When a vibrant, bustling craft brewery in the heart of Bristol wanted to increase overall yield and improve product quality on its beloved beers, it turned to centrifuge technology to inject new life into its beers.
Bristol Beer Factory is an established craft brewery with a strong focus on quality and scale. Operating within the heart of the local community, the company’s motto is to unite people through world-class beer while representing the values, creativity and energy of the city of Bristol.
As the brewery began to increase production volume to meet growing demand, it also wanted to increase yield and improve quality during the brewing process to positively impact efficiency and profitability. Product loss is often seen as a hidden cost in the brewing industry and if not rectified, can have a significant impact on operations.
Tristan Hembrow, head brewer at Bristol Beer Factory, said: “We approached Alfa Laval in 2022 looking for a solution that would reduce product losses, improve process efficiency, deliver consistent product quality at scale and offer a clear and justifiable return on investment.
“We were experiencing low yield on our beers, with our hobby beers reaching yield rates as low as 70%. At the time, we were also looking to go vegan friendly and wanted to produce a clear beer. We knew we needed a solution that would be able to solve a variety of issues at once, while importantly, providing us with a quick ROI. That’s when we were introduced to the Brew 250 from Alfa Laval.”
A helping hand
The Alfa Laval Brew 250 is tailored for higher-capacity brewery operations and was selected for use as a centrifugal separation solution in Bristol Beer Factory’s production.
Used in pre-clarification, green beer separation, hot wort separation and beer recovery, centrifuges ensure minimal levels of oxygen pick-up during passage through the separator and the highest standards of hygiene. The Brew 250 enhances beer quality, provides a longer shelf life, improves haze stability, and preserves aroma and flavour.
In total, the time from order to delivery on the Brew 250 unit was two weeks, highlighting the efficiency of Alfa Laval’s supply chain, logistics and coordination.
Alongside the Brew 250, Bristol Beer Factory also implemented the Alfa Laval Optiwia, which contributed to reduced water consumption within the brewing process. The Optiwia upgrade allows systems to achieve up to 70% less water consumption of the centrifuge.
In addition to the significant water savings, the system compensates for any variations in site water supply pressure, providing more robustness of centrifuge operation and protecting uptime.
Thanks to the innovative and smart design, the system secures water savings without the need for a site cooling loop. Upgrading an existing centrifuge with Optiwia™, provides an easy-to-use, cost efficient and easily maintained product.
Hembrow explained: “The Optiwia helped save our water consumption straight away. We’re saving roughly 70% of our water which we then feed back into the Brew 250. This has helped us make significant progress towards our wider sustainability and efficiency goals.
“Our business has really been elevated since having these two machines working in tandem. Our brew times have reduced, our capacity has increased dramatically and we had a one-year ROI on the Brew 250. On its own, the Brew 250 has allowed us to grow by 25%. It’s genuinely been a life changer for us, and I would say to any brewery, go and get yourself an Alfa Laval Centrifuge. It will make the world of difference to your business.”
Mark Breese, technical support specialist at Alfa Laval, said: “The results from this project really do speak for themselves. From achieving a ROI of one year to reducing water wastage by 70%, it has been fantastic to see Bristol Beer Factory go from strength-to-strength with our help.
“And it’s not just impressive results that have defined the work carried out at this brewery, it’s also the teamwork and communication that ensured machinery was delivered and implemented without a hitch.
“From sourcing an alternative disc stack from another brewery to running the Optiwia seamlessly alongside the Brew 250 to maximise results, this has been a masterclass in using machinery to bolster brewery resilience while increasing outputs and profit.”
