Microbial-free beer production

Sydney-based brewer Malt Shovel is relying on UV disinfection of the water it uses to produce its beer.

Two UV disinfection systems have been installed at the brewery, one to disinfect deaerated water prior to yeast addition and the other forming part of the bottle rinse water sanitation stage.

A variety of microorganisms pose a threat at different stages of the beer-brewing process. The UV systems eliminate this risk by targeting spoilage microorganisms specific to each production stage. Process waters remain free from microbial contamination, ensuring the final product is of the highest quality.

Malt Shovel Production Brewer/Maintenance Co-ordinator Peter Merrington said both the systems and UV-Guard’s maintenance service are crucial elements in the brewing process.

“UV-Guard have been servicing the units for several years, providing technical support and spare parts in both a preventative and breakdown maintenance capacity. They consistently ensure that we are running under the usual time constraints of a manufacturing business,” Merrington said.

UV-Guard Technical Director Luke Chamberlain said UV-Guard’s water treatment engineers understand that beer brewing requires careful microbial management to get consistency in flavour and appearance. Microbial contamination can also significantly reduce a beer’s shelf life and may result in customers being infected.

“Contaminated water has the potential to ruin beer, resulting in negative consequences such as wastage, product recalls, customer dissatisfaction and regulatory fines. Including UV water disinfection in your brewery’s Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) Plan, such as in the case of Malt Shovel, can significantly reduce the risk of pathogen contamination,” Chamberlain said.

Chamberlain said UV inactivates all known pathogens and spoilage microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, yeasts and moulds (and their spores), and also enables beer brewers to meet customer demand for reduced use of chemical additives and preservatives.

UV disinfection systems can be used in any production process where there is a need for clean, microbial-free water including:

• bottle rinsing;
• storage tank headspace;
• inlet and outlet connections to and from storage tanks and other treatment processes;
• direct contact with ingredient fluids;
• cooling fluids;
• sugar syrups;
• clean-in-place water (CIP);
• yeast preparation.

“UV is a low-maintenance, environmentally friendly technology which eliminates the need for chemical treatment while ensuring high levels of disinfection. UV water treatment has the advantage over chemical disinfection in that UV has no impact on pH, colour, taste or aroma. This feature is especially important in the brewing and beverage industries where chemicals in incoming process waters can cause off-flavours and alter the chemical properties of the product or, in the case of brewing specifically, affect the fermentation process,” Chamberlain said.

UV water treatment is an economic and versatile option for food and beverage producers wanting to ensure the quality of their end product. It not only provides disinfection but it can also purify water by removing unwanted chemicals that adversely affect the product.

“UV water treatment can perform many roles including disinfection, chlorine removal, ozone destruction and total organic carbon (TOC) reduction as well as disinfecting the air at the top of storage tanks to prolong storage periods of the product and ingredients,” Chamberlain said.