For a superior end product when brewing, attention to detail matters. From the ingredients to the equipment selected, your brew is crafted and handpicked by you every step of the way. However, one piece of apparatus that is sometimes overlooked is the hose. While it may seem a bog-standard choice, the materials and compounds used in brewery hoses vary and can noticeably impact taste, smell, and the overall quality of your beer – and not always for the better, says Martin Robinson, managing director for Flextech.

What’s best for my brewery?

Choosing the right hose for beer production is never a one-size-fits-all decision. Hoses play a vital role in maintaining safety and efficiency, but their materials vary in resistance to three key elements – alcohol, steam, and caustic cleaning agents. Since these factors are essential to the brewing process, understanding the properties of the materials used is critical for making informed purchases. Here we look closer at the most common materials and how they impact brewing.

Butyl (BllR) Rubber

Butyl stands out and for a long time has been considered the best material for brewery hoses due to its non-tainting and high resistance to alcohol properties. The lifespan of a butyl brewery hose can be up to seven years depending on usage, care, and maintenance.

Advantages:

1. Low gas permeability: Resists oxygen and other gases, crucial for preventing oxidation and maintaining beer freshness
2. Chemical resistance: Stands firm against various chemicals, including acids and bases commonly used for CIP cleaning, and suitable for up to 96% alcohol content
3. High-temperature tolerance: Withstands a vast range from -40℃ to 120℃, so suitable for hot and cold applications 
4. Food safety compliance: Meets FDA regulations for food contact
5. Low taste and odour transfer: Does not impart flavours or odours, preserving the beer’s taste
6. Flexibility: Remains agile even at low temperatures, aiding handling and installation

Main disadvantage: It is less flexible than Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM), which can make handling short lengths more challenging

EPDM rubber 

Widely used in breweries, EPDM hoses can handle exposure to acids, bases, and cleaning agents commonly used in brewing processes. One of the key advantages of EPDM is its flexibility, which makes handling and installation easier – especially in small or tight spaces. However, EPDM has a higher gas permeability than butyl rubber, meaning oxygen could affect the freshness of beer over time.

Advantages:

1. Chemical resistance: Unaffected by many acids and bases, beneficial in brewing processes and suitable for up to 40% alcohol content
2. Weather resistance: Highly tolerant to UV radiation, ozone, and ageing
3. High-temperature tolerance: Like butyl rubber, withstands -40℃ to 120℃, suitable for various brewing applications
4. Low water absorption: Maintains beer quality without altering flavour
5. Flexibility: Remains flexible at low temperatures and short lengths, aiding handling and installation

Main disadvantage: It has a higher gas permeability than butyl rubber, which potentially could allow oxygen entry and thus spoilage.

Nitrile rubber (NBR)

NBR hoses offer high abrasion resistance and flexibility, but their higher gas penetrability and limited chemical resistance can impact beer quality. While less common than butyl or EPDM, NBR is more suited for breweries handling oil-based products or requiring enhanced durability.

Advantages:

1. Excellent oil resistance: Ideal for breweries handling oil-based products and suitable for up to 40% alcohol content
2. Good mechanical properties: High tensile strength and abrasion resistance enhance durability
3. Temperature resistance: Handles -30℃ to 100℃, making it versatile for brewing methods

Main disadvantage: A higher gas permeability with a limited chemical resistance, which may affect beer quality.

Understanding compounds 

However, it’s not just the main material of the hose you must consider. Some manufacturers incorporate ‘fillers’ into the base materials, helping to reduce costs, but at the expense of compromising the quality of the hoses.  The effects of these fillers won’t be immediately apparent, but over time, hoses with additives can develop cracks, deteriorate more rapidly, and emit odours that can contaminate a brew.  Here are the most commonly used fillers in hose production and the reasons for their applications:

• Calcium carbonate: An inexpensive filler that is widely used that can enhance tensile strength and has the processing characteristics of rubber
• Talc: Another low-cost filler that improves the flow properties of rubber during processing while reducing production costs
• Chalk: Similar to calcium carbonate, chalk lowers costs and offers some reinforcement
• Bentonite: A type of clay that can improve the viscosity and provide strengthening in rubber compounds
• Recycled rubber: Incorporated to reduce costs and promote sustainability – although quality and performance can vary considerably

The impact

While fillers can significantly reduce production costs and the outlay to the brewer, they often come with compromises, that will in time impact the overall performance and longevity of the hose. Ultimately, the initial cost-saving will be short-lived so understanding the drawbacks is paramount in the demanding world of brewing. These include:

• Reduced mechanical properties: Affecting strength, flexibility, and overall durability
• Odour and taste transfer: Undesirable smells or flavours can occur without careful selection
• Micro-cracking: Shortened longevity due to micro-cracks manifesting over time

Specialist Butyl (BllR)lined brewery hoses like those in the Genuine Brewflex range range, help preserve the smell and taste of beer, so choosing the right hose is more than just a practical decision – it’s an investment. The right hose can also enhance operational productivity by reducing maintenance issues and early unwanted replacements. By selecting the most suitable material and avoiding low-quality fillers, you safeguard your beer and uphold your brand’s excellent reputation to ensure customer satisfaction.