What nitrogen means to microbreweries
Manufacturers in the food and beverage industry already trust nitrogen as a CO2 alternative. Breweries are catching on. With the clear benefits of nitrogen use when it comes to quality, and the savings (given the rising cost of C02), demand from microbreweries for nitrogen and nitrogen generators is on the rise.
1. Purging: Brewery installations are cleaned often. During cleaning, N2 is used to ensure the cleaning agents don’t react with ambient oxygen.
2. Pumping: N2 pushes the liquid through the lines, from one tank into another without adding oxygen to the process and without affecting carbonation, which preserves the original flavors better.
3. Fermenting: By purging the tank with an inert gas prior to receiving the cooled wort, the dissolved oxygen (DO) level remains the same.
4. Maturing: Oxygen can negatively impact the taste and stability of the beer. That is why the maturing tank is purged with nitrogen first before filling it.
5. Carbonation: Increasing the carbonation level with nitrogen improves the beer’s taste, flavor, aroma and appearance.
6. Packaging: To increase the shelf life and preserve quality, O2 is expelled from cans and bottles by purging them with an inert gas right before and/or after filling.
7. Dispensing: An inert gas such as N2 is used as a propellant to push the beer from the keg to the bar tap. It also helps with head retention after pouring.
Nitrogen vs Carbon dioxide
Traditionally, breweries have relied on CO2. But with the F&B industry demonstrating that nitrogen can do just the same at a fraction of the cost, breweries are opting for nitrogen.
Breweries pay much less per cubic meter for nitrogen when they produce it on site. Compare that to what you pay for CO2 in cylinders today. Easily upto 50 times more expensive. Time for change?
Behind the scenes of a new wave that's helping breweries save money and boost productivity! Get our e-book👉🏽
The Pune-based brewmaster who switched to nitrogen and never looked back
BREWMASTER KIRAN STOOD NEXT TO A TANK IN HIS BEER HOUSE AND POURED HIMSELF A BEER. The same distinctive brew he had been turning out over the years. In the last two years however the flavors and feel had come into their own. It was down to making that switch from carbon dioxide to nitrogen. He was cautious to start with but the cost savings were compelling.
CO2 supply was erratic and nerve-racking, not to mention expensive.as was transportation. Nitrogen was cheaper upfront but what made the deal sweet was that he could generate his own nitrogen and cut our third parties altogether. But his biggest concern was how disruptive it would be to install a nitrogen generator.
As it turns out Atlas Copco’s NGP nitrogen generators were easy to install and as Kiran found with the pilot, they also offered the required purity (which he could adjust according to requirement) with a high flow capacity.
Over the years, he could add that the generators are also cost-friendly (operating and maintenance) and service-friendly. The immediate payback ofcourse: saving on the skyhigh cost of CO2 and the hassle of supply co-ordination.
The icing on the cake, or the foam on the top, would be the flavour preservation, smoothness and longer-lasting foam. The savings, continuity and reliability of onsite nitrogen has allowed Kiran to chart out future expansion plans.
DID YOU KNOW?
Half the world's beer is produced using equipment from Atlas Copco.
