Category: Equipment

By: Alyssa l. Ochs

In the brewing industry, many different small parts play a significant role in producing beer. While hoses, tubes, clamps and connections are often overlooked, it is never a good idea to use worn-down or ill-fitting parts that could compromise the product’s quality. Brewers can benefit from learning about different types of hoses, tubes, clamps and connections to determine whether an upgrade is needed now or in the near future.

Types of Brewery Connection Products

  There are various hose types and sizes that breweries use for different purposes. Commonly used hoses for beer operations include beer transfer hoses, washdown hoses, crush-proof hoses and general-purpose hoses. Hose widths are often between 1 and 4 inches, while hose lengths can be anywhere from 5 to 50 feet.

  Meanwhile, tubes connect pieces of brewhouse equipment and work in conjunction with various piping components. Black pipes carry water into the brewhouse and out into the wastewater system, while stainless-steel pipes are used for many parts of the brewing process. Galvanized pipes coated with zinc are important for corrosion resistance. Copper pipes, ABS plastic pipes and polypropylene-R pipes are all common in breweries. For tubing, thick-walled vinyl tubing is the top choice of many brewers because of its kink-resistance, taste protection and flexibility even while cold.

  One-inch crimped stainless-steel tri-clamp ends are useful in breweries, with typical sizes being a quarter-, three-eighths-, one-half-, five-eighths- and three-quarter-inch. Both plastic and metal clamps are used in breweries with cutter and crimping tools to ensure a good fit. Worm clamps are easy to find in hardware stores and operate with a screw mechanism and metal strap with slots cut into the strap. Easy to use and reusable, snap rings are clamps made with semi-rigid plastic that utilize pressure to tighten. Single- and double-eared clamps are circular and have ears that hold the strap in an open position until closed with pliers and cannot reopen. Meanwhile, stepless clamps apply equal pressure and require a tool to apply and remove, making them non-reusable.

  Connections include basic hose connectors called barb fittings and easy-to-clean sanitary connectors called tri-clamps. Camlocks and stainless sleeve QD connectors allow a brewer to make connections without swapping hoses or removing or installing clamps on hoses.

  James Lutgring, head brewer for Bayou Teche Brewing in Arnaudville, Louisiana, told Beverage Master Magazine that his team uses 1.5-inch tubing with 1.5-inch tri-clamp fittings for nearly everything in their brewery.

  “These hoses are used for transferring wort and beer, cleaning, sanitizing and moving water around to where we need it,” Lutgring said. “We also use ½ inch silicon tubing when transferring beer to kegs.”

  Rob Williams, sales manager for Alliance Hose & Rubber Co., said the company’s most popular products are custom length transfer hoses and specialty tri-clamp fittings.

  “We offer several types, each having a unique advantage,” Williams said. “For example, there are hoses that are kink- and crush-resistant for higher traffic areas, while extreme-flex corrugated covers offer higher flexibility and allow the water to pass through the corrugations to prevent water damming.”

  Also popular, he said, is Alliance’s washdown hose. “We offer hoses that have a high standard when it comes to cleaning and sanitizing. Our washdown hoses have the Microban cover, which does not allow bacteria to form on the cover, as well as FDA rated tubes. Finally, there are one-piece tri-clamp crimp elbows to reduce hose trip hazards and end damage to hoses used on manifolds. With the level of safety concerns and cleaning processes being updated daily, providing safe assemblies and best practices to help the brewing community meet or exceed their safety requirements is our goal.”

When to use Different Types of Connections

  Experienced brewers know the best parts and accessories for different purposes, such as brewery suction and discharge applications. Concerning hoses, vinyl hoses are easy to obtain and use, but they can curl easily and accumulate residue inside. Reinforced vinyl hoses are stiffer but aren’t the best at handling high temperatures. For less curling and high-temperature resistance, many prefer silicone hoses. Good qualities in a brewery hose include flexibility, lightweight design, durability, ability to easily bend around brewing equipment, purity so that smells and tastes aren’t affected and a smooth structure that’s easy to clean.

  For tubing, transparent tubes are good choices for seeing what is collecting inside the tube and perhaps even causing contamination. Tubes should withstand high temperatures and have thick walls for high pressure. Beverage-specific tubing is also designed to prevent curling.

  Brewers often use tri-clamp fittings to move unprocessed beer from one place to another, leading to many variations being sold on the market today. Tri-clover, Camlock, Blichmann NPT and Quick Connect are the most commonly used connection types. Tri-clover fittings are sanitary, have a separate silicone seal and a tri-clamp that holds the pieces together. Blichmann NPT connectors require screwing in with each use, so they aren’t as quick to use, but they have a plastic sleeve that allows brewers to connect it without gloves, even when hot, and to connect and disconnect without leaks. Meanwhile, Camlocks are made from stainless steel, have a water-tight seal and are quick to connect and disconnect.

The Importance of Hoses, Tubes, Clamps and Connections

  These small details add up when operating complex brewing machines and trying to make the best beer possible for consumers with minimal hassles for staff. Hoses, tubes, clamps and connections are all important because, when working correctly, they help preserve the intended taste and smell of the beer. The right parts also help staff work in confined spaces without feeling cramped or frustrated. Having working parts will also help maintain overall equipment investment. When these products aren’t checked and maintained regularly, serious leaks in the brewing space or tainted beer that is not safe or desirable to drink could result.

  Williams from Alliance Hose & Rubber Co. said that the use of various hose and fittings is crucial since not all hose and fittings can handle the temperatures, pressures and chemicals present in the brewing process.

  “There are many safety issues concerning the proper attachment methods – i.e., crimping, bands and clamps – used with the brewery hoses as well,” Williams said. “Brewers suffer a great deal of product loss and also personal injury every year due to the misapplication of hoses, tubes and fittings. Some stages of the brewing process can use the same type of hoses, such as the transfer of beer from one vessel to another in either the heating stage or to the kegging process. However, brewers who are also making sours, distilled liquors or seltzers will need to use specific hoses for these processes.”

  For example, Williams said that brewers tend to use a different cover color and fitting when making sour beers.

  “This ensures that the same hose is not used in the regular brewing process and that sour hoses are only used for sour beers,” he said. “When distilling or making seltzers, it is highly recommended that brewers use a higher-proof-capable FDA hose with a wire reinforcement so that the hose can be grounded to the system and not cause a potential fire hazard.”

  Finally, Williams said that proper tubing and fittings should be used when higher concentrations of cleaning chemicals are in the brewing system or when transferring flavorings into the brewing process. Alliance Hose offers phone consultations – as well as on-site visits for breweries in the Elmhurst, Illinois area – to assist in selecting hoses and their safe use.

Choosing the Right Product

  Some of the most common mistakes and oversights that breweries make regarding these products are over-use and not regularly checking on them. Other common errors are settling for the cheapest option and making do with multipurpose parts that don’t best serve specific needs. It’s also vital to remember that brewers will need tools to cut tubing and hoses and crimp clamps. Cutters and pincers are available in different sizes and should factor into a brewery’s overall equipment budget.

  Lutgring from Bayou Teche Brewing said, “The hoses need to be able to withstand temperatures of 220 degrees Fahrenheit, caustics, acids and pressures of up to 200 psi, while also being durable enough to last.”

  “Cost is also a big factor when we are shopping for new hoses,” Lutgring said. “The tri-clamp fittings are just about the same wherever you get them, so it usually comes down to price and convenience. Some of the valves may last longer than others, but you just have to learn that from experience with the vendor.”

  Williams from Alliance Hose & Rubber Co. said breweries should get their S.T.A.M.P.E.D information to the hose and fitting supplier. “S.T.A.M.P.E.D. is an acronym used to get all the correct details of the application so that the safest and most proper hose and tubing system can be provided,” he said.

  Here’s what the acronym stands for to help breweries be as safe as possible while using these products:

S = Size (i.d. and o.d.) and length.

T = Temperature (product transferred & atmosphere).

A = Application (what is the hose being used for).

M = Media (what is being transferred).

P = Pressure.

E = Ends (fitting type).

D = Delivery (how soon the product is needed).

  Regarding safety, another resource is the Master Brewers Association of the Americas’ Safety Toolbox Talk that discusses hose fitting attachment methods in practical terms with helpful visual depictions.

Choosing a Filling Machine for Your Brewery

By: Alyssa L. Ochs

Largely due to pandemic-related brewery closures and limits for on-site consumption, the popularity of to-go packaging is at an all-time high. Cans offer a portable and recyclable way to consume craft beer when draft pours aren’t an option. Meanwhile, bottles remain a classic choice preferred by some brewers and consumers because of their ability to protect against light for optimal flavor and freshness. Also, there’s just something refreshingly classic about sipping a cold brew from a frosty bottle.

  Since to-go package sales aren’t expected to decline anytime soon, it’s a good idea to keep up with the latest filling machine technology in case a new installation or upgrade is necessary.

Types of Bottle Filling Machines

  There are several types of bottling machines used by breweries today with both manual and automatic functions. Modern machines serve multiple purposes within the brewery to save space and offer both continuity and efficiency. For example, specialized machines handle rinsing, filling and capping all within one system.

  Tandem fillers usually fill one to eight bottles of beer at a time and are small machines that use long filling tubes. Rotary fillers are high-speed machines that utilize a rotary system and offer greater capacity. Semi-automatic rinser/filler/corker/cager machines are often used for bottle-conditioned beers. Also, isobaric manual beer bottling machines come in different configurations for rinsing bottles and sorting them.

Popular Can Filling Machines

  From Pneumatic Scale Angelus, a Barry-Wehmiller Packaging Company, Mike Davis, Global Product Line Leader of can filling, and Mark Pirog, Director of Seamer Sales, told Beverage Master Magazine about several can filling machines commonly used by craft breweries. Pneumatic Scale Angelus is one of nine operating companies within the Barry-Wehmiller family, a form/fill/seal technologies and services leader that has served various industries for over 100 years.

  The CB50F is an open-air – known as atmospheric – integrated filler/seamer for production speeds up to 50 cans per minute. 

  Davis and Pirog said that this canning line is ideal for craft brewers entering into packaging cans or who have been mobile canning and are ready to invest in a canning line that offers the autonomy of canning on its own schedule. They also said additional upstream and downstream equipment, such as an accumulating table or palletizer, can be purchased and phased in later as desired

  The company’s CB100F model (shown above) is an open-air integrated filler/seamer canning line for production speeds up to 100 CPM. 

  “This machine is designed for the craft brewer looking to expand production from the entry-level, or who has been mobile canning on a regular basis and wants to see a greater ROI on canning expense,” said Davis and Pirog. “This canning line is best coupled with automated upstream and downstream equipment to accommodate the faster speeds. This line comes standard with a buffer tank to help manage product feed from bright tanks.”

  The newest member of PSA’s portfolio, the CB50C (shown above), is a counter-pressure integrated filler/seamer canning line for production speeds up to 50 CPM. With this model, true counter-pressure filling allows craft beverage producers to run a variety of products ranging from still to highly-carbonated and even including nitrogenated beverages in widget cans.

  “Flexibility of the fill sequence also provides a means to control or mitigate dissolved oxygen for oxidation-sensitive products, like beer,” said Davis and Pirog. “An optional product supply pump is available for maintaining product pressure at filler without compromising limits at the bright tank.”

  All three PSA canning lines incorporate sanitary design standards throughout the product path. Each delivers standard features that include CO2 flood purging before filling, a gassing tunnel, and undercover gassing to reduce oxygen pick up. Davis and Pirog said that flow meters are standard and will withstand clean-in-place temperatures up to 180 degrees Fahrenheit. All the machines will accommodate the various standard can sizes, including sleek and slim varieties.

How Bottle Filling Works and Comparing Machines

  The process of filling beer bottles generally works by moving the bottles along a conveyor belt. Part of the process involves keeping the vessel safe with a separating device and situating it on a lifting platform underneath the filling component.

  A brewery employee begins the process by removing the bottles from the pallet, rinsing them and controlling the amount of oxygen that gets into them before filling. The bottles are then automatically filled by the machine. Once filled, they run through a capping machine to seal them. The final step involves applying labels manually or through a labeler before transferring bottles to cartons or crates for sale in the brewery or for transport to a distributor.

  Small to mid-size breweries generally look for bottle filling machines that fill between 700 and 4,000 bottles per hour. For breweries that are mid-size to large, choosing a machine with a 4,000 to 12,000 bottle per hour capacity is recommended.

  There are some important differences between bottle filling machines. Some bottling systems come with “dummy bottles” and spray balls for cleaning. Some machines fill kegs in addition to bottles. Others have canning add-on kits available if the brewery currently serves beer in both bottles and cans or plans to in the future.

  Brewers should choose filling machines made with high-grade stainless steel and that perhaps come on lockable wheels for easy maneuverability if necessary. Other features to look for when comparing models include ease of cleaning, a user-friendly control panel, filling cycle speed, remote operation capabilities and easy changeover from bottles to cans.

Modern Can Filling Technologies and Differences

  Davis and Pirog said there are two basic filling technologies within the craft beverage canning market – open-air and counter pressure – and there are variances among suppliers for each technology. 

  Open-air filling is the primary technology for linear fillers in which product carbonation is not that high, typically less than 2.7 vols. The main differences between open-air fillers lie in how the particular equipment purges the can of oxygen, controls foaming and measures the amount of product dispensed.

  “In beer filling, oxygen content must be minimized, so full and complete purging prior to filling is key,” said Davis and Pirog. “Product foaming or breakout can lead to inaccurate fill volumes and carbonation loss. Open-air fillers usually incorporate some kind of restriction to create a gentle fill but are susceptible to product temperature.” 

  If the product is not cold enough or maintained, breakout can easily occur with open-air filling. To measure the fill, brewers can use level sensing, time-pressure or a flow meter.

  Counter-pressure filling is typically used on rotary-style fillers, but some linear fillers also use this technology. Davis and Pirog said the main difference between these machines’ suppliers is how the product feeds into the pressurized can and the method for measuring the amount dispensed. For example, some counter-pressure fillers use the same product feed process used in open-air filling: either using the bright tank pressure or a buffer tank to push the product up through the filler and into the container. 

  “Counter-pressure filling is typically used for products that are highly carbonated, so gentle filling is just as important as pressurizing the container,” said Davis and Pirog. “PSA incorporates true counter-pressure filling like that used on the highest production beverage packaging lines. The can is pressurized to the equivalent pressure of the filler bowl, and the product is allowed to fill the can by gravity. By doing so, carbonation levels are controlled, and temperature is less of a factor. Similar to open-air filling, fill measurement can be by level, time-pressure or flow meter, and PSA has standardized on flow meter filling.”

  Brewers looking for a new or upgraded canning line should consider how containers will be sealed. Quality seams are critical for package integrity and product freshness in canning, and there are many seaming machines on the market. Bending and folding metal to create a seal may sound simple enough, but repeatedly creating a high-quality hermetic seal is more complex than it seems.

  “Some suppliers use pneumatics or servo actuators to perform the seaming operations,” said Davis and Pirog. “At PSA, our machines are designed for the slower-speed needs of the craft market and use the same mechanical cam technology used on our high-speed seaming machines. In other words, the same technology that the largest beverage manufacturers use to seam thousands of cans per minute has been tailored for the production needs of the craft market.”

Expert Advice About Bottle and Can Filling Machines

  Bottle filling machines are a vital part of the packaging process for many breweries today, so it’s essential to look at the big picture of beer filling, conveying, bottling, cleaning and labeling. When choosing a new machine, consider long tube fillers over short tubes for their affordability and purging oxygen.

  Sanitation is always a concern for keeping bottles clean and bacteria-free. Brewers must understand what output speed means and how that correlates to the brewery’s needs, so they don’t invest in a higher output machine than necessary. Meanwhile, used equipment may be available and provide significant cost savings, as long as it has been well-maintained and is in good working condition.

  Whether bottles or cans, Davis and Pirog recommend looking for quality and flexibility. A filling line is a major investment and will require many years of reliable service. They suggest considering the beverages being packaged today and what may be coming in the future to make sure the filling line can accommodate a growing portfolio. 

  “And finally, breweries should invest in quality equipment that not only fills accurately and seams precisely but also allows them to utilize every can and lid, so they don’t waste materials,” said Davis and Pirog. “If the pandemic has offered any lessons, it’s that having the means to get your product into the hands of your customers is critical and investing in a canning line is a great way to do that!”

By: Alyssa l. Ochs

Breweries have been around for thousands of years, and while some aspects of the brewing process remain the same, a lot is changing in the modern brewing industry. Craft beer producers have been asking for more from the machinery they use, and innovative companies have answered that demand with some exciting new technology.

  Whether your brewery is brand-new or has been around for many years, it’s worth learning about the new mechanisms, tools, technology and improvements that are being made to brewing equipment right now.

Brewer Demand Driving Innovation

  From automated bottling to bourbon-barrel aging methods and distilled hop oil, there have been many brewing industry innovations over the years. Yet modern brewers are still asking for more changes in the equipment and technology they use to suit their brewing styles and customer preferences better.

  Bob Haggerty, head brewer for Steel Bender Brewyard in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, New Mexico, told Beverage Master Magazine, “While loads of improvements have been, and continue to be, made to increase the convenience and connectivity of today’s equipment, I think that the focus on fewer bells and whistles and more quality is what I look for.

  “I’m not interested that my mash tun can send me email updates and would rather have mash screens that effectively filter wort,” Haggerty said. “I am not saying that I think we should move backward and eschew technology in all forms, only that shiny gadgets don’t impress me on their own.”

Concerning brewery equipment that holds great potential for the future, Haggerty said that he has been intrigued by the idea of real-time, continuous monitoring of product in fermenters and brite tanks for data, such as gravity, pH and dissolved oxygen.

“Though I have been approached with a gadget that does this already, it came with a hefty price tag and was coupled with a pricy subscription service,” Haggerty said. “I’d be more interested in something that was lower in cost and could be installed on every tank without the obligatory online aspect or subscription model.”

  Basically, when it comes to equipment, the Steel Bender brewing team prefers the focus to be on function, not Facebook.

  Torrey Lattin, the co-owner and head brewer for Hopping Gnome Brewing Company in Wichita, Kansas, has found that the most crucial brewing equipment is basic supplies that are in high demand, such as access to aluminum cans right now.

  “There have been several shortages during the pandemic, and it has been difficult to find enough cans with most breweries increasing their to-go options,” Lattin said. “We know of a few companies that we regularly purchase from, but we’re wondering if there are more options out there and if we can discuss this more with others in the industry.”

  In terms of machinery, the most in-demand pieces of equipment are generally the ones that save brewers time during the brewing process.

  “We recently purchased a keg washer, and it is probably my favorite piece of equipment for the time and work it saves,” said Lattin. “I highly recommend it for anyone utilizing a lot of kegs.”

Recent Advancements in  Brewery Equipment

  In general, there has been a lot more automation in the various steps of the brewing process to replace manual oversight and guidance. Brewery-focused companies have created cryogenic products for hop preservation and used advanced laboratory science to effectively can beer and measure dissolved oxygen.

  Meanwhile, depalletizers help improve quality control for canning and require just one operator on the line. Some breweries use a mash filter press that is a specialized plate and frame filter to recover extract, improve wort production and be more efficient.

  A recent development involves two holes on cans’ standard ends to improve airflow and let consumers get a smoother pour with less foam. There’s also technology for cans that transform them into their own cup to eliminate the need for glassware and reduce waste. Brewery equipment is also enabling breweries to create packaging with an airtight seal that re-closes the tab after opening so you can save part of a beer for later.

  Another trend worth noting is investing in machines that can produce both beer and spirits so that beverage companies can have crossover brewery and distillery operations. A barrel-aging system makes it easy to combine these two methods of beverage production.

  Cavitation involves a rotating impeller that generates low pressures at its fast-moving tips. This process increases the rate that starch passes from pulverized malted barley into the wart and eliminates the need for milling malted barley in advance.

  Other equipment upgrades and innovations that breweries may be interested to learn about include multi-purpose aseptic container brewing vessels, kink-resistant brewery hoses, beer-serving tanks to use in taprooms as an alternative to kegs and scalable wastewater treatment.

  With regard to significant brewery equipment updates in recent years, Jef Lewis, the president of BrewBilt Manufacturing, told Beverage Master Magazine that the drop dosing tank has become very popular among breweries lately. Based in Grass Valley, California, BrewBilt is a handcrafted brewery equipment company that has been working on several exciting new pieces of equipment.

“Hopping techniques have changed since the old days, and there’s a lot of dry hopping going on in the fermentation process,” Lewis said. “The hop dosing tank allows brewers to fill it with whatever they want to add to the fermentation. You would then purge the tank of any air and begin recirculating with a pump.”

  Lewis said that, lately, his company also includes whirlpool recirculation heat exchanges.

  “These are specially designed heat exchangers that cool the wort down from boil temperature to 167 to 170 degrees in about 10 minutes,” he said. “This allows the brewer to do hop aroma additions without getting any bitterness from the hop.”

Rusty Riley, founder and president of Oronoko Iron Works in Baroda, Michigan, told Beverage Master Magazine the most significant shift he has seen in the last 10 years has been toward a greater degree of automation in every corner of the brewery, better-equipped laboratories, and better data collection and utilization. Oronoko Iron Works is a custom-fabrication, CNC plasma cutting and machining company with a foundation in the brewing and distilling industry.

  “From grain handling to the brewhouse and on to fermentation, people have begun to utilize automation and data analysis to develop more consistent processes, which, in turn, leads to a more consistent product,” Riley said. “As consumers become more health-conscious, more breweries will move into producing non-alcoholic products that still satisfy a beer drinker’s palate. I anticipate some innovation in that sector in the coming years.”

New Brewery Equipment to Consider

  One example of a new piece of equipment from BrewBilt is this company’s Wort Oxygenator that allows breweries to eliminate the need for an oxygen tank to oxygenate their wort on the way from the heat exchanger to the fermenter. This is an important piece of equipment because sanitary oxygen is the most expensive and dangerous type of gas used by breweries.

  “What we offer is a safe alternative that eliminates the recurring cost of getting a tank filled,” said Lewis. “All that is needed is a small air compressor to deliver air to a specialized filter, and what comes out is sanitary oxygen. Then it goes through a flowmeter that allows the brewer to select and monitor how much oxygen is added to the wort through a venturi.”

  Another popular piece of BrewBilt equipment is its Mobil Flow Meter. It is a magnetic, digital sanitary flow meter that can be connected to anything in the brewery through a tri-clamp.

  “Plug any 120-volt extension cord to the unit, and you’re on your way,” Lewis said. “It includes a reset button to set it back to zero when you’re done, and it’s packaged in a small, sturdy stainless-steel frame with a handle to keep it safe from the rigors of the brewery environment.”

  Other BrewBilt equipment currently on-trend with breweries are the CIP Cart that uses electric or steam heat for cleaning brewery tanks and the three- and six-head manual and automated keg washers. 

  Oronoko Iron Works launched in 2014 with a mission to build a better roll mill for brewers. It is still the company’s top product.

  “The biggest factor in consistency is repeatability, and our mills are easy to adjust and get the same setting over and over again,” Riley said. “Since day one, we’ve strived to make our mills more user-friendly and bomb-proof. We’ve created additional particle reduction solutions like hammer mills, comminutors and other types of crushers and grinders, as well as ancillary products, like bulk bag stands, bins and bag-dump stations.

  “Along the way, we discovered that our customers also have a need for automated knife gates and other automation, so we’ve begun focusing on those areas too,” Riley said. “We’ve tried to become a ‘one-stop-shop’ for our customers so we can grow as they grow.”

Conclusions and Advice About New Brewery Equipment

  Although not all equipment innovations add significant value to the brewing process, certain strategic pieces can make life much easier. For both new breweries and well-established ones, it is a smart idea to stay up-to-date on recent equipment trends and learn about forward-thinking companies that are helping brewing processes become more efficient.

  Lewis of Brewbilt recommends that breweries don’t underestimate themselves and buy too small of a brewhouse. “There are golden ratios for brewhouse tanks, like boil kettles, mash tuns and lauter tuns that greatly increase your brewhouse efficiency,” he said. “Don’t buy the wrong shape tanks!”

  Lewis also said breweries should make sure the dead space under their lauter tun’s false bottom is minimal, to get a larger hot liquor tank than you think you need and to invest in lab equipment.

  “New technology is important and exciting, but don’t overlook ROI of the technology you’re investing in and examine how it might impact the growth trajectory of your business,” said Riley of Oronoko Iron Works.

  Riley also encourages breweries to ask themselves whether investing a few more dollars now will see them through to the next phase of growth. “Look out one, two, five or 10 years and try to envision what will improve your bottom line and help you achieve those goals over that time frame.”