Horace Brown Article

all, they are particularly prone to the The pythons used at the accumulation of bacteria and micro Brewing Industry organisms on the inner surface, thus International Awards at requiring weekly cleaning, which in Drinktec last year to turn leads to a shorter service life. cool beer to over 100 Valpar’s polyethylene (MDP) pipes taps. are manufactured using single layer virgin materials and prove better suited to beer dispensing applications than EVA or PVC, despite the fact that they require weekly sanitation due to their limited resistance to bacteria and yeast accumulation. Valpar’s more recent Brewmaster product range was created as a result of collaborating with a number of leading international breweries with the aim of obtaining the ideal tube ambient temperature. Heat gain condensation protection up to 70% for beer dispense. Brewmaster entering a python can be controlled relative humidity whereas for 80% tubing consists of three layers, the by the insulation thickness. The two humidity 19mm insulation is innermost one manufactured in ultra- main issues to be considered when required. It is therefore essential to smooth nylon, similar to glass, which selecting insulation thickness are assess the average temperature and guarantees a fresher tasting product. heat gain and condensation control. humidity of the area where the Thus it is also possible to extend the Standard choices of insulation python is to be installed. cleaning cycle, as the smooth inner thickness for pythons are 13mm or There are a number of different lining reduces bacterial and yeast 19mm. For some special wrappings used throughout the growth on the tube surface. applications, such as very high industry to protect the insulated Brewmaster pipes are also ambient temperatures and humidity product. PVC tape outer protection characterised by lower gas- conditions, 25mm and 32mm has been the industry norm for many permeability, another attribute in insulation can also be used. More years, but Valpar have recently maintaining beer quality. The insulation gives lower dispense introduced EasyFit pythons which contact layer of Valpar beverage temperatures, i.e. colder beer; it also are manufactured with a low friction tubings complies with EU food means a lower load on the cooler, reinforced tough outer jacket that contact legislation. resulting in less breakdowns. does not crush the insulation, making The outside of the wrapped tubing Sufficient insulation is also the python more energy efficient and G If you require any further cluster is covered by flexible closed- applied to prevent condensation on much less likely to be damaged information on any of our cell foam insulation. The low the python’s surface. For example in during installation. Every customer products, please visit the company’s website on thermal conductivity of the an ambient temperature of 25°C, a who has used this revolutionary www.valpar.co.uk or insulation is used to reduce heat typical python with 13mm insulation product has been impressed by the telephone Valpar on absorption from the surrounding and line temperature of 2°C will give difference. I +44 (0) 28 9145 4544. Automated beer line cleaning There are significant benefits to be rotated to relieve the bar person of the need to plunge gained from installing efficient the glass over it. automated beer line cleaning Nowadays, most bars have glass cleaning machines equipment – why then is the take up of which, provided the correct cleaning fluid is used, produce a crystal clean glass every time. Using a cloth these systems so slow? to dry glasses is discouraged due to possible unhygienic nature of the cloths and head negative effects from the By Paul Buttrick tea towel detergent. Using detergent and rinse-aids keep Beer Dimensions glasses in good condition and a renovating agent can be used to bring older stained glasses back up to standard. So, that’s where we were with glass washing not so o you remember the rotating rubber cacti in the old many years ago. It seems that beer line cleaning remains D days of glass cleaning? Do you remember when in the ‘rubber cactus’ era. Cleaning beer lines is often a you went to a pub and hung on to your own glass for the manual task involving making up chemical solutions in evening? I can’t really remember why, but it might have plastic bottles and soaking lines for a pre-determined, been something to do with the soupy liquid and alien but often arbitrary period. (Fig.1 & 2) cactus shaped rubber object stuck to the bottom of the Account owners and managers can have different sink that was used to ‘clean’ glasses. It got even more approaches to ensure beer quality and hence maximising interesting later when the said rubber cacti actually their profitability. The BREWER & DISTILLER • Volume 2 • Issue 8 • August 2006 • www.ibd.org.uk 25 DISPENSE “There is often a • ‘We must get as much revenue well designed systems reduce up of yeast and other material on the suspicion of new from our stock as possible, accident risk to staff from chemical inside of beer pipes. Chemical technology, wastage must be minimised, it spillage and splashes. (Fig 4 & 5) methods largely mimic manual especially anything is the ‘brewery’ who are Improved protection for customers – chemical cleaning, although that is ‘computer responsible for ensuring the well designed systems reduce the different companies apply different controlled’. Some beer served to our customers is risk of contaminated beer. techniques to the way they control users have had poor always of a high standard’ the clean (Fig. 7), and a number are experiences in the - OR Why is automated beer line using ‘sensors’/analysers to do this. past and are • ‘The beer we get from the cleaning not being more widely Both techniques have their merits, reluctant to repeat brewery is always high quality adopted? although I would say that true and we must make sure that it Automatic equipment has been cleaning and sterilisation can only them.” is always served in first class developed by a number of be achieved using specifically condition – this means that we companies, but why with all the formulated line cleaning solutions. must make sure the cellar and benefits claimed, have only about Perhaps the ‘Rolls Royce’ of line beer lines are kept clean. If we 4% of accounts adopted this cleaning equipment would include serve excellent quality beer, we technology and what can both, but it would no doubt be at the will sell more and increase the manufacturers do to increase their top end of the price range. reputation and success of our sales? business’. Unsuccessful trials It may not be official policy, but Reports of ‘unreliable It is easier to agree to carry out a different companies and individuals technology’ trial on a piece of equipment than to tend to follow one of these There is often a suspicion of new reach an appropriate result and strategies. It would seem sensible to technology, especially anything that conclusion. Where many go wrong use modern technology to get the is ‘computer controlled’. Some users is that protocols are not agreed best solution. Automatic cleaning have had poor experiences in the before a trial starts, and there is and sterilising of equipment in past and are reluctant to repeat them. insufficient or poor review of the breweries and food factories has Manufacturers must therefore make trial results afterwards. If there is no been the norm for many years now, their equipment foolproof and give agreed end to a trial and review of but automatic beer line cleaning clear easily understood instructions results against a set success criteria, (Fig 3) in the trade has been slow to especially of what to do if a problem then customers are far less likely to develop. With expectations of beer occurs. Easily understandable invest. Figure 1 below: quality and food hygiene rising, feedback (Fig 6) and records of Diagram showing a account managers and owners could cleans are also useful. Many Poor return on investment typical manual line do well to consider how they can get problems are made worse by a lack Whether the installation is based on cleaning system the best results. of understanding, with button a capital or leasing basis it is incorporating a pushing and fiddling making things important to be realistic in terms of a cleaning bottle in the In an ideal world, what does a worse – I’m sure many brewers return on investment, because left of the cellar area properly set up, well designed remember the early days of CIP and benefits may not be immediately and use of buckets for automated system give? the ‘jabbing finger’ and ‘tweak it obvious to the account holder, collecting solutions in Improved beer quality leads to with a screwdriver’ syndrome. especially to start with. There is an the bar increased sales – consistently well expectation that beer savings will – Diagram supplied by The cleaned lines will improve beer very quickly cover the costs, this is Beer Piper Company. Confusion and debate on how quality. automated systems work – not as easily accounted for as first Figure 2 below right: A Automation frees up staff – staff ‘Interference’ v ‘chemical’ thought, and are only part of the typical plastic bottle released from the tie of manual cleaning methods benefits obtained. used for manual line systems can carry out other It is claimed that using cleaning of beer lines. important work. ‘interference’ methods, for example, Staff time saving not realised Cleaning solution is Reduced beer losses – automation electromagnetic devices, enable the Beer line cleaning is carried out by ‘made up’in the bottle enables beer losses from traditional time between cleans to be reduced working staff, not managers and and pushed into the beer “manual” cleaning systems to be significantly by reducing the build investors, therefore, the value of line using gas pressure controlled and reduced.

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