Microbiologically instable beers are "ticking time bombs" for every
brewery. This is because trace infections and cross contamination of
micro-organisms transmitted from the production process can only be detected
after a considerable delay.
This enormous risk can be avoided. GEA
Brewery Systems has developed a safe and cost-effective method to optimize the
biological preservation by pasteurization. Thanks to the recuperative design of
the flash pasteurizer system, as much as 96 per cent of the heat input can be
recovered. This makes flash pasteurization the most cost-effective of all heat
treatments used today.
Flash pasteurization makes a quality
beer
The best way to achieve stable beer quality and full
taste is flash pasteurization. Thermal inactivation helps the brewer to define
the microbiological properties of his beer. Micro-organisms that could spoil
the beer are destroyed fast without harming the product. The beer is gently
pasteurized in-line immediately prior to filling. This process step enables
breweries to ensure the sustained quality of their product.
As with all
methods for the reduction of microorganisms, however, the success is dependent
on the initial organism count in the beverage. A positive side effect of flash
pasteurization is the inactivation of foam-negative proteinases excreted by the
yeast. If enzymes are added to the process, heat treatment is indispensable,
because an uncontrolled enzymatic reaction in the filled bottle must strictly
be prevented.
Accurate temperature control
The
exact adjustment of the flash pasteurizer’s temperature control system is also
indispensable for operational safety. The pasteurization effect and the beer
quality will only be reliably guaranteed if the temperature is adjusted within
a specified range. The control system of a flash pasteurizer system therefore
has two essential functions:
• Temperature control must be highly
accurate to achieve the required pasteurization units.
• The filling
level in the buffer tank must be controlled in accordance with the amount drawn
off. This ensures uninterrupted operation and keeps the number of flush-outs as
low as possible.
GEA Brewery Systems offers a technologically mature
solution, which is an
integral part of the process software. This solution
ensures the perfect interaction
between the different control loops and
achieves a PU control accuracy of +/- 0.1 PU!
To achieve this precision and
consistent performance, the flash pasteurizer system
must be exactly
tailored to the beer/product to be treated.