Build A Hard-core Foundation For High-quality Craft Beer

As consumers' pursuit of beer taste, flavor and personalization increases, craft beer has rapidly risen around the world and become a "dark horse" in the alcohol consumption market. Compared with the standardized and mass production of industrial beer, craft beer pays more attention to the uniqueness of craftsmanship, raw materials and taste, and high-quality craft beer cannot be separated from a complete set of professional brewing equipment as support.

Craft beer equipment is not only a guarantee of production capacity, but also a carrier of flavor presentation. From saccharification system to fermentation tank, from hot water tank to filling equipment, every process and every equipment component is directly related to the quality, stability and flavor level of the final product.

Overview of craft beer production process

Before discussing the details of the equipment, it is necessary to clarify the typical production process of craft beer. It mainly includes the following major links:

Crushing (malt crushing)

Saccharification (converting starch into sugar)

Filtration (separating wort and spent grains)

Boiling (sterilization and adding hops)

Sedimentation (removing hot coagulants)

Cooling (rapid cooling)

Fermentation (yeast action, sugar conversion to alcohol)

Maturation (stable taste, impurity removal)

Filling and packaging

Each step has clear requirements for the equipment. Below we will analyze the functions and characteristics of the core equipment one by one.

Detailed explanation of core equipment

Malt grinder

Malt crushing is the first step in brewing, and the crushing effect directly affects the saccharification efficiency. Common equipment includes two-roller and four-roller crushers. It is necessary to ensure that the husk is intact and the kernel is crushed evenly so that the subsequent saccharification can proceed smoothly.

Recommended configuration: variable speed crusher with adjustable pitch function

Material requirements: stainless steel shell, food-grade carbon steel drum

Particle size control: adjustable between 0.3~1.2mm

Saccharification system (core of wort production)

Saccharification equipment usually includes saccharification pot, boiling pot, filter tank and hot water tank. It is the "heart" of the craft brewing process, which directly determines the degree of malt saccharification, beer body and body thickness.

Configuration method:

Two-vessel type: saccharification and boiling in one + filter tank (suitable for small craft breweries)

Three-vessel type: saccharification pot, filter tank, and boiling pot are separated (more efficient)

Four-vessel type: reheating water tank, suitable for high-frequency operation in medium and large breweries

Technical requirements:

The stirring motor can be variable-speed and the temperature control is precise (±0.2℃)

Jacket heating, supporting steam, electric heating, and direct fire heating

CIP online cleaning system to ensure hygiene

Liquid cooling and heat exchange equipment

The wort after saccharification needs to be quickly cooled to about 20℃ for fermentation. The cooling speed and cleanliness are crucial.

Plate heat exchanger is the mainstream choice, divided into single-stage and double-stage structures

Need to match cold water tank or ice water unit

Automatic temperature monitoring to avoid yeast death or infection caused by overheating or insufficient cooling

Fermentation tank (where alcohol conversion occurs)

The fermentation tank is the core equipment that determines the alcohol content, aroma generation and odor control of beer. Common configurations include cone bottom vertical tank (CCT) and open open tank.

Key performance indicators:

Temperature control system: cooling jacket + temperature control probe

Inner surface polishing: Ra≤0.4μm, to prevent microbial growth

Capacity matches the capacity of the saccharification system, generally twice the amount of wort

Equipped with breathing valve, safety valve, sampling port, CIP spray ball

Storage tank and maturation system

After fermentation, the beer needs to enter the maturation stage to make the flavor more rounded, the off-flavors evaporate, and the carbon dioxide saturated. The beer storage tank also needs to have a pressure-maintaining, temperature-controlled, and sterile environment.

Usually maintain a pressure of 0.2~0.5Mpa, supporting low-temperature circulation

Mostly used for beer styles with a longer maturation period such as lager

The maturation tank has a built-in washing system to reduce residual impurities

The core competitiveness of craft beer comes from taste and flavor, and equipment is the basic guarantee for achieving all this. Choosing a set of scientific, stable and process-compliant craft beer equipment is the first step to the success of a brewery.

Whether you are a small start-up pub or a craft brewery determined to build a regional brand, reasonable planning and careful selection of equipment will save you a lot of trial and error costs and achieve a win-win situation in terms of production capacity and quality.

We provide integrated craft equipment solutions from consulting, design, manufacturing, installation to training and after-sales service to help everyone who loves beer realize their dream of brewing.