Modern filtration systems
The filtration is a very important step in the production of beer. There are many haze forming components as well as yeast cells, which have to be removed to guarantee a good and constant quality of the final product with an improved shelf-life and non-biological stability.
These components are in general:
• denaturated proteins
• precipitated protein-tannin complexes
• complexes caused by heavy metals
• starch and gums
• hop resins
• yeast cells and other microorganism
Besides this big influence on haze formation and biological stability of the final product, there is also a psychological advantage. The appearance of a rystal-clear filtered beer is much more attractive to the consumer than an unfiltered one. This can be proved by the fact that the filtration of beer is done for more than 120 years. Most breweries started with a pulp filter, although they did know the clarifying effect of diatomaceous earth. The first beer filtered in quantity with kieselguhr was in the year 1937 (13). Further trials with kieselguhr as a filter aid did show its benefits in terms of ease of performance and economics. Up to now, the kieselguhr filtration is the best commercially available system for the pre-filtration or even the whole filtration of a beer. Since 1937 the process becomes more and more “user-friendly”, but the basic principle itself is still the same. In general, three different types of precoat filtration did have established all over the world:
• kieselguhr plate and frame filters
• candle filters
• and horizontal filters
Submitted by nick on 11. December 2009 - 23:15
The filtration is a very important step in the production of beer. There are many haze forming components as well as yeast cells, which have to be removed to guarantee a good and constant quality of the final product with an improved shelf-life and non-biological stability.
These components are in general:
• denaturated proteins
• precipitated protein-tannin complexes
• complexes caused by heavy metals
• starch and gums
• hop resins
• yeast cells and other microorganism
Besides this big influence on haze formation and biological stability of the final product, there is also a psychological advantage. The appearance of a rystal-clear filtered beer is much more attractive to the consumer than an unfiltered one. This can be proved by the fact that the filtration of beer is done for more than 120 years. Most breweries started with a pulp filter, although they did know the clarifying effect of diatomaceous earth. The first beer filtered in quantity with kieselguhr was in the year 1937 (13). Further trials with kieselguhr as a filter aid did show its benefits in terms of ease of performance and economics. Up to now, the kieselguhr filtration is the best commercially available system for the pre-filtration or even the whole filtration of a beer. Since 1937 the process becomes more and more “user-friendly”, but the basic principle itself is still the same. In general, three different types of precoat filtration did have established all over the world:
• kieselguhr plate and frame filters
• candle filters
• and horizontal filters
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