The Anatomy of Our Brewery: The Full Cycle

Milling is one of the first steps in the brewing process. In a brewery, the mill is a machine used to crush grains such as malted barley into a fine form called ‘Grist’. Milling essentially exposes the starchy interior of these grain kernels allowing the starches, sugars and enzymes inside to be extracted and used in the beer eventually produced.

This crushing process within the mill is very important, without it you’re going to find it difficult to make a beer!

The next step in the brewing process is the mash tun. Basically, a mash tun acts as a large cooking pot, designed to stew the grist that has been created in the mill using hot water, creating a sweet liquid known as ‘wort’. This is then drained from the mash tun and used in the fermentation process.

A lauter tun works like a large sieve. When the mash is transferred from the mash tun,some particules of grain remain in suspension. These particles are then sent back into the grain bed so they never enter the wort stream. 

This is when a process called vorlauf takes place. Vorlauf, meaning recirculation in German, is a process in which the wort is drained by gravity into a collection vessel called a grant from which it is pumped over the top of the grain bed.

The grain bed then traps all of the particulate matter. The brewers continue this process until the liquid tuns clear before it is then transported into the kettle.

A brew kettle, also known as a brewing kettle, is a large pot used in beer making to boil the wort. This is also the point in which hops are added to the beer.

Hops are added at the start of the boil to extract bitterness from the alpha acids, in the mid-boil to enhance hop character and create a fuller hop presence and finally near the end of the boil helps to infuse more flavour and aroma.

Boiling the wort with hops releases their essential oils and other compounds, which contribute to the beer's flavour and aroma. As well as this, the boiling helps eradicate any unwanted microorganisms found within the wort.

At their core, fermentation tanks are containers designed to support the fermentation process of beer. They provide an optimised environment for microorganisms to thrive.

The process of fermentation is essential for developing the beer’s alcohol content, flavour and aroma. It also controls production, ensuring consistent flavour and texture. 

Conditioning tanks, are tailored vessels used in brewing to prepare and refine beer for it’s final stage. They play a crucial role in clarifying beer, controlling carbnation and ensures the beer is ready for packaging and distribution.

A canning line is a convyeyer belt system of machines that processes and packages canned beverages. It involves feeding empty cans, rinsing, filling, sealing, inspection, and finally, packaging the cans.

The canning line timeline:

• Feeding: Empty cans are fed into the conveyor belt system.
• Rinsing: The cans are rinsed to remove any spoilage.
• Filling: The cans are filled with beer, often using counter-pressure filling to maintain carbonation and minimize oxygen exposure.
• Sealing: Lids are securely attached to the cans, creating a hermetic seal to prevent leakage and spoilage.
• Labelling: Labels are applied to the cans.
• Packaging: The canned beer is packaged for distribution.