Utilisation of bubble formation for energy-efficient wort boiling while maintaining high wort quality.

Abstract

Reducing primary energy consumption is a significant challenge in modern beer production. This study examines a patented boiling system that reduces this energy demand by significantly lowering the evaporation rate without negatively affecting relevant wort quality parameters compared to a state-of-the-art boiling system. The wort is heated in an external boiler and recirculated through nozzles at the bottom of the wort kettle. There, the change in pressure conditions results in the formation of bubbles. These bubbles rise, support uniform homogenization of the wort, and allow the expulsion of volatile components such as DMS-free. Trials in a 10 hL pilot plant show that primary energy consumption during wort boiling can be reduced by 23 % while maintaining MEBAK quality parameters such as TBI, DMS-free, coag. N, etc.. The results highlight the potential of this system to make a significant contribution to sustainable beer production and open up perspectives for the development of further energy concepts that were previously limited by a required minimum evaporation rate of approx. 4 %.