Packaging (Large pack) Kevin Mutch Peripatetic Brewer 25 April 2018
Topics Beer preparation and mechanics of fill Cask Keg Bulk
Beer Preparation Prior to packaging beer must be in the correct condition Sterility Yeast counts Clear / Polished Hazy Correct gas content (CO 2, N 2, O 2 ) Correct %ABV
Preparation - Cask Cask Beer not filtered contains live yeast contains residual fermentable sugar Beer racked into casks with minimum of treatment or clarification Stored, matures, clarifies in cask Run directly from FV or intermediate vessel racking vessel, tank, jack.
Preparation Yeast Counts in RV 1(+/-0.5)x10 6 cells/ml Controlled by yeast strain yeast viability and its flocculation/sedimentation characteristics fermentation management may be affected by the presence of infections. centrifugation temperature at fining and the carbon dioxide content of the beer Secondary fermentation residual fermentable sugar at EoF in FV xs or not enough? (2 o Gravity) low level CO 2 at EoF in FV vessel shape FV cooling ability primings
Preparation - Priming Sugar Addition Syrup addition to usually ~1150 o OG FV, RV or Cask sugars sucrose, invert sucrose (heated & acidified) Colour impact caramelisation 2 o fermentation substrate & sweetener extra conditioning time increase in %ABV?
Preparation - Hops Post Copper Hop Additions leaf, pellet, hop oil, water based extracts Extra hoppy flavour & aroma no discernible increase in bitterness Leaf and pellet take time to mature haze, infection/plant mass Oil, WBEs instantaneous effect relatively haze free
Preparation - Hops Dry hops should be stored at 2-4 C & added at rack or when beer is fined. Range for dry-hopping is 9-140 g/hl/0 5-8 0 oz/brl/0 2-5 0 mg/l of hop oil 9-35 g/hl/0 5-2 0 oz/brl more usual
Preparation - Isinglass Finings Swim bladder tropical fish Dried, shredded, mixed with liquor & typically tartaric, citric, or sulphurous acid Pure collagen, triple helix heavy +ve electrostatic charge
Preparation - Auxiliary Finings Finings adjunct acidified silicate Polysaccharides gums acacia, gum arabic Seaweed extracts carrageenin, alginates Colloidal solutions, high ve electrostatic charge
Preparation - Use of Finings FA used first in FV, after cropping yeast, cooling on, 24h before racking, during rundown to RV Isinglass used at rack before dispatch Never admix FA & Isinglass
Preparation Fining Advantages Advantages of using auxiliary finings reduced use of Isinglass Finings a better polish on the finished beer increased speed of fining increased speed of re-settling Silicated finings also give stabilisation against non-biological haze formation a degree of protection against chill hazes
Preparation - Finings Optimisation Regular basis new seasons malt, change of supplier/variety Hazes under or over fining? 300ml+ measuring tube, 288 ml beer FA ½ to 2 pints/brl, add isinglass mix Isinglass 2 to 5 pints/brl clearest? Allow to settle, repeat 3 or 4 times
Preparation - Factors Affecting Beer Fining Liquor composition Malt quality Mash ph and temperature Gravity of last runnings Length and vigour of the boil The removal of trub The yeast strain/s used Conditioning Quality of the finings system used
Preparation - Gas Levels Transfers chilled & quiet. Temperature <10 o C, all vessels filled from bottom CO 2 final package on sale ~1vol/vol (2g/l) need to condition O 2 quiet fill! N2 leave it to the sparkler!
Preparation - %ABV Residual fermentable sugar at EoF in FV xs or not enough? (2 o Gravity equivt 0.2%ABV) Primings Extra conditioning time Timothy Taylor s Landlord! > +0.5% ABV? Trading Standards & HMRC +/-0.2%ABV & +/-0.5% ABV
Preparation Cask Washing/Sterilisation With Steam Without Steam Water Temperatures ( o C) 82-88 99-104 Pressure Range (Bar g) 6 2-7 6 5 5-7 6 Typical Holding time (sec) 8 16
Preparation Automated Cask Filling Automated shive & keystone removal finings dosing labelling Cleaning Check finings addition rates
Preparation Manual Cask Filling
Preparation Cask Storage Beers should be stored at 10-14 C both before and after fining fined at the lowest temperature - fining action occurs with rising temperature checked for conditioning and finings action Beers should not form a chill haze during storage be stored above 19 C - too vigorous 2 o fermentation & high internal pressure
Preparation Cask Storage Sediment volume should be monitored should remain at the bottom of the cask throughout dispense. Should be compact. Minimise number of cask movements after fining Beer volume retained with the sediment depends on cask construction and on stillaging and tilting procedures.
Cask Beer Dispense
Preparation - Keg Keg beer SS/single use Keg safety Bright/hazy? Filtered/pasteurised? Yeast counts Temperatures SWP Gas contents Laws of physics %ABV
Bright Keg Product Preparation Plate & frame filter High CapEx, low OpEX Skilled operation Use of powder (H&S) Filter boards Messy Sterile filter Low CapEx, high OpEx Less skilled operation Easily blinded Clean
Maintaining Gas Content Stabilised Al foam Post filter Low temperature (<-1.0 o C) Long residency time Pressurised, chilled receiving vessel CO 2 storage
Keg Gas Equilibrium CO 2 CO 2 CO 2 There maybe 2.5 pints of CO 2 in a pint of lager BEER CO 2 CONTENT (volumes) BEER TEMP. (degrees) CO 2 TOP PRESSURE APPLIED (psi) Keg products: CO 2 level must have a, and be within, specification at rack
Effect of temperature on CO 2 absorption in beer 12psi 12psi 12psi CO 2 dispense gas 60 o F 60 o F 60 o F CO 2 in product 12 o C 5 o C 15 o C 54 o F 40 o F 60 o F And this is without the effect of any secondary fermentation!
Preparation Keg Cleaning Reusable kegs High CapEx Low OpEX Environment +ve Single use Low CapEx High OpEx Environment -ve
Reusable Keg Washers/Fillers Drain contents Clean Sterilise Counter pressure with CO 2 Fill
Keg dispense What is the maximum temperature and pressure a one-way keg can hold? Dolium Keykeg Maximum internal pressure (carbonation) 4.0 bar (58psi) at 40 C (5g/l /2.5 Vol) Temperature range 0 40 C Max. dispense pressure 3.5 bar (51psi) Petainer
KeyKeg
Keykeg user warning The consequences of temperature fluctuations depend on the CO 2 content. Products with a lot of CO 2 can reach pressures over 4 bars (58psi). Users should be aware of this risk. When kegged beer is meant to undergo secondary fermentation, it is essential to add the proper amount of wort or sugar in order to prevent an excessive CO 2 build-up in the beer as a result of this fermentation. Another type of risk involves fully fermented beer which contain residual, fermentable sugars. Remaining yeast needs to be filtered out or neutralized before filling the keg. When this is not done properly, unwanted, spontaneous secondary fermentation inside the keg can occur, resulting in an unacceptably high CO 2 content. If nitrogen is used during packaging or dispense, the additional effect of this on the internal pressure should be taken into account. Beer Type CO 2 content (g/l) Equilibrium pressure at 20 o C (psi) English Ale 3.0-5.0 11.6-29.0 Lager Beer 4.5-5.0 23.2-29.0 Wheat Beer 5.5-7.0 31.9-46.4 Kegs are always under pressure and can cause injury!
Bulk Beer For Contract Packaging Specifications! CIP - lines, vessels Minimise O2 pick up - IBC/Arlington Final package - bright/packaged conditioned Yeast counts Product volumes out & back (transfer losses)
Questions?