Wort separation is a very important step of the brewing process. Although lauter tun is the most common vessel design to achieve this goal, the mash filter is becoming a very viable alternative even for the smaller craft brewer. This technology has been proven to produce beers that are very similar to those produced using a lauter tun. This lecture covers in detail the design, operation, benefits, and drawbacks of the mash filter.
Read moreIt seems like every stone carving of ancient brewing has the Brewer with their concoction sitting on top of a fire pit with steam rising out of the cauldron. Why those early Brewers saw a need to heat the liquid may be a mystery to any one observing? However now we know that sterilization of the wort is critical to ensuring that the yeast will not have any competition for the nutrients and carbohydrates that we worked so hard to create during Mashing. So Boiling, like malting, mashing, and lautering is a very important step in the brewing process. Like those steps mentioned, consistency in the process will lead to a predictable outcome. The Boiling process is also expensive considering the amount of BTUs that goes into the wort during heating and then pulled out during cooling. So Wort Boiling needs to be done with care and vigilance.
Read moreThis lecture demonstrates and teaches the use of the mixing formula (a fairly simple algebraic formula) in many brewery processes and operations. Topics that are covered are dilutions (both wort and chemical), thermal mixing, and beer blending. After having completed this lecture, the student should feel comfortable in using the mixing formula for most brewery applications.
Read moreThe reality is that a full course can be designed for recipe formulation alone. This presentation however is addressing and answering the following key questions: What is a recipe? What is the logic behind properly formulating beers and why doing your homework designing recipes is key to success? Are there some guidelines that need to be considered in terms of specifics to the beer style that we intend to do? What are the circumstances for designing or reformulating a beer? What are some of the considerations that we must keep in mind about the raw materials, and the equipment that we will be using. All that being said, the process itself is of great importance and will be discussed. Finally, and possibly one of the most essential point, is to always maintain a customer focused approach. After all, that customer, the ultimate consumer, is the one criteria by which one recipe is judged to be successful or not.
Read moreAs a brewer, the brewing of a high quality, great tasting beer has always been a high priority. However, when comes to wastewater and other solid wastes, one cannot adopt anymore an out of sight, out of mind mentality. Learn the unique attributes of brewery wastes, and how to treat and dispose of them. Future challenges facing brewers, including new limits on nitrogen and the impact of prolonged drought and water shortages are briefly discussed.
Read moreAre you a brewer? Sorry to disappoint you, but you are in reality a "glorified janitor". Yes indeed, get used to it! Keeping your brewhouse vessels, lines, environment cleaned and sanitized is critical for the quality of your final product, but also for the longevity of your equipment. This lecture covers the general cleaning and sanitation practices in the brewhouse, from silo to wort production vessels, further downstream to cooling including lines to fermenting, and the general brewhouse area.
Read moreWhat are yeast? How are yeasts being classified? What are the essential properties of brewing yeasts? How do they grow? Those are some of the questions that will be answered in this lecture. Furthermore the yeast cellular morphology is discussed as well as their intracellular components and corresponding specific roles.
Read moreThis lecture dives further into the genetic background of brewing yeasts. What are the specific characteristics of Ale and Lager brewing yeasts? We discuss strain differentiation, growth and fermentation characteristics, biochemical characteristics, flocculation characteristics and molecular genetic characteristics, and some of the methods used to identify those particular traits.
Read moreThis lecture looks at how yeast’s physical behavior, specifically its life cycle and flocculation ability, affects the brewing process and the beer’s overall characteristics.
Read moreThe Fermenting Operations are some of the most crucial for the brewery, and will have some of the largest impacts on beers’ flavor profiles and stability. Diligence and attention to detail are required when working and overseeing these areas in the brewery to assure quality of product.
Read morePropagating a clean strain of Lactobacillus is difficult. This lecture addresses the routes taken to propagate a pitchable quantity of lacto culture, as well as the typical brewing techniques used to achieve a sour beer style. In addition, spontaneous fermentation and the intentional use of wild yeast and bacteria for primary and/or secondary fermentations are discussed. The success resides in cleanliness and strict procedures to avoid infections and cross-contaminations.
Read moreAn important aspect of brewing is being able to take care of your yeast strains and being able to verify that your culture will perform as expected through production. Yeast Quality pertains to the quality of the entire yeast culture and refers to how that culture can produce repeatable and reliable fermentation profiles. The parameters that must be monitored are extensively discussed including genetic drift.
Read more