GB2261442A - Process for freeze-concentrating beer - Google Patents

Abstract

Beer is stored and transported in the form of a concentrate which is subsequently reconstituted into potable beer, typically of normal strength, e.g. 1030 DEG gravity. The concentrate is made by brewing a high gravity beer, typically 1090 DEG gravity, lowering its temperature until its water content freezes, and removing the unfrozen liquor which consists of the alcohol content and substantially all of the soluble matter in the beer.

Description

A MANUFACTURING PROCESS FOR BEER This invention relates to manufacturing processes for beer, of the kind in which beer is brewed to a high specific gravity in the range 1080 to 1100 According to the invention in a first aspect, a manufacturing process for beer includes the steps of: brewing beer to a high specific gravity in the range 1080 to 1100 ; taking a charge of the high gravity beer and reducing the temperature of the said charge to a value such as to freeze at least a major part of its water content, but not its alcohol content; and separating the liquor comprising the alcohol content carrying soluble matter, or allowing the said liquor to separate, from the frozen water so as to form a liquid beer concentrate.This conc-entrate may subsequently be used to make a drink containing beer or be reconstituted to make potable beer.

I have found that, when a beer is cooled to a temperature such that its water content freezes, substantially all of the soluble matter in the beer remains dissolved in the unfrozen liquid, which includes or consists of all of the alcohol content. The frozen water consists of a porous mass of ice, through which the liquor comprising the alcohol with the soluble matter carried by it tends to drain. This soluble matter consists of substantially all the constituents of the beer (including its flavourproducing constituents), other than the alcohol and water.

The normal strength of beer is conventionally regarded as being in the specific gravity range 10306 to 10350. Thus a high gravity beer of, say, 1090", occupies only one third of the volume of a normal strength beer of 10300. The freezing process according to the invention reduces the volume of the high gravity beer by approximately one half, so that the volume occupied by the concentrate is only about one-sixth of that occupied by beer having a specific gravity in the region of 1030 and containing the same amount of alcohol.

The effect of this is that the concentrate can be stored and transported in only one sixth of the space required for containing the equivalent normal strength beer.

The process preferably includes the further step of applying heat to the frozen water whereby to thaw it, and removing the resulting melt water, which can be recycled for use in brewing further beer.

Included within the scope of the invention is the process as defined above including the further step of mixing the concentrate with liquid diluent (for example water) in predetermined proportions, and injecting carbon dioxide gas into the resulting mixture to produce a potable drink.

Where the diluent is water, this drink is beer, which may be of any desired strength, at least in the specific gravity range 1025 - 1100 , this being determined by the proportion of concentrate to water.. In general terms, the concentrate is rediluted under suitable conditions in order to produce a drinkable beverage.

The invention also includes the process when it includes the further step of dispensing the beer or other drink so prepared.

According to the invention in a second aspect, apparatus for use in the process according to the invention includes a vessel for containing the charge of beer, and freezing means associated with the said vessel, for reducing the temperature of the said charge to a value such as to freeze at least a major part of its water content, the vessel having extraction means for conveying the concentrate out of the vessel.

The apparatus preferably also includes control means for controlling process parameters automatically (e.g. time and temperature).

Distribution and storage of the beer can thus be carried out using only the concentrate, which may be put into any suitable container. Examples (without limitation) of such containers are metal cans, plastics bottles, and glass bottles, all of which can be of any suitable size or shape, either for sale to consumers in those containers or for sale to bars for conversion to the drinkable beer and dispensing of the latter on draught. By way of example, a single can of the concentrate bought by a consumer can be converted by him, at home, into the equivalent of six cans of normal strength beer. A plastics or metal container of 16.6 litres capacity, supplied to a bar, can be converted at the bar into about 100 litres of draught beer, thus eliminating the need for a 100 litre keg.In the context of a bar, draught carbonated beers can therefore be dispensed without keg storage or cold room facilities. In addition, portable bar cabinets can be more easily used, and carbonated draught beers served, in locations in which it has hitherto been either difficult or impossible.

The redilution of the concentrate may be with water and/or with any other potable liquid, for example a chilled mineral water or lemonade or the like.

In addition, the amount of space needed at the brewery for storage, processing and packaging facilities is substantially reduced, while there is no longer a requirement for keg racking plant, or indeed for the kegs themselves and space for storing them. This also eliminates the cost of buying and replacing kegs and of operating a keg return system. These and other reduced costs result in a much reduced added value between initial brewing and purchase by the ultimate consumer of the beer, which may be reflected in a reduced purchase price to the consumer.

The invention will now be described in a preferred form, by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a flow diagram showing main steps in the process of making the concentrate, ready for despatch from the brewery; Figure 2 shows diagrammatically a form of the apparatus for making the concentrate; and Figure 3 is a diagrammatic illustration of a typical plant for use at a bar for converting the concentrate into draught beer.

Referring to Figure 1, a beer is brewed in a conventional way to a specific gravity of 1090 , and transferred directly or indirectly to one or more freezing units in which its temperature is lowered to about 0 C or a few degrees below. The temperature is maintained at that level until most or all of the water content has frozen. As already mentioned, the alcohol remains unfrozen, and all or substantially all of the soluble matter in the beer is carried by the alcohol and not trapped in the ice. The latter being spongy, the alcohol, with its soluble content, therefore separates by gravity and is then collected and packed in suitable containers, as discussed above.

Referring now to Figure 2, this shows, purely schematically, some of the apparatus for producing the concentrate. The beer at 1090 specific gravity is stored in conventional storage vessels 10 after being brewed. It is drawn off from the vessels 10 as required, by operation of suitable valve means 12, through pipework 14 leading to the freezing equipment generally indicated at 16. This may include a suitable precooling apparatus 18 (e.g. one or more flask coolers) for reducing the temperature of the beer to just above 0 0C. The beer is delivered from the pipework 14 into a freezing unit 20, which may take any suitable form, but which essentially comprises a vessel 22 so constructed as to withstand pressures imposed by expansion of the water as it freezes, and which is generally surrounded by heavy thermal insulation 24.The equipment 16 also includes a refrigerating unit indicated at 26, which includes a generally conventional refrigerating circuit having an evaporator (here indicated in the form of a coil 28 within the vessel 22, though it can be placed in any suitable location and take any suitable form). The unit 26 extracts the latent heat from the charge 32 of beer in the vessel 22. This causes its water content to freeze.

At the bottom of the vessel 22, a drain 40 has a changeover valve 42 which is adjustable to connect the drain 40 selectively to a concentrate pipe 44 and a water pipe 46.

The pipe 44 leads via a filter 34 to concentrate tanks 36.

The pipe 46 is led, via suitable filters, not shown, if necessary to the brewing plant. Alternatively, the pipes 44 and 46, each with a separate stop valve, may be connected separately into the vessel 22. There may be more than one drain 40, and/or more than one pipe 44 and/or 46.

In operation, as the water in the charge 32 begins to freeze, the liquor (comprising the alcohol content carrying the soluble matter from the beer) begins to separate out, and drains to the bottom of the vessel 22 and thence to the drain 40. The valve 42 is in the position in which the pipe 44 is connected to the drain 40, the pipe 46 being closed. The concentrate is thus delivered to the tanks 36.

After a predetermined time to allow substantially all of the concentrate to leave the vessel 22, the valve 42 is operated to connect the drain 40 to the pipe 46, and so to close the pipe 44. At the same time the control circuit 30 operates to cause the ice in the vessel 22 to be melted, either by means of heaters, not shown, in the vessel 22, or by reversing the operation of the refrigerating unit 26 so that it acts as a heat pump (or both).

As the ice melts it is then, in this example, recycled viathe pipe 46 for re-use in brewing further beer. This recycling facility may if desired be omitted, the water then being disposed of in any convenient way.

The cycle of operation, and in particular the operation of the valves 12 and 42 and refrigerating unit 26, may be performed automatically on a cycle working to a predetermined timed programme, the control circuit 30 including a suitable programmed microprocessor unit for this purpose.

After the concentrate has been collected in the tanks 36, it can be drawn off them to packaging in the usual way, in suitable packaging containers as discussed above. These containers can then be warehoused and transported to wholesalers, retailers, or catering outlets such as public houses, the containers used for these different purposes being of suitable capacities to suit the requirements of the users.

The equipment shown in Figure 3 represents a typical apparatus for use at a bar for converting the concentrate into potable beer of 1030 gravity. Concentrate supplied in plastics bottles 50, for example of 8.3 or 16.6 litres capacity is mixed in a suitable mixing device 52 with mains water supplied from a water main 54 via a filter 57 and stop cock or flow regulating valve 76. The mixture is then delivered by an electric pump 56, via a flash cooler 58, to a gassing device 60 containing a perforated injector tube 62 through which C02 gas under pressure is supplied from a cylinder 64 via a pipe 66 containing a flow regulator valve 68. The gassing device may alternatively be in any other suitable form.

The mixture, now carbonated, passes to a calibrated pot 70 of a conventional kind designed to deliver a metered quantity, e.g. half a pint (0.284 litre), to an ordinary draught beer dispensing tap 72. The tap 72 is provided in the usual way with a switch 74 which operates the pump 56.

However, it also controls the valve 68 and the mixing device 52. In this way, the apparatus operates to reconstitute the exact amount of beer, at the desired strength, required for each dispensing operation at the tap 72. This strength may for example be "normal", i.e. 1030 - 1035 , or "strong", i.e. about 1090 , or higher or lower as required.

The supply of the correct amount of concentrate from the bottle 50 at each operation of the tap 72 can be ensured in any suitable way. For example, the mixer 52 can be arranged to accept a metered quantity of concentrate, e.g.

0.047 litres when 0.284 litres of beer at 1030 gravity are to be dispensed. The water valve 76 in the water inlet pipe 54 is then opened to flush this charge of concentrate through the mixer and the components of the apparatus downstream of the latter1 assisted by the pump 56.

Alternatively, flow rate sensors, not shown, may be provided at the respective concentrate and water inlets of the mixer 52, which is then in the form of an adjustable valve, adjusted under the control of a suitable microprocessor responsive to the signals from the flow rate sensors, so as to ensure mixing of concentrate and water in exactly the right proportions. This latter arrangement lends itself to fast operation, and the outlet of the mixer 52 may be led to a common line feeding a number of pumps 56, each associated with a different dispensing outlet 72.

In another arrangement, two or more mixers, each adjusted or arranged to mix the concentrate with water in different proportions to give different strengths of beer, may be provided. Each mixer may then be connected to a separate tap (via the appropriate apparatus described above, for example). Alternatively, the mixers may be arranged in parallel so as to supply a common tap, the system including control means for selecting the mixer appropriate to the strength of beer required.

The C02 line 66 may be connected, through a suitable valve, between the concentrate bottle 50 and the mixer 52, so that the valve 68 can be used to drive the concentrate into the mixer itself. Carbonation then takes place at least partially upstream of the pump 56.

It will be appreciated however that any other suitable known means may be used for reconstituting the concentrate into potable beer.

There may be any number of freezing units 20, connected in parallel and fed through a common feed line such that a continuous flow of high-gravity beer can be supplied from the brewing apparatus, the feed line having suitable valves associated with it for switching the beer supply from each freezing vessel 22, when it has received the correct charge of beer, to an empty one. The storage vessel or vessels 10 may then be omitted. The selection of vessels 22 for filling may be done automatically under control of a suitable microprocessor in response to signals from appropriately-placed sensors, representing the relevant parameters such as fluid level in each vessel 22, absence of ice, and beer flow rate.

Claims (10)

1. A manufacturing process for beer, including the steps of: brewing beer to a high specific gravity in the range 1080 to 1100 ; taking a charge of the high gravity beer and reducing the temperature of the said charge to a value such as to freeze at least a major part of its water content, but not its alcohol content; and separating the liquor comprising the alcohol content carrying soluble matter, or allowing the said liquor to separate, from the frozen water so as to form a liquid beer concentrate.

2. A process according to Claim 1, wherein the concentrate is allowed to separate out by gravity.

3. A process according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, including the further step of applying heat to the frozen water whereby to thaw it, and removing the resulting melt water.

4. A process according to Claim 3, including recycling the melt water for use in brewing further beer.

5. A process according to any one of the preceding Claims, including the further step of mixing the concentrate with liquid diluent in predetermined proportions, and injecting carbon dioxide gas into the resulting mixture to produce a potable drink.

6. A process according to Claim 5, wherein the diluent is water, the potable drink being beer.

7. A process according to Claim 4 or Claim 5, including the further step of dispensing the said drink.

8. Apparatus for use in a process according to any one of the preceding Claims, including a vessel for containing the charge of beer, and freezing means associated with the said vessel for reducing the temperature of the said charge to a value such as to freeze at least a major part of its water content, the vessel having extraction means for conveying the concentrate out of the vessel.

9. Apparatus according to Claim 8, further including control means for automatically controlling the operating parameters of the process.

10. A process according to Claim 8 or Claim 9, including converting the concentrate into a potable drink, substantially as described in the foregoing description with reference to Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.

10. Apparatus according to Claim 8 or Claim 9, wherein the extraction means comprises a drain at the bottom of the vessel.

11. A manufacturing process for beer substantially as described in the foregoing description with reference to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

12. A manufacturing process for beer, substantially as described in the foregoing description with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.

13. A process according to Claim 11 or Claim 12, including converting the concentrate into a potable drink, substantially as described in the foregoing description with reference to Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.

14. Apparatus for use in a process according to any one of Claims 11 to 13, substantially as described in the foregoing description with reference to Figure 2, or Figures 2 and 3, of the accompanying drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1. A manufacturing process for beer, including the steps of: brewing beer to a high specific gravity in the range 1080 to 1100 ; taking a charge of the high gravity beer and reducing the temperature of the said charge to a value such as to freeze at least a major part of its water content, but not its alcohol content; and separating the liquor comprising the alcohol content carrying soluble matter, or allowing the said liquor to separate, from the frozen water so as to form a liquid beer concentrate.

2. A process according to Claim 1, wherein the concentrate is allowed to separate out by gravity.

3. A process according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, including the further step of applying heat to the frozen water whereby to thaw it, and removing the resulting melt water.

4. A process according to Claim 3, including recycling the melt water for use in brewing further beer.

5. A process according to any one of the preceding Claims, including the further step of mixing the concentrate with liquid diluent in predetermined proportions, and injecting carbon dioxide gas into the resulting mixture to produce a potable drink.

6. A process according to Claim 5, wherein the diluent is water, the potable drink being beer.

7. A process according to Claim 4 or Claim 5, including the further step of dispensing the said drink.

8. A manufacturing process for beer substantially as described in the foregoing description with reference to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

9. A manufacturing process for beer, substantially as described in the foregoing description with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.