What are the steps in designing a brewery?
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Whether you want to diversify your consumer base or just want to try something new, there are adventures outside of beer production.
We are one of the professional and reliable micro-brewery equipment suppliers. Over the years, with a good engineering background and high technical level, we have established a stable market and won a good reputation all over the world. Over the past few years we have focused more on turnkey brewery projects, as well as other brewery systems with intentional expansion and additional requirements for services, etc.
As with all other projects, we first meet with the client to review each step of their process and their own research to design a P&ID that works for their process. During this time, we also make recommendations to achieve production goals and advise on procedures to meet product specifications.
We then started designing our solutions around each step of their process.
How you heat your brewery, this is a very critical issue as your heating method may determine your entire configuration.
The heating methods we provide include direct fire heating method, steam heating method and electric heating method.
Direct Fire Heating Method
Imagine a large flamethrower aimed at the bottom of a container through a firebox, this is essentially a direct-fire system! The burner used is intense, but you'll get a good tight rolling boil with a direct flame.
At ZYBREW Brewery Solutions, we prefer this option to the electric option because you can start heating shortly after covering the bottom of the kettle like steam.
Advantages: Inexpensive to install, low maintenance, faster heating
Disadvantages: Least efficient, single infusion saccharification, more expensive due to firebox.
Steam Heating Method
In our opinion, this is also the best option. Mainly because it gives you efficiency and flexibility.
Using the steam heating method, you can perform step-by-step mashing in a mash and strainer combination vessel. Not to mention that the steam can be used for other equipment in the brewery, such as cleaning and packaging equipment.
We can also use an external HEX for the hydrothermal tank - not only to heat the incoming ambient water, but to increase the temperature faster by recirculating the liquid in the HLT.
It is also important to note that the same method for steam heating with HEX can be used for cold side coolant in CLT, the process is exactly the same as above, but using glycol instead of steam.
An important note - in terms of installation cost it is usually the most expensive option as steam boilers are expensive and steam piping and components are expensive to install. In terms of maintenance and upkeep, steam boilers require professional engineers to maintain the life of these units, so choosing the best boiler supplier is crucial.
Advantages: flexibility, efficiency, versatility around the brewery, fastest heating.
Disadvantages: Expensive installation, regulations and maintenance.
Electric Heating Method
That's why we generally don't recommend this heating method for anything over 7BBL or 10BBL - unless you have crazy cheap electricity.
You can get good boils from heating elements, but they can also be problematic for cleaning and swirl as they can ruin the effect.
Advantages: Cheapest to install, low maintenance
Disadvantages: Depending on your electricity bill, this can be very expensive.
If you've read this article and you have some thoughts on some of the ideas we've come up with, please contact us.