Page 22 - Beverage MasterAprMay 2021

Craft Brewery
Craft Brewery
to outgoing wastewater treatment. They work by
building a comfort level with their clients, including
warranties on their products and available inven-
tories of filtration media to help keep costs down
while producing the desired continuity throughout
the entire brewing process.

“We touch base and sit down with our clients
every few months to discuss concerns relating to
business growth and future needs, or to just see
how things are going,” said Russell. “We educate
the brewer when needed and cover available
options when they are ready for the next level of
filtration, for example, switching from pads to cen-
trifuges.”

Centrifuge technology has traditionally been out of
reach for the craft brewer, but it is becoming more
affordable and attractive. Brewers see the cost-ef-
fectiveness and user-friendliness along with the
reports of higher yields, better flavor and aromas,
and increased shelf life. Additionally, unlike filter
pads, they won’t become clogged or bogged down,
causing downtime. Instead, reports show centri-
fuges save time, recover man-hours, increase run
times, and streamline the tank turnover and brew-
ing process.

“We’ve seen the size of the entry-level centrifuges
drop into the $100,000 range, making them a lit-
tle more affordable,” said Russell. “I see more and
more brewers in the 20,000-30,000-barrel range
getting into centrifuges, but making the jump has
to be based on an informed decision. It’s one of
the topics when discussing return on investment,
including consumable savings, labor, quality, prod-
uct savings versus loss and dissolved oxygen uptake.

“The biggest bit of advice I can give to brewers is
to put thought into and select the proper profes-
sionals to work with and advise you, and then get
the proper equipment to reach your goals and spec-
ifications. Whether you’re talking about filtering
through chemistry, pads or labor only, the whole
process is a flavor versus filtration issue. There is
no magic wand that can do it all. Talk to your busi-
ness neighbors and see what they use and if they’re
happy with it. Have they used it for at least a year?
What about the service aspect? Filtration in the
brewing process is finding what works the best at
the best cost while retaining consistent results, pre-
ferred shelf life and optimal drinkability.”

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