Dorset-based Palmers Brewery has invested in a Siemens Simatic S7-1200 PLC to improve the accuracy of temperature control during the brewing process and to take some of the time-consuming manual control out of the process.
Palmers, the only thatched brewery building in the UK, uses a 19th century brewing kit with open top Copper used daily.
However, the brewery was faced with the ongoing challenge of maintaining consistent temperatures during the fermentation process.
Palmers Brewery head brewer Darren Batten explained: “The old system featured diaphragm valves, which had to be manually checked.
“We were looking to modernise to a more accurate and reliable system, with the added benefits of freeing up some of the time we were spending doing these checks and adjustments.“
Sara Nichols, Siemens account development manager, said: “The pinchpoint is the fermentation part of the brewing process as fermentation generates heat.
Too much cooling stops the fermentation, so keeping accurate and consistent control at this stage has a significant impact on consistency and quality.
It is this part of the process that will challenge the brewer the most for repeatability, to keep the alcohol levels within certain parameters and the brew consistent. So, by closely controlling this area, consistency can be assured.“
For Palmers, with the fermentation process is happening year round in traditional open top vessels, and the company needed an appropriate control option that didn’t cost the earth.
This led Palmers to invest in the Siemens Simatic S7-1200 PLC, which fully controls the temperature during the fermentation section.
According to Siemens,the benefit of using a 1200 includes the ability to run a profile – for example, a controlled temperature rise and a specified hold time at a top fermentation temperature. For the final duration of the process temperatures are dropped by around 15 degrees to stabilise and condition the brew.
Batten adds: “The new system features a percentage opening of a rotary ball valve, which is much simpler, more reliable for us and recipe based. We’re very happy with it and how it will help us develop our speciality brands in the future.“
