Better quality through innovation: How centrifuges can help craft breweries reduce energy consumption and improve yields

Reduce energy usage and boost capacity with the right equipment

Investing in energy-efficient equipment and technologies can significantly reduce energy consumption during the brewing process, leading to long-term cost savings and environmental benefits. This can also help you align with the industry’s push for energy-efficient practices and demonstrate a commitment to sustainability.

Of course, when you invest in solutions to optimize energy usage, you must maintain high-quality production. Investing in a centrifuge can help you accomplish both goals.

Alfa Laval’s unique and patented bottom-fed, fully hermetic centrifuge can help increase yield rates, reduce waste and optimize resource utilization without buying additional tanks. Compared to older top-fed technology, bottom-fed centrifuges can reduce energy consumption by as much as 30-70%. 

Further, with a centrifuge, production capacity can be boosted by as much as 15-20% with the same number of tanks by reducing settling time and turning tanks faster – all while reducing glycol demand – without compromising product consistency and quality.

Boost sustainability with yield optimization

Increasing yield is crucial for sustainable brewing practices. Thanks to cutting-edge equipment and technologies—such as centrifuges— brewers of all sizes can enhance production efficiency and improve yield. For example, while gravity-settling and filtering are slow and inefficient ways to achieve desired outlet clarity, a centrifuge makes that possible in just a few hours – whether you’re making a bright or hazy style

Not only is yield optimization good for your bottom line, it’s also good for sustainability. It underscores the industry’s commitment to efficient brewing practices and sustainability efforts, which are essential for brand differentiation and long-term success in the craft brewing market. 

Centrifuges such as the Alfa Laval Brew 80, Brew 250 and Brew 350 are specifically designed to help small and mid-size craft brewers with these efforts.

• Brew 80: The Alfa Laval Brew 80 separation system is our most popular centrifuge for small craft breweries. Its innovative axial-hermetic design ensures superior separation performance with lower oxygen pickup than older hermetic-seal designs. The competitively priced skidded solution is appropriate for breweries with annual production between 2,000 and 20,000 bbls.

• Brew 250: The Alfa Laval Brew 250 separation system is our smallest bottom-fed, fully hermetic centrifuge designed specifically for craft breweries. This patented and unique design ensures superior separation performance and solids handling while still offering the lowest power consumption in the market. This bottom-fed skidded solution is appropriate for breweries with annual production between 8,000 and 50,000 bbls.

• Brew 350: The Alfa Laval Brew 350 separation system is designed for mid-sized craft breweries. It is a big brother to the Brew 250 and features a fully hermetic, bottom-fed design for no oxygen pickup. It excels in high-solids handling applications. It’s available in two versions: skidded or modularized. It can also be configured from a selection of basic and optional features and control functions. This bottom-fed centrifuge is appropriate for breweries larger than 25,000 bbls/hr.

Finding the right partner

If you want to grow and differentiate your sustainability efforts from the competition, you need to leverage the right equipment and partnerships. By collaborating with experienced brewery partners like Alfa Laval, you can access over a century of knowledge, expertise and technology designed to elevate product quality and sustainability practices.

Alfa Laval offers a wide range of centrifuges engineered to meet the needs of craft brewers of all sizes. By integrating state-of-the-art equipment and working closely with industry experts, even small craft breweries and microbreweries can enhance their sustainability practices and secure a competitive edge in today’s evolving market.