,

a height of doing 19. And once we were

Forest Series.

but I accept that many of these don’t

happy at our new home, it made sense to

In addition to the aforementioned Must

travel to export markets as much our

cease completely.”

Kuld, Uus Maailm, Virmalised, Öö, the

heavier releases.”

core is completed by Orange Gose, Pilky

He adds: “However, I would be more than

Despite the draining workloads, Pilk-

(Pilsner), Rye River, Õhtu (Porter), Kosmos

happy for that to reverse and for darker

ington was happy with the transition to

IPA and Tundra, Põhjala’s first non-alcohol

beers to become our focal point. It’s a

Põhjala’s new facility. The occasional

beer, an IPA brewed with local spruce

badge of honour for being respected

challenge in achieving consistency on

tips.

due to the beers you make, regardless

beers such as its Must Kuld Porter acted

of style.”

as a troubleshooting exercise more than

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BREWERS JOURNAL

Põhjala’s brewery and taproom facility is an impressive, sprawling space that’s a hit with locals and visitors alike

Germany and Spain, as well as further afield to Brazil, Australia, Canada and Chile, to name a few.

“Having France as our biggest market still suprises me to this day, but it’s due to a lot of hard work early on team that made a lot of great connections,” says Pilkington.

Of the 200HL of Virmalised IPA the brewery produces in a normal month, a third of this will be kegged and sold direct to Les Berthom, a chain of bars in France that is going from strength-to-strength.

Elsewhere, the geographical proximity of Helsinki has, on occasion, allowed anything else.

“The dark malts were being crushed too

the team to keg a beer one afternoon

“Early batches on the new brewhouse

finely. Simple as that,” he explains. “We

and take it via boat to the Finnish capital

were just different to what we were used

just need to look extensively to locate the

for a meet the brewer event the same

to,” he ponders. “The coffee and choc-

source of the problem.”

evening.

olate was very prominent, but not in

Since commissioning, Põhjala has

the way we wanted. Perhaps it was too

produced 227 batches on the new bre-

Pilkington values each of the brewery’s

strong.”

whouse, packaging over 1.28 million litres

relationships, but is particularly fond of

Pilkington says: “So we worked back-

with many more resting in hundreds of

the partnerships they’ve developed with

wards. The issue wasn’t the water, nor

barrels of all types.

smaller businesses.

was it happening in fermentation.”

The brewery exports these beers to more

“Having our beer brought over to coun-

than 40 countries. France and Finland

tries such as Bulgaria, Hungary and

are its two biggest markets but other

Slovenia is really rewarding,” he says.

destinations include the UK, Denmark,

“They are developing their scene, like we

It was time to check the mill...

used to, so it’s great having them look to

honey, liquorice root, and blackcurrants,

us for inspiration rather than settling for

aged in Pedro Ximenez and Bourbon

the norm.”

barrels. 10 Apple Stout is a 12% Imperial

Distributors in these countries, like most

Stout collaboration with To Øl designed

of the brewery’s customers, procure

to celebrate the apple. This features five

beers produced as part of the Forest and

varieties of apples from Denmark, and

Cellar Series.

Five from Estonia, treated in 10 different ways and aged in Calvados barrels.

The latter allows the team to explore

Celebrated release Cocobänger, an

their passion for “oily, velvety, liquid

Imperial Stout with Coffee and Coconut

goodness”, utilising a variety of Bourbon,

has also been given the barrel-aged

Cognac. Sherry and Tequila barrels to

treatment thanks to time spent in freshly

create a wealth of world-class beers.

emptied American Rye Whiskey barrels.

Põhjala’s reputation for these beers has catalysed the creation of a wider scene

This series of beers complements the

whereby Estonian beer has become

aforementioned Forest Series. The forest

something of a by-word for the dark,

has a deep influence on Estonian culture

decadent and delicious.

and cuisine, something the team has

Estonian people love trying new things so that gave us confidence in experimentation,” Chris Pilkington, Põhjala

embodied in this range of beers. In these Pilkington says: “There is a strong link

editions, they twist rare botanicals, forest

between this country and the dark, winter

ingredients and Estonian folk-medicine

bued in the beers they produce, which

months. The popularity of these beer

with ancient methods into extraordinary

assures Pilkington that Põhjala is very

styles has perpetuated that growth in

beers.

much a product of its environment.

a good thing.

“Initiatives like the Forest Series are very

“Could we exist elsewhere? For me, this

“It’s also fundamental, as a brewery here,

important to us,” says Pilkington. “They

brewery is product of Estonia,” he ex-

to do something different. If you want to

are not big projects when it comes to

plains. “Estonian people love trying new

grow then you need to export. Estonia

volume but they allow us to explore and

things so that gave us confidence in ex-

doesn’t have a strong taproom model

to reconnect.”

perimentation. If we were not able to go

and the on-trade can also be a chal-

He adds: “I feel a kinship here, similar

out with that attitude early on then things

lenge. So you need to be making beers

to the highlands of Scotland. Using the

might have ended up very differently. It

that consumers overseas will want to try.”

ingredients you forage and source from

drove us to innovate.

more breweries making them, and that’s

these environments are a non-nationalisThe Cellar Series features diverse

tic way to show off what Estonia can be.”

in life, and we’re more happy to provide

creations such as Honey Laku, a 10.5% Imperial Porter brewed with heather

brewersjournal.info

“Often people want something different

And it’s that sense of provenance, im-

that.”

SEPTEMBER~OCTOBER 2020

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65

DRY-HOPPING PROCESS CHALLENGES A NEW GENERATION OF BEERS WITH A MORE PRONOUNCED AND AROMATIC HOP FLAVOUR ARE GETTING MORE AND MORE INTEREST FROM A BROAD BEER DRINKING AUDIENCE, LED BY THE IPA REVOLUTION. SINCE SPECIALTY BEER VOLUMES ARE INCREASING, CURRENT DRY-HOPPING TECHNIQUES FACE CHALLENGES COPING WITH BIGGER HOP VOLUMES. A SAFE, CONTROLLED AND AUTOMATED SOLUTION WILL AUGMENT EFFICIENCY AND LOWER THE COST OF THE PROCESS AND HOP USAGE WHILE IMPROVING BEER QUALITY AND FLAVOUR, EXPLAINS KIM VERSCHUEREN, TEAM MANAGER FOR PROCESS AUTOMATION, FOOD & BEVERAGE AND FINE CHEMICALS AT AGIDENS

H

ops are crucial and ex-

beer/ hops, temperature (both of hops

for itself that these amounts of hops only

pensive ingredients in the

and beer) and agitation or flow over the

get bigger with the volume of beer and

brewing industry. When

hop’s surface area.

degree of dry-hopping.

dry-hopping a beer to add

From a quality point of view, oxygen pick-

more aroma, hops are

up should be avoided after first fermen-

The well-known fact that hop pellets

added to the green beer at the end of

tation to protect the beer from oxidative

swell, expanding to seven times the

the fermentation stage to avoid wasting

reactions and diacetyl (re)formation, but

initial pellet volume in combination with

the precious, more volatile compounds

also to avoid oxidative decomposition of

huge quantities of these pellets cause

found in specific hop varietals. This tech-

the hop’s sensitive beta-acids or lupu-

major concerns regarding blockages

nique is typically used in beer styles like

lones, known to be detrimental to the

and upsetting the normal beer produc-

IPAs (India Pale Ale) or lmperial lPAs; it

taste of beer.

tion Homogenisation by circulating the contents of the fermenters should be

gives them more specific aromas (herbal, Depending on batch size and desired

taken into account as well to get an even

aroma level, dry-hopping implicates get-

distribution of the flavour compounds.

Dry-hopping has a lot of parameters

ting certain amounts of hops in contact

These challenges push brewers towards

to take into account. Besides beer and

with the fermented beer according to

dosing and dissolving hop pellets into

yeast type, the quality of the hops as raw

the recipe used. Concentrations range

beer instead of circulating it over packed

material has a major impact, i.e. varie-

from mildly hopped (0.5 g/l) to extremely

amounts of hops in smaller secondary

tal, harvest and amount of alpha- and

hopped beers (up to 30 g/l). The current

vessels next to the fermenter (so called

beta- acids, essential oils etc. However,

techniques give a lot of brewers a head-

hop guns). Getting the hop pellets into

to get the right hop flavour into the beer,

ache and looking at the volumes of beer

these kinds of complex systems is a lot

a lot of physical parameters come into

in bigger fermenters, the amounts of

easier than getting the massive green

play as well to boost the diffusion of the

hops to be used are getting even harder

sludge of vegetable matter out and los-

necessary compounds from the hops

to handle. For a batch of 500 hl beer at a

ing precious beer along the way.

into the beer, such as surface area of hop

hop addition range of 2 g/l, you should

Furthermore, by dissolving hop pellets

particles exposed to beer, contact time

use about 100 kg of hop pellets. It speaks

into beer, the amounts of hops needed

spicy, citrusy etc.).

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Depending on batch size and desired aroma level, dry-hopping implicates getting certain amounts of hops in contact with the fermented beer according to the recipe used,�

Kim Verschueren, Agidens

and the total contact time can be drasti-

to make an emulsion nor to pulverize the

al expensive investments.

cally reduced since surface contact and

organic hop material.

Besides the centrifuge, decanting the

diffusion rates are several times bigger.

Grinding the hop pellets will contribute to

hop particles is also possible, consid-

This boosts efficiency and reduces the

higher levels of polyphenols in the beer

ered that the heavier fraction sinks to the

overall grain-to-glass time. Putting hops

coming from the vegetable matter, gen-

fermenter cone while the fractions lighter

in a solution with beer is overall preferred

erally considered as a non-desirable fla-

than beer will float to the top.

over keeping the hops in a closed vessel

vour. In addition, reduced particle size will

with filter plates when handling big

not help getting the hops out of the beer,

Depending on the dissolution process

amounts of hops.

for example by partial decanting. Blowing

and type/quality of hops, the relative

the pellets with pressurized gas to the

percentage of heavy/light fractions can

Manually adding the hops to the fer-

top plate is another way to get hops into

vary significantly between 95/5 and

menter vessel top is currently an unsafe,

the fermenter, so called hop-to-the-top

70/30. Existing methods to dry-hop

time consuming, potentially beer spoiling

systems. This technique implicates some

large volumes of beer in fermenters

and complex task. The classical proce-

quite expensive hardware adjustments,

can be optimised with new techniques

dure to bring the bags of hops up to the

including top plate modifications, to get a

of dry-hopping, focusing on faster and

fermenter top and dosing - unaerated -

complete solution in place and ensure a

more qualitative methods. This impli-

hops to fermented beer via the top plate

correct cleaning procedure.

cates new hardware and another level of automation to get safe, reproducible, and

is not the most elegant way.

Another available technique which is

Getting the hops back out of the beer

flexible dry-hopping methods in place.

derived from dairy processes is dosing

can be a rather complex process as well:

A major brewery set up a masterplan

and dissolving additives using high shear

using a centrifuge to separate the hops

to rationalize their existing cold block.

pumps. But dosing from open contain-

from a homogenous beer/hop mixture is

The basic engineering study was done

ers - even with CO, blanketing - does not

the most effective way. Some green beer

by Agidens, a Belgian process solution

ensure dosing of fully deaerated hop pel-

centrifuges can also be used to remove

provider. An automatic and reproducible

lets. The use of high shear pumps is often

suspended hops, keeping the dissolved

dry- hopping method was part of the

not favourable since it is not the objective

hop flavours intact and avoiding addition-

requested solution.

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67

As the conventional dry-hopping methods did not fully comply to the requirements of a fully automated process,

Upscaling dry-hopped beer production is no longer an issue with the variety of solutions that some suppliers can provide.

the external circulation flow, where the IMXD is more effective in avoiding sedimentation on the fermenters cone when using very oily hops.

Agidens proposed a solution with a new designed hop dosing unit called AHOP and the use of an IMXD agitator from Alfa

The mixers are adjustable to be built in

Laval to disperse and homogenize the

any fermenter vessel without disturbing the yeast harvest process. One needs

contents of the fermenter vessel.

The goal of the AHOP design was an

decantation time after recirculation and

to be careful putting restrictions on the

economical dosing solution, tackling

removal of the hop residues. In some

fermenter tank outlet, thus reducing

some of the challenges of existing

cases, additional hop dosing was done

the available outlet pipe section when

dry-hopping systems. Based on the Sie-

after a certain circulation time, when

harvesting yeast.

mens TIA portal platform, a recipe-driven

sensory tests prior to product release

As an extra, the solutions including the

fully automated and flexible system was

resulted in adding just a little bit more

recirculation over the fermenter offer a

developed to cope with the variety of

hops. The system proved to be very

brewer the possibility to investigate the

beers, hops and other additives and to

flexible, fast, and easy to use. Further-

advantages of keeping the fermenter’s

avoid the manual intervention currently

more, tasting tests of the beers led to a

contents during fermentation or matura-

needed in commercial dosing systems.

considerable better overall flavour profile

tion in optimal suspension. This is known

using the AHOP module over hop gun

to possibly speed up fermentation and/

In practice, testing included both raiser

type dry-hopping methods.

or deep cooling, thus boosting the effi-

pipes and the use of mixing systems,

Additional tests were performed with

ciency of the entire brewery and further

bottom- built into the existing fermenter

dosing of finer granulates being coffee

helping to reduce the grain-to-glass time.

to avoid complex and expensive ad-

grains and liquid additives and witness-

Cleaning cycles followed all water and

justments to the existing fermenter tank

ing the homogenisation of the fermenter

product tests to make sure the mixing

park. The systems are fed by an external

contents with these additives. Dosing of

systems were cleanable with standard

circulation loop using a centrifugal pump,

this type of additives proved to be easier

brewery CIP recipes.

to keep hops in suspension and optimize

than dosing hop pellets.

The AHOP dosing module, including its

diffusion of the aroma compounds.

Two tank mixer types were investigated,

The applications of dosing powders,

dosing chamber, were cleaned cold, to-

including a motor (Alfa Laval Iso-Mix) and

granulates and liquids are limitless, offer-

gether with the CIP of the fermenter tank.

a nonmotor driven solution (AJET educ-

ing the brewer a playground where only

Visual inspection of the closing unit and

tor) for recirculation and homogenisation

his own creativity is limiting the creation

fermenter tank as well as disassembly

of the fermenter contents. The proposed

of new beer recipes. Homogenizing the

of the hop dosing unit showed that the

solution was extensively tested, starting

fermenter’s content with the additives

installation was perfectly CIP-able.

with water tests for fine-tuning of the hop

went very fast, using both the IMXD (Iso-

Both the Alfa Laval Iso-Mix and the

dosing system up to tests on commercial

Mix external Drive) and an inline tank jet

non-motor driven jet mixer AJET were

beer types (table 1).

mixer, the AJET (features are described in

also proven to be fully CIP- able. A posi-

table 2). The jet mixer has the advantage

tive effect using the Alfa Laval Iso-Mix is

A special focus was laid on the disinte-

to be non-motor driven and the in-tank

the additional cleaning jet action in the

gration time of the pellets after dosing,

mixing flow is up to 5 times bigger than

bottom part of the fermenter.

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TABLE 1: TESTS ON COMMERCIAL BEER TYPES

In conclusion

Saison

Belgian triple

Lager type

Hop type

Hallertau mittelfrüh P90

Mosaic P90

Hallertau mittelfrüh P90

Beer temperature

4 °C

20 °C

2 °C

solutions to produce high quality and

Hop temperature

4 °C

20 °C

15 °C

interesting beers in a controlled way.

Dry-hopping level

2 g/l

2.5 g/l

1 g/l

Current developments in dry-hopping

The ever-evolving brewing market demands new processes and flexible

Deaeration time

60 sec

60 sec

60 sec

techniques make it easier to handle the

Oxygen intake

2 ppb

0 ppb

0 ppb

dosing of hard-to-handle ingredients like

Amount of hop added

45 kg

60 kg

60 kg

hop pellets.

Total dosing time

20 min

30 min

30 min

Upscaling dry-hopped beer production

Circulation

Raiser pipe

Motor driven agitator

Non-motor driven agitator

is no longer an issue with the variety

Disintegration time

4 hours

30 min

1 hour

provide. Other applications might be

Decantation time

15 min

30 min

20 min

interesting, like dosing spices in the cold

of solutions that some suppliers can

wort during transfer instead of adding them into the hot wort in the brewhouse, or dosing dry yeast and sugar into the

TABLE 2: AJET MIXER FEATURES Inlet/circulation flow rate

200 hl/h

In-tank circulation rate

1000 hl/h

Effective in-tank flow field

14 m

Raiser pipe size

DN50

Length of raiser pipe

> 2000 mm

finished beer. Testing the AHOP dosing module and mixing processes confirmed their unique features: a fully automated solution for unlimited dosing of deaerated hops and other additives under safe and hygienic conditions.

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THREE STEPS TO REFRIGERATION HEAVEN REFRIGERATION PLANTS ACROSS YOUR BUSINESS CAN COST A LOT TO OPERATE. HERE, ALAN KEOGH, DEPUTY CEO OF CROWLEY CARBON, EXPLAINS HOW IN-DEPTH MODELLING AND ANALYSIS CAN REDUCE THIS CONSUMPTION

BY UP TO 15% WITH MINIMAL CAPEX.

A

s any brewer will know,

times with minimal inter-ventions - even

operating refrigeration

sometimes, remote interventions. By

plants is a major cost cen-

using a methodical approach up to 30%

tre in a typical brewery. It is

sav-ing can be achieved on refrigeration

typically 30% of electricity

plants - even using remote monitoring

costs.

and remote interventions. So what is that approach? We will outline it in this paper.

It can sometimes feel that refrigeration plant power consumption can be an

Step one is to understand what drives

uncontrolled cost cen-tre too. Power

energy consumption in your plant.

consumption can vary significantly with weather conditions, production changes,

Energy consumption of refrigeration

op-erator and maintenance input (or lack

plants in breweries are driven by a num-

of same).

ber of factors: u Weather - mainly wet bulb tempera-

The following are some of the issues

ture i.e. what is the ambient temperature

which we typically see which are causing

and how humid is it

excessive energy consumption in brew-

u Production rate i.e. hL/day - the more

ery refrigeration plants:

beer brewed the more wort to cool and

u Using simple energy KPI’s (kWh’s per

beer to filter

hL) that do not highlight either energy

u Product mix i.e. more cans/bottles

losses OR sav-ings opportunities during

vs kegs = less flash pasteurisation = less

dynamic conditions i.e. weather chang-

cooling load

es, production increas-es/decreases or

u Maintenance status of the plant i.e. are

product mix changes

the condensers scaled or are evaporators

u No real understanding of how produc-

full of oil

tion changes (product mix changes for example) can drive energy consumption

Most plants just use a simple KPI (kWh/

changes

hL) to track energy performance. These

u Insufficient automation in place or;

simple KPI’s are problematic however.

u Automation switched off (maybe initial-

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SEPTEMBER~OCTOBER 2020

ly only temporarily) and plants running in

They don’t account for reduced pro-

manual

duction rates: if brewing drops by 30%

u Plants do not dynamically adapt to

the refrigeration plant consumption will

changing weather and to production

not drop by the same amount, ie not

conditions

linear - There is a certain baseload in the

●u Plant equipment consuming more

sys-tem (fermentation and maturation)

power and water than design due to lack

as glycol circulates it will also naturally

of maintenance or incorrect installation

warm up

However, the good news is that signif-

As a result using simple KPI’s that do

icant savings can be achieved some-

not account for these issues can lead

BREWERS JOURNAL

to missed opportunities for optimising energy consumption.

A far more robust method of tracking energy consumption is to use statistical analysis tools. These tools take into account all the variables discussed above to generate models which can accurately

Figure 1: Correlation for the power draw for an ammonia screw compressor as a function of incom-ing pressure, outgoing temperature and pressure and motor speed.

Incoming temperature had a minor impact and slide valve position wasn’t varied during this time period (2-Mar-20 – 6-Mar-20, 5min average data)

If we can calculate the air flow through the condenser, using the wet bulb temperature and the esti-mated air discharge temperature, we can estimate the water evaporation, and compare that to the heat rejection coming from the compressor loads (described above). Combining this with the design blowdown rate, we can estimate the water use per condens-

predict what the overall refrigeration consumption will be when weather con-

the process and transfers the heat to the

er and sum them together to compare to

ditions or production varies.

condensers which can be expelled to the

the overall plant water meter.

atmosphere or alternatively recovered to

With the fan speed and the type of corre-

heat water.

lation shown in figure 2 we can compare

Step two involved in-depth modelling of

the estimated fan load to the measured

each of the plant components.

The motor power drawn by the com-

load, and thus potentially identify opera-

So now you have an accurate prediction

pressor is a function of the work done in

tional issues.

of the overall refrigeration plant perfor-

compressing the am-monia, and thus is

mance you will start to see deviations

a function of the incoming temperature

Thus, it should be possible to develop

between the actual and predicted (over

pressure, the discharge temperature and

correlations that:

time) as the plant conditions start to

pressure, the slide valve position and the

●u Estimate heat rejected by each Con-

change i.e:

motor speed. Again, this would ideally

denser

●u Condensers foul or scale

be information available in the design

●u Water use by each Condenser

u Air ingress occurs when maintenance

package in the form of a compressor

●u Power demand for each condenser to

is being carried out

performance curve. In the absence of

compare to actual meter readings

u Refrigerant levels drop over time due

that information, a correlation can be built

●u Overall KPI’s like water use per amount

to maintenance

based on historical data. An example is

of cooling

u Compressors degrade

shown in Figure 1.

●u If not already implemented, potential for reducing compressor discharge

u Oil carries over to evaporators u Automation switched off and compres-

Based on discharge pressure and the

pressure to re-spond to lower wet bulb

sor sequencing not as it should be

ammonia flow calculations, an estimate

temperature.

of the heat removed by oil can be made and compared to the measured outlet

Detailed models of the cooling loads

While the overall predictive model tells

ammonia temperature. These calcu-

(filtration, wort cooling, fermentation) can

you something is off - it doesn’t tell you

la-tions can be performed for each com-

be built which can model cooling load

exactly where to look. The next step to

pressor in the system and offer: cooling

versus production i.e.

get this insight is to build individual mod-

provided at each stage (and thus KPI

● ●u Fermentation load curves can be

els of each of the major components i.e.

inputs for cooling vs production rate etc).

modelled and cooling loads derived

the compressors and condensers

Estimated motor draw - compare to actu-

● ●u Wort cooling vs brews and kettle vol-

al to maybe spot problems developing,

ume (to take account of half brews)

condensing load and eat rejected by oil.

● ●u Filtration load vs production

The compressor absorbs the heat from

brewersjournal.info

SEPTEMBER~OCTOBER 2020

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71

Figure 2: Correlation between power draw from MCC (expressed as kWh/5min), the power factor (PF) and the frequency of the fans (Hz).

load between compressors and con-

If you think your plants are candidates

denser fans.

for this approach we are in a position to deliver those savings via our Clarity

Step three means taking the models on-

software product.

line: Using the models in an online cloud based system to manage your plant

We have deployed this model many times (including in the meat sector) and

So we have built models for the overall

is obviously very topical and appropriate

plant and for individual components

under the current circumstances i.e. we

From deriving these cooling loads, the

of the plant. The next step is to bring

can likely deliver this solution remotely

loads can be summed and compared to

those models to life i.e. feed them with

and provide finance for upgrades identi-

actual compressor load. From this we

live pressure, temperature data from

fied as part of the analysis.

can calculate losses and overcooling.

the plant and calculate dynamically and

The steps outlined above will give you a

continuously the predicted plant perfor-

In order to deliver these savings we need

mance - and compare it to the actual.

to connect to your plant SCADA systems and install some metering and sensors

deep insight into the compressors and condensers and al-low you to see which

Crowley Carbon have developed a pow-

area is leading to a divergence on the

erful Cloud based tool to do exactly that.

overall plant model (actual vs predict-ed).

Clarity can con-nect to your plant SCADA

Crowley Carbon can also offer a perfor-

The next steps are to using these models

systems, meters and sensors and extract

mance contact i.e. we underwrite the

to investigate different operating strate-

the data we need to run the models built

savings but even more interestingly that

gies for:

in Step 2 & 3.

we are also in a position to back that up with underwriting from a major interna-

â—?u In investigating different compressor loading strategies as a function of pro-

Once we have the models running they

cess cooling de-mands

will be continually reviewed and oppor-

â—?u The loading of the fans in the condens-

tunities for optimisa-tion assessed by our

ers across all the units

subject matter experts.

â—?u We can also look at strategies involving lowering condensing pressure to shift

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SEPTEMBER~OCTOBER 2020

(unless already existing).

So, what are the next steps?

tional insurer.

Figure 3: Loading the formulae from the models into Clarity

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