Brewery

The Brewery

breweryThe Mash Tun

The primary function of the Mash Tun is to aid the conversion of starch into sugar which is later fermented by the yeast into alcohol.

We usually start the mash at  around 8.30am. Prior to mashing the mash tun is pre heated. Then We usually start the mash at around 8.00am. Once the mash tun is sufficiently warm mashing commences. Pre ground Malt is mixed with hot liquor at around 145 – 150 deg F, ensuring that the mash is well mixed and and at the right consistency. Once all the malt has been “mashed in” the mixture is allowed to rest for 1 hour during which time the natural enzymes present within the malt convert the starch into sugar.

After 1 hour has elapsed the hot sugary liquid “wort” is allowed to run  off into the Copper. The Run Off is a fairly critical stage as it is important to ensure that all the goodness is extracted from the malt. To do this hot liquor is “sparged” on the top of the mash at the same time it is being run off. This process can take around 3 hours.

After the run off has finished the mash is allowed to drain and the “spent grains” are manually dug  out. Spent grains are usually sent to farms for animal feed, particularly good for cows as they are able to breakdown what is left of the malt grain and  convert this to useful food increasing the milk yield, which has been proven by studies at Plumpton College.

 

breweryThe Copper (Boiling Vessel)

Micro Breweries in this country generally have a combined Copper and Hop Back. Ours is no exception.

Once the vessel is full to the required level and specific gravity, it is allowed to boil for 1 hour. The Copper is heated by two 18 KW heaters (imagine what the meter looks like when  all 36Kw is on line !). Just at the start of the boil the main charge of hops are added through the manhole cover in the top.

The purpose of boiling is mainly to sterilise the wort but many other chemical reactions occur at the same time. Some of which include reduction of pH, sugar, caramalisation and of course the hop bitterness is imparted into the wort. At the end of the boil further aroma hops are added and after a suitable stand, the wort is recirculated through the mesh plate at the bottom and returns tangentially at the top. This aids wort clarification and the hops steralisation, Protein removal are retained on the mash plate. The hot liquor is the re-used for the next days brew.

 

breweryThe Fermenting Vessels

The wort from the Copper/Hop Back is transferred to the fermenter that is being used at 65 deg F.

All fermenters are rigorously cleaned before use and sterilised just prior to use. At the paraflow compressed air (Oxygen) is added to the cold side so that there is an adequate supply of oxygen for the yeast to use during the aerobic part of the  fermentation.

Slurried up yeast that has been “proved” with strong first runnings is added to the wort. We are looking for a yeast count of around 10million cells/ml which is measured a microscope. The fermentation lasts for about 3 or 4 days with the yeast converting the sugar to alcohol and at the same time producing heat and carbon dioxide.

During fermentation the yeast the yeast grows and reproduces about 4 fold. At the end of fermentation when the specific gravity is right the excess yeast is carefully skimmed off and saved for re-use and the beer is cooled to 13 deg C ready to rack into casks after another 3 or 4 days maturation.