DE3029531A1 - Continuous beer wort prepn. - comprises doughing in mashing, clarifying, cooking and cooling clarifying wort - Google Patents

Abstract

Continuous beer wort prepn. comprises (a) continuously passing pre-determined malt and last run of wort quantities in vacuum from the clarifying tub through at least one doughing in container. (b) The mash is passed continuously through at least 3 consecutive series-connected mashing vessels operating at increasing temp. (c) The mash is continuously introduced into the compartment for drawing off the first wort of a clarifying tub, sub-divided by at least one funnel-shaped deflector plate into this upper compartment and a lower sedimentation compartment contg. injection nozzles. The first wort is drawn out of the upper compartment. The grains are transferred through a slotted passage from the upper compartment into the sedimentation compartment, left to sink to clarifying tub bottom, concurrently to second wort water, under wort extn., and drawn off from there. (d) The whole mash liquor quantity, adjusted to the malt quantity used, is introduced to the injection nozzles of the clarifying tub, sedimentation compartment. (e) Second wort is continuously drawn off from the upper end of the clarifying tub, sedimentation compartment and mixed with the first wort. (f) Last run of wort is continuously recycled from the clarifying tub to the doughing in container and mixed there with the malt. (g) the clarified wort, consisting of first wort and second wort, is continuously charged to the wort kettle and heated under pressure. The process is partic. suitable for the prepn. of wort having 18-20 degree Plato. Prod. quality equals that obtd. by an intermittent process. Energy consumption is reduced.

Description

Continuous process for the production of wort

For many years, the technology of beer production has been aimed at fully continuous processes for the production of To get beer wort in order to be able to reduce the expenditure on equipment and personnel in the beer production. Single steps of the process could already be carried out continuously, but so far the overall process has not been successful to be carried out continuously for the production of beer wort.

The object on which the invention is based was thus to provide a continuous process for the production of To get wort that leads to products that are equivalent to such discontinuous processes. A special one The aim of the invention was also to obtain a continuous process for the production of beer wort that is energy efficient.

The continuous process according to the invention for the production of wort with mashing, mashing, lautering, cooking and Cooling the lauter wort is characterized in that one

a) Malt and smooth water from the lauter tun in coordinated quantities continuously under vacuum through at least leads a mashing tank,

b) the mash continuously at least three in a row switched, working at rising temperatures-

de lets mash vessels run through,

c) the mash continuously into the space for drawing off the first wort through at least one funnel-shaped Baffle in. This upper space and a lower sedimentation space introduces lauter tuns divided by injection rings and removes the first wort from the upper space, the spent grains transferred through a passage slot from the upper space into the sedimentation space, therein in cocurrent to topping up water with wort extraction to the lauter tun bottom drops and withdraws from there,

d) essentially the entire amount of brewing water, matched to the amount of malt used, into the injection rings of the sedimentation chamber of the lauter tun,

e) Subsequent pouring is continuously withdrawn from the upper end of the sedimentation space of the lauter tun and with the first wort mixed,

f) Smooth water continuously from the lauter tun to the Mashing tank returns and mixed there with the malt and

g) the lauter wort consisting of the first wort and topping up continuously the wort kettle and heated in it under pressure.

In this process, the raw materials or intermediate products pass through all work processes in an even flow,

with all operations running at the same time.

Such a continuous process has a number of advantages compared to conventional processes that work in batches. The simultaneous execution of all work processes makes it possible to increase the capacity of the individual processing stages to keep the system smaller, which saves space and considerable investment costs. It is in the invention Process retained the previous proven technology of beer production. Mashing processes and lautering are carried out without time restrictions compared to conventional methods. Intermediate container, flow vessels and the resulting The waiting times caused are completely eliminated.

The use of energy is significantly reduced. The heat used to boil the mash and wort can almost be stored in the condensers of the wort cooling and the wort and mash boilers be fully recovered. The construction of the devices is simple, transport problems are reduced to a minimum, and the highest possible yields are achieved.

The inventive method is particularly suitable for Production of more concentrated pitch worts from 18 to 20 Degree Plato, so that corresponding savings can be made in the fermentation and storage cellars. The fermentation of higher percentage Worts and the subsequent reduction of the extract content to the output concentration do not pose a problem represent.

The method according to the invention can be implemented in a special embodiment so describe that the measured brewing water after degassing and venting and after heating runs in the condenser of the wort boiling as topping up water to the lauter tun and as mashing water to the pre-mashing mixer or, additionally used as an energy source, the entire system goes through from back to front, whereby it is initially serves to cool the products and absorbs heat in the process, is then decalcified and desalinated in a temperature range above 80 C, then partially releases the absorbed heat when flowing through a flow heater of the upper mashing stages, so that the water is then poured into the lauter tun with a possibly corrected temperature of about 78 ° C arrives, there leaches the spent grains, then split into two streams as a topping up together with the first wort as Lauter wort with approx. 10 to 11% extract content to flow to the wort boiler, while the smooth water in a measured amount initially in the flow heaters of the lower mash stages releases another part of the contained heat in order to finally, if necessary with corrected temperature, partly to moisten the malt before grinding, mainly but is used to mash in the crushed malt. The actual process of wort preparation begins with the mash is first deaerated in a vacuum, then one of the desired number with the exclusion of air contact Temperature levels corresponding number of mash vessels first from top to bottom through a tubular

Agitator with elliptical cross-section and then flows through in the outer vessel space from bottom to top to the overflow, The tubular agitator, movably mounted in balls, keeps the mash in suspension and the flow through Displacement and pumps connected between the vessels is effected while the supply of heat between the individual mash vessels or at the end of the last mash vessel so that the mash with the usual mashing temperature of 75 to 76 ° C is supplied to the refining vessel (s). Through this the mash or spent grains flow from top to bottom, with a number arranged one above the other in each Lauter vessel funnel-shaped inclined surfaces alternately from the outside to the outside are inclined inside and out. The spent grains are at the lower end of the lauter tun or lauter tun discharged while the first wort contained in the mash is drawn off in the upper part of the lauter tun and the spent grains in the lower part of the lauter tun in the system of alternately formed by the funnel-shaped inclined surfaces successive annular flushing chambers and settling spaces, between which behind annular passage slots Brewing water is supplied via built-in injection rings, is withdrawn. The brewing water leaches the grains gradually more and more. The extract thus obtained becomes after separation of the smooth water required for mashing added to the draining first wort as a topping / thus a lauter wort with approx. 10 to 11% extract content arises, which after continuous addition

ΠΟΡΥ

corresponding amounts of hops and after heating to 140 C and a possible intermediate heating in a subsequent single or multi-stage wort boiler an intensive cooking process is subjected to the high-short cooking process. After that, will the hot trub and the spent grains are separated and the wort is then fed to the wort cooling, in which it is evaporated, but under sterile conditions in a vacuum evaporation cooler, if necessary with a downstream contact cooler, is brought to the display temperature of approx. 8 to 12 C. The evaporation results in a constriction the amount of wort and thus an increase in the extract content.

After intensive ventilation and partial elimination of the {

The wort now reaches the cooling trub in its entirety or with a partial flow by means of a yeast growing and generating device, where they have a corresponding Absorbs amount of yeast and already in the fermentation stage flows continuously to the subsequent fermentation plant.

The lauter tun is expediently designed in such a way that the first, uppermost first wort draw-off chamber with the inwardly inclined Sliding surface to the inner ring slot of the first wort withdrawal chamber of the second annular first wort withdrawal chamber the outwardly inclined sliding surface and from the first wort flowing out of this second first wort withdrawal chamber on all sides is so enclosed or flowed around that a heat radiation from the first wort extraction chamber to the outside is not possible, but this from the injection ring hot smooth water injected into the first wort between the two chambers is warmed up in such a way that the

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First wort in the first extraction chamber from above and the light parts, germs, batter, etc. flowing to the overflow at the upper end of the first extraction chamber heats up and thus facilitates their withdrawal.

Furthermore, it is advisable to pour the water into the lauter tun leaves the injection rings via a pump and a common vertical distribution pipe without individual control in the superimposed ring-shaped rinsing chambers in the sedimentation room and, if necessary, in the upper room of the lauter tun, and a common one Collecting and drainage pipes for the refills from the funnel-shaped ones located below or between the flushing chambers Provide sedimentation chambers. The common collecting pipe for the refills expediently ends at the top in one Overflow regulator and below in the tap for smooth water, that is conveyed for pre-mashing.

Furthermore, it is advisable not to limit the overflow quantity to provide influencing smooth water circuit and a Introduce part of the smooth water into the upper end of the top-up water distribution pipe of the lauter tun so that the Water emerging from the injection rings increases the rotational movement generated by the inclined injection holes intensified in the ring-shaped wash-up chambers of the lauter tun and the leaching of spent grains is improved. The effect can be increased if you add another one

Circuit between the last sedimentation chamber above the spent grain outlet and the top one in one of the Extraction chambers for first wort built-in injection, / provides and so one in all ring-shaped passageways Generates an effective flow of liquid in the individual chambers and thus supports the spent grain outflow.

The wort boiler is expediently designed so that with Hops added and wort heated to approx. 140 ° C above a built-in mixing and driving nozzle in the lower part of a cylindrical cooking space is introduced so that the vfürze is circulated several times through the nozzle and driven through the cooking space. It will then be at the top of the cylind / ischen Cooking space via a ^ and formed by a screen externally adjustable ring slot in the evaporation room initiated in such a way that the foam formation is crushed by the boiling liquid sprayed on it and the Exhaust vapor can enter the condenser room without foam. The wort boiler is advantageously multi-stage in this way designed that between the first and second stage, a reheating is built, which allows the Increase evaporation in the wort kettle by an adjustable amount.

Wherein one or more steps performed wort kettle with high short-cooking of the evaporating chamber is suitably assembled directly with the vapor condenser and connected via a large opening in \ he divider. The vapor condensers

BATH ORIGINAL

appropriately contain angled cooling tubes with such an arrangement that the exhaust vapor in a passage transversely to the Pipe guide is brought together from the largest possible cross-section at the outlet, thereby allowing for the flow between the Pipes an equally high speed is achieved everywhere. The condensation water flows on the underside of the inclined pipes in the slipstream of the haze flowing through, and the side of the pipe facing the flow of haze becomes condensate blown free.

Between the water inlet and the water outlet of the condensers a short-circuit connection with a built-in control valve is expediently established, with which the cooling water flow rate the condensation, the pressure in the evaporation chamber and thus ultimately the amount of evaporation of the relevant Pressure level can be determined.

It is also advisable to use a rotating vessel for example With the help of centripetal force, the spent grains and hot trub are removed to the leaching of the mash in front of or in the lauter tun traced back.

The vacuum evaporation cooler, which is expediently used for cooling the wort by evaporation, is expedient also executed in several stages. It preferably contains an evaporation control for the individual stages and is with a installed in front of the capacitors and connected to the vacuum device

Λ φ * * *

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connected trickle device for extensive Venting of the cooling water or brewing water flowing into the condensers.

The yeast drawing and dispensing apparatus with external cooling, which is used to make the wort with yeast and through which the whole wort or a partial stream flows through it, expediently receives, as the upper end of the cylindrical vessel, a cover which is drawn in in the middle and dips below the liquid level and which is above the Liquid level leaves an annular channel free. Through this ring channel, the CO_ generated during fermentation, possibly excess air, the frizz that occurs and the cooling cloudiness, are fed to the outlet, while the fermentation wort is partly returned to the circuit after intermediate regeneration by means of CO ₂ via a collecting pipe to create a lively movement inside the container is returned into the wort line in an outflow amount corresponding to the inflow amount and fed to the fermentation cellar together with the wort.

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An essential feature of the method according to the invention is that the brewing water is not introduced directly into the mashing tank, but first through the Lauter tun or several lauter tuns connected in parallel is performed and in it the separation of the spent grains from the Serves seasoning. Only after passing through the lauter tun is that portion of the brewing water that is only a small one Contains wort and is known as smooth water, used for mashing. With the mash, this portion of the Brewing water is then fed back to the lauter tun via the mash vessels and arrives from there in the form of first wort to the wort boiler.

For reasons of energy saving, it is preferred to pour the brewing water into the injection rings of the sedimentation chamber before it is introduced of the lauter tun only as cooling water through the condensers of the cooling system to cool the wort after Wort boiler and send through the condensers of the lauter tun. In this way it decreases through indirect heat exchange the brewing water entering the process absorbs and carries a substantial part of the heat required in the lauter tun this heat energy back into the process.

The main raw materials malt and water are used in the invention continuous process introduced in such amounts that the process product is a pitch wort, which under Consideration of all changes occurring during the process, such as the exchange of substances between malt and water,

.3 0235 31 "

the various evaporation quantities and the like, a quantity and extract concentration corresponding to the demands made Beer wort is. To achieve this, a flow meter is provided at the entry of the water into the system Built-in control valve, with the help of which a calculating device determines the required amount of malt and introduces it into the process.

It is advisable to completely degas the brewing water under vacuum before mashing in. Although this degassing can take place at any point before crushing, it is useful to degas the entire brewing water before entering the Lauter tun or prior to entering the condenser tubes \ of the cooling system, such as by running it through a Rieselkondensator .

If the brewing water is passed through the condensers of the cooling system and the wort boiler (s), it becomes indirect Heat exchange heated and then before introduction into the injection rings of the lauter tun, for example, with the help brought a flow heater to the required post-pour temperature of 78 to 80 ° C. Got to this temperature the brewing water in the lauter tun to leach the spent grains. The resulting smooth water is pumped out of the Collecting pipe taken from the lauter tun and expediently via a water flow meter with control valve to the mashing-in tank brought and mixed there with the coarse dry meal or wet meal.

Since it is useful to avoid fines when grinding

at least to use wet meal can / a part of the smooth water branched off in front of the mashing tank and into one via an adjustable water flow meter with control valve Conditioner under vacuum, in which the malt is moistened before grinding.

The malt is removed from the malt silo in the usual way in the desired and adjustable composition, cleaned and polished and dedusted and then into the process in a quantitative manner depending on the amount of brewing water supplied to the process introduced.

As the mashing tank, if a pre-mashing device and / or a Conditioning apparatus is used, these also work under vacuum, the malt comes from the metering device via a Sluice either directly into the gristle mill or, better still, into the conditioning apparatus beforehand, in order to, as mentioned above, to be moistened with part of the smooth water.

The conditioning device, which is under vacuum, expediently has a servo controller for the discharge device With the help of which the moistened malt is fed to the grist mill in a controlled amount. Because the conditioning device is under vacuum, the regulated amount of water is quickly absorbed by the already hygroscopic malt and evenly distributed throughout the grain. The amount of water supplied here is adjustable and depends on the subsequent grist mill and the type of grist you want. In the case of dry meal, only as much water is added as

is required for conditioning. With wet meal you can go up to full flooding.

As a grist mill you can choose between a six-roll mill as a dry grist mill or a wet grist mill of the usual type be used.

After leaving the grist mill, the malt grist is appropriately mashed in a pre-mash, which is open or under vacuum can happen.

The subsequent mashing-in takes place under vacuum, so that it is advisable to also use the pre-mash and, if necessary, the Let the grist mill work under vacuum.

The pneumatic suction transport, the malt conditioning device, the pre-mash tank and the mash-in tank can be connected to a common vacuum source can be connected. If you want to make the mash extremely low in air, you can do it before Entry into the mash vessels still pass through a trickle condenser, which is also connected to the same vacuum source can be.

From the mashing tank, the mash arrives at the mashing plant, depending on the number of mash varieties desired, from three or four or possibly more mash vessels may exist, which work in a known manner at increasing temperatures.

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According to the invention, these mash vessels are continuously from run through the mash. This is expediently done by initially using the mash from above through a rotating downpipe an essentially elliptical cross-section to the bottom of the mash vessels and outside the downpipe again upwards rises in order to be removed from the respective mash vessel during this upward course - the rotating downpipes with an essentially elliptical cross-section hold the mash

in suspension and thus extend their residence time in the respective mash vessel.

To avoid contact of the mash with air, it is advisable to close the mash vessels until the mash overflows to fill. The mash vessels are expediently cylindrical and closed at the top with a lid which is designed as an antechamber is. At the highest point this antechamber has an overflow, its bottom is funnel-shaped and ends, for example in a ball ring, which is the upper bearing for the rotating downpipe. At the lower end, the latter can be in one spherical socket bearings be stored. This storage causes that neither axial displacements nor expansions affect the storage and function of the downpipe. The drive of the downpipe can be done from below by means of a geared motor that transfers the movement to the downpipe via a fork.

The mash is fed through a Mohno pump that acts as a sluice Tangentially introduced into the antechamber of the first mash vessel and more slowly through the slowly rotating downpipe

Rotational movement held. It is useful to use light, predominantly fat-bearing components at the upper end of the Mash vessel, as may also be withdrawn later at the upper end of the lauter tun. The rotation of the downpipe is set in such a way that the mash is kept in suspension, but not mixed. For the mashing processes it is sufficient that such speed differences between the heavy parts of the thick mash and the dissolved wort occur that the liquid with the dissolved extract parts migrates faster upwards than the heavier undissolved parts or non-detachable parts.

It is practical if there are extraction devices at different heights on the mash vessel, which are located in a common collecting pipe open and each contain valves. With these extraction devices, the mashing time for the thick mash can go through premature removal from the mash vessel can be shortened in order to remove the thick mash prematurely from the influence of the enzymes.

The pump downstream of each mash vessel conveys the mash via a flow heater or a mixer, if necessary into the antechamber of the following mash vessel and from the last one Mash vessel to the lauter tun.

Since the mash vessels work in a known manner with temperatures increasing from mash vessel to mash vessel, the mash must heated before entering the next mash vessel

will. When using the infusion process, it is sufficient to pass the mash through a flow heater to open it up to bring the next higher temperature level. When using the decoction process, the mash peel becomes a mash cooker downstream, which takes part of the mash at the end of the last mash vessel, boils and then over a Pump redistributed to the various inlets to the mash vessels. By controlling the amount of cooking mash added the temperature required for the subsequent mashing stage is reached.

The mashing temperature after the last mashing vessel may, however are not produced by cooking mash, so that a flow heater should be switched on here.

The mash goes from the last mash vessel to the lauter tun or, if several lauter tuns connected in parallel are used, to a mash distributor and from there to the individual lauter tuns.

The lauter tuns used according to the invention are at least a funnel-shaped baffle divided into an upper space for drawing off the first wort and a lower sedimentation space with injection rings. Both the upper room to draw off the first wort and the sedimentation space are in turn preferably through funnel-shaped baffles divided into several chambers.

The lauter tuns that can be used are those listed in the

DE-OS 28 49 956 are described. The content of this DE-OS is also made the subject of the present application.

As far as the upper space for drawing off the first wort and / or the sedimentation space through funnel-shaped baffles in If several chambers are divided, there is an injection ring in each of these chambers, and leads from each of these chambers a discharge line to a collecting pipe for the refills or for smooth water. In the upper room or headboard are for example three chambers accommodated for the extraction of first wort. The mash inlet is in the top chamber or several tangential inlet nozzles. At the highest point of this chamber there is preferably an overflow for Batter "

The injection ring with the preheated brewing water is located in the area of the transition from one chamber to the other is injected into the mash in order to dilute it and to facilitate the separation of the wort from the spent grains.

In the sedimentation space below there are, for example, three to three to seven superimposed chambers arranged, which in turn in the area of the transition from one chamber to another an injection ring is assigned. In addition, every chamber has this area as well as every chamber of the room for extraction the first wort a device for removing additional pouring. The castings drawn from the various chambers are stored in united in a collecting pipe. The refills are made with the

OR (GINAL INSPECTED

the wort mixed. This mixture, which is known as lauter wort is fed to the wort copper.

In the lower area of the sedimentation chamber of the lauter tun, smooth water is drawn off, which is at least partly from the mashing tank is supplied in the manner described above. It should be noted that, if necessary, to regulate the inflow on Mashing tank a small part of the brewing water is also introduced directly into the mashing tank together with the smooth water can be if so desired.

A part of the withdrawn smooth water can be used either for that which enters the lauter tun at the upper end To dilute the mash or to be fed to the injection rings. It is therefore advisable to use part of the smooth water to recycle to the lauter tun, this recycled part optionally between the first and second chambers in the Space for withdrawing the first wort is injected via the injection rings there.

The overflow of the Ammeirohres for the refills can also how the first wort deductions are adjusted after turbidity. The second wort should have the same degree of cloudiness as the first wort deduction to have.

The last smooth water emerging from the sedimentation space is always expediently circulated. At the bottom of the The spent grains are collected in the last chamber of the sedimentation room and fed to a discharge device.

As in the case of the lauter tun according to DE-OS 28 49 956, it is useful in the sedimentation space of the lauter tun To pump additional water and / or smooth water from at least one level to a higher level.

In a further development of the lauter tuns described in DE-OS 28 49 956, it is useful if the mash in these is introduced tangentially at the upper end and if in each chamber of the upper space for the withdrawal of the first wort and of the underlying sedimentation space, the injection rings are designed so that they the brewing water up into the Inject device. The lauter tun is expedient by means of several conical guide plates arranged one above the other and inclined from the lauter tun wall towards the baffles funnel-shaped baffles divided, the only passage for spent grains from one chamber to the other is an annular slot is between the conical and the funnel-shaped baffle. The injection rings are immediately below this Ring slots arranged and spray the water in the direction of the underside of the respective funnel-shaped guide plate, whereby the separation of the spent grains from the wort is facilitated.

As mentioned, the lauter wort is fed to a single-stage or multi-stage wort kettle, which is kept at 140 C or several Steps at 100 C works. According to the invention works Wort kettle under pressure.

Each evaporator vessel of the wort kettle can expediently consist of a vertical evaporator tube into which the superheated Wort in the lower third is introduced through a mixing and blowing nozzle. In the lower third of the evaporator tube a lively vortex flow is created, through which the wort supplied is circulated several times through the evaporation zone. That The mixture of wort and steam then rises in the evaporator tube and enters a cylindrical evaporation chamber, in which steam and wort separate. The steam flows into the vapor condenser, which is located next to the evaporation pipe evaporated wort collects in a surrounding the evaporator tube Return pipe. The flow pattern of such an evaporator corresponds to the flow pattern of a fire pan or the Feukon (fire convection) pan developed from it. the Collected wort then flows directly or through one of the intermediate flow heaters to the next in the same way working evaporator stage.

It is no longer possible to vaporize in the individual evaporation stages than heat is removed by the capacitors. It is advisable to regulate when using a multi-stage Wort kettle the amount of cooling water flowing through the respective condenser.

When the wort is heated to 45 C, evaporation of 7 to 8% can be achieved. If the amount of evaporation is to go beyond this, an intermediate heater is switched on.

The lauter wort coming from the lauter tun is first provided with the required hops and then appropriately in indirect heat exchange through one or more of the condensers attached to the evaporation vessels, in which a Preheating takes place. The preheated wort is then in a flow heater to the intended temperature of about 140 C heated. The intensive cooking enables the cooking time to be shortened to a maximum of 30 minutes and causes coagulation and peeling of the proteins and results in fire-bright seasonings.

After leaving the appropriately multi-stage wort kettle, spent grains and hot lees are separated in a suitable separating device separated from the wort, after which the wort is fed to the cooling system will. The cooling is expediently carried out in a vacuum evaporation cooler which, in principle, is like the evaporator of the The wort kettle is constructed and has a condenser. With such cooling under vacuum, the desired pitch temperatures in the range of 12 ° C can be easily achieved with a three-stage cooling system. The condenser is cooled As stated above, expediently by passing through the brewing water, which is both for the condensers of the cooling system as also applies to the condensers of the wort kettle.

The vacuum evaporation coolers provide various advantages, such as smell and taste improvement and ease of use Cleaning, as there are no heating or cooling surfaces on which sediment could be deposited.

In the vacuum evaporation cooler, the in the entering Wort still from the wort kettle is used to heat some of the water contained in the wort under vacuum to evaporate, whereby the wort cools. The evaporated water, known as vapor or vapor, is in deposited in the condenser of the vacuum evaporation cooler and reused as vapor condensate. The amount of this Evaporated water must already be contained in the hot wort and is usually added to the lauter tun as an increased amount of water added. This in turn improves the leaching of the spent grains and thus the yield. Instead, you can The increased evaporation of the wort in a vacuum can be used to increase the concentration of the pitch wort. The vaporized one The amount of water can be around 17%. Depending on the initial situation, the extract concentration can be adjusted using vacuum evaporation cooling increase in the pitching wort to 15 to 18 Pl.

The cold one coming from the cooling system via a Mohno pump Wort is now intensively aerated in preparation for fermentation. For this purpose, sterile air or optionally Air with the addition of CO "supplied. The ones with air enriched wort is fed to a sediment separator, in which possibly still contained heavy parts are separated.

The pitch wort intended for fermentation can also be continuous be mixed with yeast. For this purpose, part of the wort can be withdrawn from the wort line via a bypass flow and a

Yeast preparation and dispensing vessel are supplied. One of the supplied The corresponding amount of wort mixed with yeast flows from the upper outlet of the vessel back into the main stream. Such a supply of yeast significantly shortens the fermentation period.

The yeast growing and dispensing apparatus works appropriately in the circulation process, so that under the action of the amount of wort supplied via a pump and a propellant nozzle and the added compressed air part of the wort is circulated through the vessel. This creates a lively yeast formation promoting Move.

With reference to the drawing, the invention will now be illustrated using an embodiment of the method according to the invention further explained. In the drawing means

Fig. 1a and Fig. 1b taken together in a schematic representation the sequence of the method according to the invention according to one embodiment and

Fig. 2 shows an appropriate embodiment of the lauter tun for the use in the method according to the invention.

It should be noted that in Figures 1a and 1b for ease of understanding numerous details such as Temperature sensors, circuit lines controlled by these and the like. Have been omitted insofar as these devices are not necessary for an understanding of the invention.

At 1, the brewing water enters the process via pump 2 and at 3, malt enters the process. The brewing water passes through the lock 4 and the flow meter 5 in a process section under vacuum. With the help of the flow meter 5 the tipping bucket 6 is automatically controlled so that depending on the amount of brewing water introduced, the required The amount of malt is fed into the process. The malt arrives from the automatically controlled tipping weigher 6 via the ejector 7 and the lock 8 in the conditioning device 9, in which the malt is moistened with smooth water from the line 10. The outlet from the conditioning device 9 is controlled with the aid of a servo controller 11.

The moistened malt comes from the conditioning device 9 via a conveyor 12 in the grist mill 13 and is there ground to the required grain size. The malt grist passes through the grist box 14 and the lock 15 the pre-mash tank 16, which is the main part via line 17 of the smooth water is supplied. Via line 18 with valve 19 a stream of air can be introduced into the shot box, to prevent the malt grist from sticking.

From the pre-mashing container 16, the malt arrives in the mashing-in container 20 and from there via line 21 with the Mohno pump 22 into the degasser 23 and from there via line 24 into the antechamber 25 of the first mash vessel 26. The mash arrives from the antechamber 25 via a rotating downpipe 27 with im substantial elliptical cross-section in the outer area

of the mash vessel 26 and rises up there. The rotating downpipe 27 serves to bring the mash into the mash vessel 26 in to keep the balance. The lines 28 and 29 with valves serve to reduce the dwell time of the thick mash in the mash vessel 26 to be abbreviated. The thin mash enters the collecting pipe through line 30, as does the thick mash previously drawn off From there some can be returned to the bottom of the mash vessel 26 via line 32, the rest goes via the pump and the line 34 to the mash vessel 35 and after leaving it to the mash vessel 36, which in the same way as the Mash vessel 26, however, work at higher temperatures in each case.

Each of the mash vessels has an outlet 37 at the top or 38 or 39 for removing light, predominantly fat-bearing components.

The mash leaving the mash vessel 36 via line 40 and pump 41 partly goes via line 42 to the lauter tun and partly via the pump 43 to the flow heater 44 and from there to the mash boiler 45. Leaves at about 100 ° C

the mash the mash cooker 45 via line 46 and pump 47

goes
and / via the lines 48, 49 and 50 each with a valve to the amount of mash that enters the mash vessel 35, the mash vessel 36 or the line 42 in order to heat this mash for the subsequent process stage.

From the line 42, the mash arrives at the upper end in the lauter tun 43, where it tangentially enters the uppermost chamber of the enters the upper space to remove the first wort. construction

and the function of the lauter tun are illustrated in FIG. 2 explained in more detail.

The spent grains separated from the wort in the lauter tun emerges from the lauter tun through line 44 via pump 45. It is conveyed by conveying devices not shown, such as a spent grain conveyor screw, which is designed as a press screw, removed from the proceedings.

The lauter tun emerges via lines 46 and 47 First wort and enters the overflow lauter regulator 48. Through the lines 49 to 52, refills emerge from the lauter tun 43 and collect in the collecting line 54, from where they get to the overflow-refining regulator 48 and in it be mixed with the first wort and produce the lauter wort.

The smooth water emerging from the lauter tun via line 53 goes through line 55 with its main part into the line 56 and via the heat exchanger 57, the flow regulator 58, the flow heater 59 and the lock 60 into the line 10, from where it enters the conditioning device 9 for moistening the malt.

The lauter wort arrives from the overflow / lauter regulator 48 the funnel-shaped container 61 in which your hops are added. The mixture arrives via line 62 with pump 63 of lauter wort and hops in the condenser 64 of the first

Level 65 of the wort boiler to be preheated in indirect heat exchange. Via line 68, the water heater 69 and the heat holder 70, the mixture enters the evaporator tube via a downwardly directed mixing and driving nozzle 71 of the first stage of the wort boiler and from there with a lively vortex flow into the evaporation zone 72 of this stage. The steam flows into the next to the evaporator tube 71 condenser 64, where it releases heat by indirect Heat exchange with the mixture of wort and hops coming from line 62 is condensed. At 73 the condensate derived. The wort leaves the first stage of the wort boiler via line 73 and arrives via line 74 and a upwardly directed mixing and propellant nozzle in the second stage 67 of the wort boiler, which with its condenser in the same The way the first stage works, with the exception that brewing water is passed through the condenser tubes of the condenser 66 flows, as will be shown on the basis of the brewing water path.

It should be emphasized that the wort boiler works under pressure.

The wort comes out of the wort boiler via lines 75 and 76 to a separating device 77, which is only indicated schematically and can have different designs. In this Separation device, which can be a whirlpool, for example, is used to separate hops spent grains and hot trub. This separator 77 can also be followed by a sludge separator (not shown).

Since the wort boiler works under pressure, but the subsequent cooling system works under vacuum, the separating device 77 upstream of a Mohno pump 78, which acts like a pressure lock works.

From the separating device 77 the wort passes into the two-stage vacuum evaporation cooler 78, which is constructed similarly to the wort boiler and contains an evaporator tube, an upper evaporation zone and a tubular condenser in each stage. The vacuum evaporation cooler 78 uses the heat content of the wort to remove further water from the wort by means of a vacuum. The wort cooled and concentrated in this way passes via line 79 from the first stage to the second stage of the vacuum evaporation cooler and via line 80 and pump 81 to an aeration nozzle 82, with the aid of which sterile air or, if necessary, air with the addition of CO _? is introduced. From there, the wort passes through the cooling trub separator 83, which in turn can be designed in different ways and is only indicated schematically.

After passing through the cooling trub separator, the wort is fed to the yeast growing and dispensing device 84, which is a cooled one The tank is fed with CO at 85 and old yeast at 86 is removed. With the help of the level regulator 87, the outlet from the yeast growing and dispensing device is controlled. This The outlet reaches the fermentation tanks via lines 88 and 89 and thus leaves the method according to the invention.

If one now looks at the path of the brewing water that enters the process at 1 and via the lock 4 and the flow meter 5 has passed into the line 90, it can be seen that it is from there into the sprinkler degasser operating under vacuum 91 arrives, where all of the brewing water is effectively degassed. Passes through the heat exchanger 57 the brewing water into the line 92 and from there through the condenser tubes of the vacuum evaporation cooler 78, via line 93 through the condenser tubes of the second stage 6 7 of the wort boiler, via line 94 through the flow heater 95 in the distributor line 96 and from there via the valved lines 100 to 106 into the injection rings of the various chambers of the lauter tun 43. Via the line 97, a part of the brewing water can also come from the line 92 directly bypassing the condensers of the vacuum evaporation cooler and the wort boiler to the flow heater 95 or get past this directly into the line 96.

As mentioned above, the majority of the smooth water goes from the lauter tun 43 into the line 56. A part of the But smooth water can also be returned to the lauter tun 43 through line 98, either through line 99 to be mixed with the mash in line 42, or via lines 100 to 106 to get into the injection rings of the lauter tun.

In Fig. 2, a vertical section is now in detail an expedient embodiment of the lauter tun

ORlGINAL INSPECTED

represents. This consists of a cylindrical housing 107 with a plurality of funnel-shaped guide plates 108 arranged one above the other and fastened to the housing with upward judge tip and funnel-shaped baffles 109 surrounding the funnel-shaped baffles 108. Between Guide plates 108 and 109 are formed in annular passage slots 116.

Via the manifold 110 and the mouth openings 112 the mash enters the uppermost chamber 122 tangentially, which at its highest point has an overflow 120 for batter Has. From the uppermost chamber 122, first wort is converted via line 111 deducted. The spent grain components slide on the guide plate 109 to the annular slot 116 and thus get into the underlying sedimentation space, which is repeated in each chamber.

First wort is also withdrawn via line 113, which is mixed with that from line 111 and passed through the sight glass 121. The second from the top is funnel-shaped The baffle 108 with the tip pointing upwards thus forms that funnel-shaped baffle which the lauter tun divided into an upper room for removing the first wort and a sedimentation room below.

Topping up is made via line 123 and smooth water via line 118 deducted. The spent grain components separated from the wort leave the lauter tun through the discharge pipe 119.

Brewing water is introduced through the lines 114 and sprayed out via the injection rings 115 through nozzles 117 in such a way that the jets are directed upwards to the passage slot 116
are directed. This injection promotes the separation of the spent grains from the wort according to the principle that is described in detail in DE-OS 28 49 956.

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Claims (16)

Dr. Hans-Heinrich Willrath for Dr. Dieter Weber Diploma in Phys. Klaus Seiffert PATENTANWÄLTE D - 6200 WIESB Postfach 6145 Gusray-Freycag-Siraße 25 & (0 6121) 37 27 20 Telegram address: WILLPATENT Telex: 4-186 247 Dr. Wf Georg Kraus 6200 Wiesbaden, Am Melonenberg 10 Contextual process for the production of wort Patent claims: 1. Continuous process for the production of wort with mashing, mashing, lautering, cooking and cooling of the lauter wort, characterized in that one a) Malt and smooth water from the lauter tun in coordinated quantities continuously under vacuum leads through at least one mash-in container (16, 20), b) the mash continuously at least three in series, with increasing temperatures working mash vessels (26, 35, 36) run through c) the mash continuously into the space (122) for drawing] Postal check: Frankfurt / Main 67 63-602 Bank: Dresdner Bank AG, Wiesbaden, account no. 276 807 the first wort one through at least one funnel-shaped guide plate (108) into this upper space and introduces and exits a lower sedimentation space with lauter tuns (43) divided by injection rings (115) draws off the first wort from the upper space, the spent grains through a passage slot (116) from the upper space in transferred to the sedimentation room, in cocurrent to topping up water with wort extraction to the bottom of the lauter tun drops and withdraws from there, d) essentially the entire amount of brewing water, matched to the amount of malt used, into the injection rings (115) of the sedimentation area of the lauter tun (43) introduces, e) Continuous pouring from the upper end of the sedimentation space the lauter tun (43) is drawn off and mixed with the first wort, f) smooth water continuously from the lauter tun (43) to the mashing tank (16, 20) and there mixed with the malt and g) continuously supplies the lauter wort consisting of the first wort and topping up to the wort kettle (65, 67) and heated in it under pressure. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the brewing water prior to mashing in total under vacuum (at 91) degassed. 3. The method according to claim 1 and 2, characterized in that the malt after weighing (at 6) before grinding (at 13) moistened under vacuum (at 9). 4. The method according to claim 1 to 3, characterized in that in the mash vessels (26, 35, 36) with the mash With the help of a rotating downpipe (27) with an essentially elliptical cross-section, it is suspended. 5. The method according to claim 1 to 4, characterized in that the mash vessels (26, 35, 36) are avoided a contact with air fills with mash until it overflows. 6. The method according to claim 1 to 5, characterized in that that the dwell time of the thick mash in the mash vessels (26, 36, 36) by pulling it off prematurely (at 28, 29) shortened. 7. The method according to claim 1 to 6, characterized in that in the sedimentation space of the lauter tun (43) Subsequent watering and / or smooth water is pumped from at least one level to a higher level, 8. The method according to claim 1 to 7, characterized in that the wort after leaving the wort kettle (at 75) cools in a vacuum evaporation cooler (78). 9. The method according to claim 1 to 8, characterized in that the brewing water before introduction into the lauter vat (43) in indirect heat exchange through the condensers of the cooling system (78) and the wort kettle (67) leads-. 10. The method according to claim 1 to 9, characterized in that that when using a multi-stage wort kettle (65, 67) the associated condenser (64, 66) Regulated flow of cooling water. 11. The method according to claim 1 to 10, characterized in that that one part of the smooth water (over 98) to the injection rings (115) of the sedimentation chamber of the lauter tun. 12. The method according to claim 1 to 11, characterized in that that one at the upper end of the mash vessels (at 37, 38, 39) and / or the lauter tun (at 120) light, predominantly removes fat-bearing components. 13. The method according to claim 1 to 12, characterized in that that the mash after the mash vessels (26, 35, 36) by flow heater or the addition of cooking mash (at 48, 49, 50) is heated. 14. The method according to claim 1 to 13, characterized in that that part of the smooth water is returned to the injection rings of the lauter tun (at 98). 15. The method according to claim 1 to 14, characterized in that that the lauter wort in a lower part of a cylindrical cooking space (71) of the wort boiler through a mixing and propellant nozzle and is circulated several times through this nozzle and then at the upper edge of the cooking space (71) into the evaporation chamber via an annular slot (72) of the wort boiler occurs that the foam formation is broken up by boiling liquid sprayed on it and the vapor enters the condenser space (64) without foam. 16. The method according to claim 1 to 15, characterized in that that the wort is between a first (65) and a second (67) stage of the wort boiler so that the evaporation in the wort kettle is increased by an adjustable amount.