Laboratories for Small Brewers Kevin Mutch Peripatetic Brewer 11 April 19
Topics Product consistency Sample Plan Product Specification Product testing In-process Post-process Equipment Required Methodologies
Product Consistency Consumers need consistent product Establish, measure for comparison, set of process and product specifications Take corrective action if process or product ‘out of specification’ Measuring instrument tolerance Raw materials Sampling errors Specification and tolerances i.e. Range Sampling Schedule Specifying where, how and frequency of sampling
Product Sample Plan
Sample Plan Key measurements taken without exception, across whole process too late if quality issues come from customers – Record and present graphically look at trends, compare MoM/YoY –
Example of Sample Plan Stage Frequency Notes Stage Frequency Notes Raw & Packaging Each delivery Frequency Fermented beer Each vessel Monitor Materials depends on & beer ready for quality/prepare supplier filtration for corrective performance & action reliability Brewhouse Each gyle Corrective action Beer ready for Each vessel Confirm operations taken quickly packaging compliance & suitability for package & consumption Unfermented Each gyle Corrective action Packaged beer Each batch Monitor packaging wort taken quickly performance Yeast Each batch for Only select good Plant Specified Monitor cleaning pitching yeast vessels per performance week Fermentation Each vessel Process control Cleaning Specified Ensure plant is Twice a day materials samples per cleaned effectively week
Product and Process Specifications Parameter Relevance ABV Product strength & value to customer Degree of consumer intoxication Original & Present Gravities Product strength & value to customer Indicates flavour strength pH Mash & wort pH affects enzyme performance Wort & beer pH affects hop utilisation & bitterness Wort & beer pH affects microbial growth Beer pH affect flavour Variable pH affects flavour Beer Colour Immediately perceived by consumer Beer Bitterness Strong flavour effect
Product and Process Specifications Parameter Relevance Trace flavour compounds - Fermentation by-products give beer its flavour Diacetyl, DMS, Acetaldehyde, Esters Balance ensures ‘trueness to type’ Excess will cause flavour problems Dissolved oxygen Promotes good yeast growth ergo good fermentation Oxidation in beer – stale, wet cardboard Unstable – hazes in packaged beer Dissolved carbon dioxide Sparkling characteristic of beer – head High levels – fob, dispense issues Dissolved nitrogen Foam stability, cling, flavour inhibition Beer Flavour - Why product is consumed Trueness to type Consumer expectation
Product and Process Specifications Parameter Relevance Clarity - Consumers expectation – attractive if ‘bright’ Haze, Potential haze Cloudy beer – poor quality, contamination, infection? Head stability - Consumer expectation – foamy head, cling to glass Foam, Cling sides Sterility Microbial contamination – most destructive defect Wild yeasts, moulds, bacteria grow readily in beer Effects flavour, aroma, clarity – undrinkable? Small contaminations – growth rate – major issue
Wort Production and Brewhouse Operations Parameter Determining factors Wort specific gravity Amount of malt and water used Extraction process efficiency Wort colour Amount of coloured material used Degree of wort boiling Wort pH Mash & wort pH Brewing water quality Liquor treatment Malt quality Adjunct type and usage rates Wort fermentability Enzymic activity affected by mash conditions – time, temperature & pH Wort attenuation limit Fermentability of raw materials & adjuncts Wort sterility Wort chiller, wort mains, FVs
Pitching Yeast Analysis Parameter Determining factors Microbial contamination Contamination from the plant Previous generation infection Yeast viability Age of the yeast (% dead cells) Condition of the yeast Yeast vitality Health pf previous generation
Fermentation Operations Parameter Determining factors ABV Fermentation degree/efficiency Final gravity (FG) OG Beer pH Wort pH Fermentation degree/efficiency Beer colour Wort colour Bitterness Brewhouse hop addition & utilisation Yeast counts Strain/flocculation characteristics - cells in suspension Cropping operation Beer flavour Brewhouse and fermentation operations Raw material quality and usage rates Contamination Beer sterility Wort sterility Yeast purity
Maturation/Conditioning Operations As previous slide plus Parameter Determining factors Diacetyl Maturation time and temperature Dissolved oxygen Transfer procedure Air content of vessel prior to fill Dissolved carbon dioxide Degree of fermentation Vessel back pressure at fill Beer sterility Fermented beer Transfer mains Maturation vessel
Bright Beer Production and Filtration Operations As previous slide plus Parameter Determining factors ABV Filtration/liquor flush operations FG Bitterness Mature beer bitterness Bitterness loss on filtration Dissolved oxygen Filtration performance Dissolved carbon dioxide Mature beer content Content trimming during filtration Clarity Maturation time & temperature Filtration performance Stabilisation
Packaging As previous slide plus Parameter Determining factor Air in headspace Packaging performance Fill level Packaging performance Label quality Packaging performance, labeller Label stock quality Crown quality Packaging performance, crowner Crown stock quality Can print quality Can stock quality Can seam quality Packaging performance, seamer
Out of Specification Actions 1 Current problem 2 Prevention of reoccurrence -who, what, when, where, why & how Real? Results correct? Extent of issue, other beers affected? When, where did it happen? What else happening at the time? Possible causes? Likely causes? What can be done about it?
Example Investigation OOS - High colour Investigation Action Correct results? Recheck analysis Issue extent? Check other beers When did it happen? Check previous results What else was happening? Check raw materials Possible/likely cause? New batch of raw materials What can be done? Current issue – blend gyles Future – amend recipe change supplier?
Product Specification Sheet
Example – Brewhouse specification Parameter Addition Rate/Specification & Range Comments 1. Liquor Treatment: To achieve Product Ionic Specification: Cl=403ppm, NaCl & CaSO 4 added to MV Gypsum SO4=246ppm, K=520ppm, Na=190ppm, (Kg/100Hl) Sodium Chloride Mg=55ppm, Ca=60ppm min (Kg/100Hl) 2. Mash Grist: (As % Extract) Plae Ale Malt 88.3 Crystal Malt 1.9 3. Mash Additions: B Glucanase l/tonne malt As required Optimised to suit malt performance 3. Hop Grist: Where added Variety 1 Pellet hops to give target bitterness of 28 EBU in 1) Copper final pack Dry Hops Variety 2 only 2) Dry – 2 oz/brl
Example – Process Specifications Parameter Addition Rate/ Specification & Range Comments Mashing: Mash Liquor: Liquor : Grist - Target 2.6 l/kg (Hl : Tonnes) Range Temperature Profile: Mashing Temperature °C 65 +/- 2 Variable and plant dependent Sacharification Stand °C Time of temp rise (mins) Sacharification Stand (mins) 60 mins Or until starch -ve Raise to Run-off °C 76 =/- 1 Sparge Liquor: Total Liquor : Grist: Target 4 l/kg Temperature (max) 76 Run Off: Weak wort cut off PG Last Runnings PG as ° 1004 Boiling: Pre-boil temp profile Temperature >95°C Evaporation Rate %: Target 8 Cu up pH= 5-5.3 Min 6 Cu cast pH= 4.9-5.2 Max 10 Typical FAN=120-140 at 1038 Boil Time (mins): Target 60 Apparent fermentability 84-90% Late Additions: Copper Fining As required Added prior to cast and re-boil
Example - Process Specifications Parameter Addition Rate/ Specification & Range Comments Wort Cooling: Fill time 20 Whirlpool Stand Time: As required Target To achieve clarity Run-off profile/time (trub out proceed) Trub to drain Collection Temperature °C 16 Oxygenation ppm: Target 18 Variable on fermentation performance Range 15-22 Wort cooling additions Zinc sulphate Target 0.1 mg/l Z++ Collection gravity 1038.0 Collection time No. of Brews/FV 1/2 Fermented in conical
Example - Yeast Specification Parameter Addition Rate/ Specification & Range Comments Pitching Details: Yeast Type: Ale Max. Generation No 15 Viability (% min) 85 Rate (million cells / ml): 9 x 10 6 Target Max Range 7-10 x 10 6 Acid Wash: Yes if required Acid Type Phosphoric pH Target 2.1 pH range 2.0 – 2.2 Contact Time Target (mins) Max 120
Example – Process Specification Parameter Addition Rate/ Specification & Range Comments Fermentation: Profile Reference Number Temperature Profile: Collection Temperature °C 16 First Rise to °C 21 Second Rise to °C at Hold at 21 VDK Stand - Temp Time Cool to °C 6 - 8 C cask Cooling Rate °C/Hr RG target 8.5 FV Residence Targets : Time to half gravity Cycle Time target 4 days, range 3 - 5.0 Time to racking gravity 3 Days days Time to Cooling On 4 Days Total Residence 7 Days VDK Target, prior to cool as ppm N/A Time to yeast crop Rousing Regime Nil Auxiliary Finings added post - skim Fermenter Type conical
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