Old brewhouse in a new splendor

The new brewhouse shines brightly thanks to polished stainless steel.

If anything characterizes the Upper Palatinate family brewery Jacob, is its continuity. Since 1758, brewing beer in Bodenwöhr at the Hammersee lake, for 135 years owned by the family and since 1970 relying on the same brewhouse. This brewhouse is undergoing now, since 1986, a second retrofitting including a visual modernization, smaller mechanical renovations and the integration of a state-of-the-art process control system.

The aim was to visually modernize the old brewing vessels.

In a first step, a wall was removed in order to make the vessels accessible. For the visual enhancement of the brewhouse, polished stainless steel was used as material and a new wooden floor was laid. Consequently, two brewing vessels were cladded with the desired material. Both stainless steel tops were genuine tailor-made products, which were delivered in one piece and brought into the brewhouse. The assembly team first installed the new vent stack, then put the top onto the existing vessel and finally welded both components together. At the same time, both vessels were equipped with a shell made of polished stainless steel. Another visual highlight was the bright instrument desk made of stainless steel.

Until 2018, this control panel was in use.

A special challenge was the renovation of the lauter tun. The original lauter tun had a very large opening, which should be replaced by a much smaller manhole. It was therefore necessary to weld the individual manufactured parts to the original vessel. Moreover, the lauter tun was equipped with a new spent grains flap.

The new control system ensures process reliability.

Due to the new design, parts of the existing piping had to be adapted accordingly. Thus, individual pipe routes were installed under the new stainless steel top. The wort kettle even acquired a completely new piping as well as a modern hop dosing system consisting of three vessels.

After only two brewing breaks of one week each, the usual continuity returned.

A state-of the-art process control system replaces the control panel

The complete renewal of the process control system was the second investment project. A modern process control system type Braumat replaced the classic control panel. Here too, individuality played a central role. The old programs were replicated one-to-one in the new system.

By the way, the area of the control system was also a key trigger for the modernization project, since the procurement of possibly required spare parts for the control panel became increasingly critical as the risk of an unplanned break in the production was simply too high for the Jacobs family.

Two brew breaks of one week each

Keyword production break: the entire renovation took place in two phases of one week each. In the first phase, the piping was installed and the electrical installation was prepared. In the second phase, the new stainless steel tops and shells as well as the automation system were installed. With this, the primary investment goals of the family brewery Jacob – a modern appearance of the brewhouse and a state-of-the-art control and monitoring system of the brewing process – were successfully implemented.

Shortly afterwards, the brewhouse in Bodenwöhr was operating again with the continuity, which has proven itself for generations…

WORTEX by ZIEMANN whirlpool – unbeaten technology approved countless times 

WORTEX with its inverse conical bottom, tangential inlets and different side and bottom outlets does a superior job in separating the trub from the wort. This unique design enables minimum turbidity in combination with shortest whirlpool rest periods.

WORTEX is also suitable for extreme conditions. A customer says: “Our yields have improved dramatically. This ZIEMANN brewhouse technology and this unique whirlpool design help us get the last drop of wort out of the trub, even with our Double IPA with an OG of 21.5°P and 85 Bitter Units.”

Optimal wort quality and more flexible and individual wort-boiling programs

One essential feature of modern wort boilers is that this process, which is of crucial importance in terms of quality and economic efficiency, is divided into the following phases: heating, simmering and evaporation. Until now, the use of an internal wort boiler required extensive cleaning or active circulation by means of a pump. With its modified design, leading to a thermally forced flow, the new SHARK internal wort boiler copes with this challenge without presenting the abovementioned disadvantages.

SHARKThe SHARK internal wort boiler provides optimal wort quality ...... and more flexible boiling programs.SHARK ensures optimal wort quality

The SHARK internal wort boiler is equipped with two boiler zones, arranged concentrically to each other. The inner zone consists of a cylindrical peripheral wall, a circular bottom and a circular top. The outer boiler zone is designed as a hollow cylinder, consisting of a cylindrical internal and external wall and a circular bottom and top. The axially arranged boiler pipes are located inside these two zones. The boiler pipes of the inner zone have a smaller diameter than the pipes of the outer zone. Benefitting from the low impact pressure, the required two-phase flow starts rapidly in the thinner pipes of the inner zone. Due to the reduced diameter, the two-phase flow reaches a very high flow velocity. This high velocity results in the Venturi effect at the boiler outlet, actively “pulling” and circulating the wort through the boiler pipes.

Two zones for three phases:

• Internal wort boiler design with two cleverly arranged heating zones, allowing the outer jacket and inner cylinder to be separately heated
• Bundles with different tube diameters for optimum working conditions for all three wort-boiling phases: heating, simmering and evaporation
• Venturi effects control circulation
• Operation with steam or with high-temperature water possible

Advantages:

• Optimal wort quality
• Lowest thermal load values and minimized fouling
• Enables more flexible and individual boiling programs

Lauter tun, mash filter and continuous mash filtration system from one source

Lauter tun, mash filter or a continuous mash filtration system? The answer depends on the overall concept and the structural environment in which the brewery operates. ZIEMANN HOLVRIEKA customers have the choice between three alternatives for the lautering process:

• See more about LOTUS by ZIEMANN lauter tun
• See more about BUTTERFLY by ZIEMANN membrane mash filter and DRAGONFLY by ZIEMANN chamber mash filter
• See more about the continuous mash filtration system NESSIE

We have been offering mash filters and lauter tuns alongside each other for decades. This range is now complemented by a third procedure, which is revolutionizing the entire brewing process. Each one developed to demonstrate the familiar innovative strength at the highest level of efficiency. This depends on which technique fits in better with the brewery environment. In order to facilitate your decision, you are welcome to download our white paper on lautering technologies free of charge.

We have always given priority to individual and tailor-made solutions. In this way, we can design a concept that allows the brewery optimally to respond to the market development.

LOTUS lauter technology

LOTUS lauter tun saves water and enables higher first-wort concentration

The LOTUS lauter tun saves water ...

The new LOTUS lauter tun offers the following advantages:

• Up to 50 percent fewer ring pipes
• Up to 70 percent fewer run-off pipes
• Up to 55 percent less water volume in the piping area
• Higher first-wort concentration
• Effectively more sparging water available

Furthermore, the required performance and wort qualities are safely achieved. The desired yield is also achieved when using wort types with a high extract content, as for high-gravity brewing or for some very strong craft beers. The outlet area of the LOTUS lauter tun can be easily increased to 2.5 m2 due to the false bottom distance and the flow-optimised tulip shape. The run-off pipes are no longer distributed across the lauter surface like honeycombs, but are integrated into the bottom directly above a single lauter ring.

The LOTUS lauter tun therefore needs up to 70 percent fewer lauter tulips and 50 percent fewer pipes. The lower pipe volume reduces the water volume required in this area by approx. 45 to 55 percent. The cost of the associated measuring and control systems is reduced accordingly.

... and enables higher first-wort concentration.

Flexible lauter work

All relevant parameters determining the lauter characteristics, such as suction pressure, turbidity, flow rate and yield, are exactly equivalent to those of previous high performance lauter tuns, in spite of the simplified LOTUS design. This also holds for different types of grist and original wort and the processing of more than 70 percent wheat malt; as verified by scientific work on a pilot scale.

In short: LOTUS facilitates very flexible lauter work, processes various types of grist and original wort and is very attractive with regard to the investment required. LOTUS is particularly suitable for the globally booming sector of handcrafted special beers, as supported by an impressive list of references.

The new LOTUS design with its reduced number of run-off pipes and only a single lauter ring is offered for lauter tun diameters of up to 8 meters; above which ZIEMANN use the traditional lauter tun design or the proven mash filter.

Mash filters enable high-speed filtration

Thin layer mash filter and membrane mash filter provide excellent wort qualities and highest yields

The membrane mash filter BUTTERFLY allows the processing of even small batches.

BUT TERFLY membrane mash filter

The BUTTERFLY membrane mash filter is ideally suited for craft brewing companies. The mash filter with its separation set-up allows for processing of small batches. Moreover, alternative cereals or starch sources, as well as wort types with high extract content, can easily run off. Therefore, BUTTERFLY offers maximum flexibility for each recipe design. In addition, BUTTERFLY achieves very good yield values at low sparging water volume.

The BUTTERFLY membrane mash filter is available for brewhouses with a cast-out wort volume starting at 150 hl. BUTTERFLY can be integrated into an existing brewhouse as a stand-alone solution. For its commissioning, only a signal exchange is established in the control system of the existing brewhouse. Therefore, BUTTERFLY can easily be installed as the sole or additional lautering device.

The DROGONFLY chamber mash filter permits more brew sequences than ever before.

DRAGONFLY by ZIEMANN chamber mash filter

DRAGONFLY  accomplishes 16 brews per day with ease. They require 30 percent less investment costs and take up a minimal amount of space. These are just the basics. DRAGONFLY excels in a wide range of additional features:

• Efficient design: DRAGONFLY is designed as thin-layer chamber mash filter with large filtration areas. The thin-layer chamber mash filter permits more brew sequences than ever before.
• Minimum maintenance costs: The omission of membranes increases service reliability and reduces maintenance costs to a negligible value.
• Effective technology: This new technology provides excellent qualities of the wort qualities, which boast lowest turbidity values and highest yields.

Based on its design and process control, our mash filters are ideal for high gravity brewing and for the processing of raw grains. The mash filters are designed as thin-layer filter press. The depth of the individual chambers depends on the composition of the mash to be filtered.

The press frame is fitted with a high-performance mechanical system; this provides extremely short idle times in “opening“, “removal of spent grains“ and “closing“. This provides more time for the lautering process.

Continuous mash filtration system NESSIE

Increased flexibility in terms of raw materials and batch sizes, reduced lautering time

With the continuous mash filtration system NESSIE, the mash is separated into wort and spent grains and the spent grains are sparged in order to obtain the extract. With this procedure, the lauter wort is obtained in a dynamic process. The mash transfer time corresponds to the lautering time. The separation of the mash is carried out via four filter units in cascade arrangement, in which the rotary disk filters perform the separation of wort and spent grains. The sparging of the extract is carried out in parallel using a turbulent counterflow extraction. The sparging water is injected via fine nozzles in the transition between the filter units. The flow direction of the water is principally opposed to the flow direction of the solids.

The main advantages of NESSIE are as follows:

• Freedom of choice in terms of cereals and all types of starch sources
• More flexibility during the brewing process
• Shorter process time
• Higher yields of hops and starch sources
• Less undesirable ingredients such as polyphenols
• Improved wort quality due to more zinc and fatty acids
• More vital fermentation
• And much more

More information about NESSIE and the necessary overall concept OMNIUM can be found here.

Perfect heat transfer, shorter mashing times and highest enzymatic conversion rates

The COLIBRI mash agitator enables perfect heat transfer, shortest mashing times ...The design of the mash agitator plays a decisive role for the entire mashing process. It should achieve a highly efficient heat transfer and avoid “burning” of the mash at the heating zones. Secondly, the mash agitator has to ensure the homogeneous distribution of temperature and concentration. Furthermore, the agitator should work without higher shear forces since these forces may have negative effects on the filtration of mash and beer. All these criteria must be met with a wide range of concentrations and viscosities – keyword: mashing with adjunct cereals.

... and achieves highest enzymatic conversion rates.COLIBRI mash agitator ensures perfect heat transfer

The COLIBRI mash agitator is a combination of perforated plates, anchor-type agitator blades and spirals. The perforated plate above the bottom heating zones ensures the required flow and mixing. At the end of the perforated plate, two solid bearers bypass the shell heating zone like an anchor agitator. These bearers have a spiral, which passes through the mash with its wing-like profiles. The homogenizing effect of the COLIBRI is further intensified by an inclined transvers bracing. Overall, the COLIBRI ensures the requested turbulences at the boundary layers of all heating zones as well as the horizontal and vertical homogenization of temperature and suspension. The mash agitator operates with a low rotational speed and thus with very low shear forces acting on the mash.

Advantages:

• Highest enzymatic conversion rates
• Most efficient use of raw materials
• Shorter mashing times
• Perfect heat transfer
• Self-cleaning effect in all heating zones

NESSIE by ZIEMANN - Revolution in the brewhouse

With NESSIE, ZIEMANN HOLVRIEKA is revolutionizing the conventional brewhouse processes. The novel separation and extraction process sustainably changes the lautering process due to shorter process times, increased raw material yields and reduced production costs.

NESSIE - Advantages for the brewing process

• High extract yields
• High contents of yeast vital substances
• Better filterability
• More advantageous fermentation
• Better foam stability
• Improved sensory perception

How can these advantages be achieved? NESSIE, as an alternative separation and extraction process, combines the following process steps by means of four rotary disk filters, connected in series:

• Separation of spent grains and wort
• Extraction in the counterflow procedure
• Dynamic washing of solids and their separation

NESSIE – novel separation and extraction process

Due to the rotation of the sieve surfaces, the mash is actively transported through the system. The principle of the cross-flow filtration prevents a blocking of the sieve pores. In addition, the cascade arrangement of the rotary disk filters supports the active transport.

The filter units are installed on a frame, resulting in a compact design of the system. The combination of a low vessel volume and a short retention time of the mash significantly reduces the oxygen uptake of the lautered wort. The residual mash particles, which cannot pass the sieve surface, are conveyed to the next filter unit by means of the rotational movement and the gravity. The sparging of the spent grains is carried out in the transition between the filter units. An integrated baffle plate creates turbulences, causing a homogeneous mixing of the residual mash and the sparging water.

The repeated solid-liquid separation results in an optimal extraction of the malt ingredients. At the end of the process chain, the spent grains, as the residual material, is continuously removed. A spent grains buffer is not necessary.

The interaction of design and technological advantages creates new framework conditions for the wort production.

NESSIE - Advantages for the brewing industry

• Lautering time corresponds to the mash transfer time
• 3 process steps combined in 1 system
• Numerous adaptation possibilities
• Processing of various starch sources
• The system works independently of the batch volumes
• Compact design
• Low weight of the system, also during operation
• Easy to clean (savings of cleaning agents)

OMNIUM – the revolutionary brewing process

With OMNIUM, ZIEMANN HOLVRIEKA has developed a novel brewing process for the international brewing industry, which is consequently based on the latest product innovation NESSIE by ZIEMANN. NESSIE is revolutionizing the conventional lautering process by means of a continuous separation and extraction of the mash. With OMNIUM, the brewhouse tasks are divided into subprocesses, which are treated individually and, by subsequently combining partial flows, finally completed in an optimal way. As a result, significantly shorter process times and higher raw material yields can be achieved. The process has a positive impact on the quality parameters of the wort. In addition, the fermentation can be accelerated, leading to increased brewhouse and cellar capacities.

As part of the development of OMNIUM, the brewhouse tasks were divided into their respective subprocesses and were improved individually. Finally, these subprocesses were reunited at the optimum time to an overall solution. This innovative brewing process is based on the principle of an advantageous combination of individually improved subprocesses. The core component and centrepiece of OMNIUM is NESSIE.

NESSIE by ZIEMANN – separation and extraction

NESSIE, the core piece of OMNIUM.

The separation of the mash is carried out via filter units.

With NESSIE, the mash is separated into wort and spent grains in a continuous process and the spent grains are sparged in order to obtain the extract. With this procedure, the lauter wort is obtained in a dynamic process. The mash transfer time corresponds to the lautering time. The separation of the mash is carried out via four filter units in cascade arrangement, in which the rotary disk filters perform the separation of wort and spent grains. The sparging of the extract is carried out in parallel using a turbulent counterflow extraction. The sparging water is injected via fine nozzles in the transition between the filter units. The flow direction of the water is principally opposed to the flow direction of the solids.

ALADIN by ZIEMANN: Late saccharification of the boiled wort

ALADIN - late saccharification.

Another new development of OMNIUM is ALADIN, a procedure for the late saccharification during the wort treatment process. For this purpose, approximately one percent of the brew volume from the first sieve filter module is temporarily stored. The temperature of the malt extract represents 72 degrees Celsius. In this temperature range, the alpha amylases, required for the saccharification, have their optimal activity. The late saccharification with ALADIN is therefore carried out with malt enzymes, without using technical additives. The malt extract is then added during the trub separation. The effect of the native enzymes, which is based on the combination of different partial flows, results in technological and economic advantages leading to an increased extract yield and time savings during the mashing process.

JANUS by ZIEMANN: Fractional wort boiling for hop isomerization

JANUS: fractional wort boiling for hop isomerization.

ALADIN is placed under NESSIE.

The wort boiling process JANUS for a separate hop isomerization is another novelty. For this purpose, approximately two thirds of the brew volume is supplied to the wort kettle. Due to the very good sparging of the mash, the starch particles, which were not completely degraded during the mashing enter the wort boiling process. When using conventional methods, these particles remain in the spent grains. During boiling, these particles can be thermally degraded. Afterwards, these particles can be completely saccharified with the ALADIN malt extract. This leads to an increased malt yield, as it is also observed in conventional decoction processes. The remaining one-third of the brew volume is used for the separate hop isomerization. For this purpose, only the partial flows of the counterflow extraction from the filter units are used, which already have reduced extract content and, due to the dilution, a slightly increased pH value. This fraction includes many minerals, such as magnesium, and it forms less precipitant trub during the wort boiling. These are important factors for the hop isomerization and help to increase the hop yield.

Three flows resulting in one cast-out wort

The subsequent process step combines JANUS and ALADIN, forming the actual cast-out wort. During this process, the unhopped boiled wort is first cooled down to 85 degrees Celsius and afterwards mixed with the ALADIN malt extract. The mixture is casted unto the whirlpool WORTEX by ZIEMANN. In parallel, the degraded starch particles are saccharified and the alpha amylases are deactivated due to the increased temperatures. In the next step, the isomerized hop extract is added to the clarified and saccharified wort. The temperature of the overall wort rises to approximately 90 degrees Celsius. This ensures that no active enzymes enter the fermentation cellar. Finally, the wort cooler lowers the temperature of the completed cast-out wort to the desired pitching value, while large part of the thermal energy can be recovered.

Up to 30 percent shorter brewing times

Real brewing times can be reduced by up to 30 percent.

OMNIUM offers numerous advantages for the international brewing industry: since a complete saccharification is ensured in the last process step and the hop isomerization is performed separately, the process times for mashing and wort boiling can be reduced. The conventional lautering of the wort has become a transfer step. Thanks to NESSIE, the real brewing times can be reduced by up to 30 percent. For a medium-sized brewery with a two-shift operation, this means, for example, that one additional brew can be produced. The higher contents of yeast vital substances in OMNIUM worts accelerate the primary and secondary fermentation, resulting in increased cellar capacities.

Small Footprint

Another advantage is the improved raw material yield because all extraction processes are dynamic and run at their optimum operating point. The brewer can react both thermally and enzymatically to fluctuating malt qualities. In addition, the quality of the brewed beer can also be optimized with OMNIUM: thanks to the gentle brewing process and the rapid fermentation, the brewed beers have high turbidity stability, possess excellent foam and outstanding flavor stability. Moreover, increased wort and beer diversity are possible even within the scope of the German Purity Law. These improvements help brewers to reduce their production and operating costs. Further advantages are, among others, a smaller space requirement for the equipment and reduced construction costs. The novel brewing process OMNIUM is revolutionizing the conventional brewhouse work in almost all relevant areas of beer production.

Benefits at a glance

The OMNIUM brewhouse in Reckendorf.

Less floor space required

• The OMNIUM brewhouse in Reckendorf can produce 120,000 hl p.a. and is built on only 69 sqm: less floor space, less construction costs.

Freedom of Choice

• Even local grains which are not applicable for industrial state-of-the-art brewhouses can be used: underlines your local approach.
• All kinds of starch sources can be processed: cost savings due to alternative or local starch sources.
• OMNIUM processes various kinds of grist compositions: existing milling systems can be used and can be integrated easily.

OMNIUM requires only 69m².

Shorter Process

• Reduced brewing process time - up to 30 %: leads to less TBI, reduced washing out of undesired ingredients, less polyphenols => leads also to better drinkability

Higher Yield

• OMNIUM achieves higher yield of hop due to separate hop isomerization: cost savings.
• OMNIUM achieves higher yield of starch sources due to better extraction and separation: cost savings.

Increased Wort Quality

• Wort contains less polyphenols from malt due to short contact time in NESSIE: leads to higher drinkability.
• OMNIUM preserves natural ingredients in the wort, while more undesired ingredients remain in the grain.

More Flexibility

• The steps of the brewing process are separated and can be optimized easily - maximum of creativity for the brewmaster.
• The batch size is no longer determined by the load of the lauter tun: the brewmaster is free to go for even smallest batches.
• The first wort concentration is unrivaled: up to 32 °P: High gravity is no longer restricted by the applied brewhouse vessel.
• Add hop at any step of the brewing process.

This means: a huge variety of beer styles can be produced.

Dominik Eichhorn in front of the world's first OMNIUM brewhouse.

OMNIUM Beer

• OMNIUM achieves increased foam stability
• OMNIUM leads to less polyphenols
• OMNIUM preserves natural ingredients in the beers.

Consumers appreciate it.

OMNIUM is implemented for the first time in Reckendorf

The world’s first OMNIUM brewhouse is installed in the Schlossbrauerei Reckendorf. This pioneering role is taken by the medium-sized Reckendorf brewery in Franconia. “The decision in favor of the OMNIUM brewhouse is essentially based on the greater flexibility. The brewhouse tasks are divided into sub-processes and optimized accordingly. This allows us to work with a wider variety of raw materials, such as traditional cereals, which are nowadays considered to be less suitable for industrialized production processes”, explains the graduate engineer and brewmaster Dominik Eichhorn, who is responsible in the third generation for the fortunes of the family brewery.

More information here.

Proven brewhouse equipment for the best beers

ZIEMANN HOLVRIEKA offers technologically sophisticated brewhouse equipment.

The brewhouse is the heart of every brewery, in which the interaction of the individual components is of the utmost importance. ZIEMANN HOLVRIEKA offers technologically sophisticated brewhouse equipment, tailored to the special needs and requirements of the customers. Each brewhouse plant is designed for maximum efficiency – short brewing sequences, highest yields and bright worts.

Mashing with COLIBRI by ZIEMANN mash agitator

Our mash vessels enable optimum mashing times, excellent extract yields and a most gentle handling of the mash for well-balanced and tasty beers.
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Lautering with LOTUS by ZIEMANN, DRAGONFLY by ZIEMANN or NESSIE by ZIEMANN

Lauter tun, mash filter or a continuous mash filtration system? ZIEMANN HOLVRIEKA customers have the choice between three alternatives for the lautering process.

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Wort boiling with SHARK by ZIEMANN internal wort boiler

We know that an internal wort boiler must comprise more than only the modes “on” and “off”. That is why we have developed the SHARK internal wort boiler  that can be exactly adapted to the individual boiling phases. By benefiting from the Venturi effect, the boiler must be cleaned less frequently and fouling is reduced to a minimum.

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WORTEX by ZIEMANN whirlpool – unbeaten technology

A characteristic feature of our whirlpool is its conical bottom with spraying device and the tangential inlet. Decanting takes place via various side outlet or through the bottom. Our whirlpool is suitable for extreme conditions.

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