DE102015014990A1 - Inline system for cold hopping or hop plugging of beer by means of ultrasound - Google Patents

Abstract

For the subsequent aromatization of beer, the method of hop plugging or even cold hopping (Dry Hoping engl.) Is applied. Here it is crucial to transfer the essential oils from the hops into the beer. In a template tank, the hops, in whatever form (umbels, pellets, etc.), always presented. This can also be done in a sack (big tea bag). The original tank is sealed. This is connected to the beer storage tank with two hoses and one pump. Carbonated air is forced out of the system to displace the unwanted oxygen from the system. The hoses from the storage tank to the storage tank are opened and the beer flows in. The circulation pump is switched on and the beer circulates through the interior of the original tank and thus over the hops. Inside the original tank is an ultrasonic converter with a sonotrode located in the beer. The very intense ultrasonic vibrations and cavitations inside the receiver shake the cell tissue of the hop and make a very efficient transition of hop oils / hop aromas in the beer. The significant feature of this patent is the use of ultrasound to trigger the hop oil / hop flavor.

Description

Basis:

For the subsequent aromatization of beer, the method of hop plugging or even cold hopping (Dry Hoping engl.) Is applied. Here it is crucial to transfer the essential oils from the hops into the beer.

For this purpose, hops in a wide variety of dosage forms are supplied to the almost finished beer (wort). These may be hops, hop pellets, etc. This hop plug is usually in the storage tank after fermentation.

The state of the art:

There are various methods of adding the hops to the beer. This can be done so that hops in bags (similar to the tea bag) is added to the tanks. Another common methodology is the use of containers / small tanks in which the hops are introduced and the beer is pumped in a circulation over the hops. Here, the hop can also be deliberately transferred from this container in the storage tank. In some cases, stirrers or mixers are also used in these containers in order to achieve better hop utilization.

The goal is to extract as many essential hop aromas as possible from the hops to make the most of the precious hops.

Disadvantages of the previous methods:

In previous methods, only as much flavor oil passes into the beer as the beer can trigger in its normal wetting process from the hops.

The invention to be registered:

In a template tank, the hops, in whatever form (umbels, pellets, etc.), always presented. This can also be done in a sack (big tea bag). The original tank is sealed. This is connected to the beer storage tank with two hoses and one pump. Carbonated air is forced out of the system to displace the unwanted oxygen from the system. The hoses from the storage tank to the storage tank are opened and the beer flows in. The circulation pump is switched on and the beer circulates through the interior of the original tank and thus over the hops.

Inside the original tank is an ultrasonic converter with a sonotrode located in the beer.

The very intense ultrasonic vibrations and cavitations inside the receiver shake the cell tissue of the hop and make a very efficient transition of hop oils / hop aromas in the beer.

The significant feature of this patent is the use of ultrasound to trigger the hop oil / hop flavor.

Advantage of the invention:

Due to the ultrasound used, the essential hop oil / hop flavor is released much more intensively from the cell tissue of the hop. As a result, significantly less hop must be used in the Kalthopfung, with the same degree of aromatization of the beer. This results in a high cost saving potential in relation to the raw material hops.

Claims (1)

System for triggering hop aromas by means of ultrasound in a container: a. At least one ultrasonic converter transmits its sound energy through the beer or other liquid to the hops. b. The dissolution process of hops aromas takes place in beer or other liquids. c. Ultrasonic waves release aromatic hop oils from the hops. d. The frequency of the ultrasound used is between 1 and 50 MHz. e. The beer or liquid into which the hop aromas are delivered can circulate or stand still.

Images