Modern continuously controlled beer carbonating systems for new brewing techniques

Wieland, D.

Abstract
The advent of large fermentation and storage vessels has accentuated the age old problem of maintaining the final CO₂ content of beer at a constant level for a long period of time. Recently new techniques for CO₂ addition and control have been introduced into a number of European breweries which have yielded previously unattainable results and in particular have significantly reduced the deviation of the CO₂ level from the set-point. The CarboJET jet carbonator which works on the Bunsen burner principle is described and illustrated. It is claimed that it will completely dissolve CO₂ into beer in just over one second provided that the gas pressure is 15 p.s.i. greater than that of the beer. One unit in a U.K. Brewery is currently coping with a throughput of 1600 hl/h and the CO₂ is completely dissolved 2.5 m downstream of the addition point. To maintain a constant CO₂ level, the carbonated beer must be accurately measured and measured continuously. To achieve a high degree of accuracy the CO₂ content of the beer should be measured just after the gas has dissolved completely as there should be no turbulance nor visible gas bubbles at this point. Consequently the CO₂ addition and measurement points should be as close as possible. Optimum control is achieved when the CO₂ level is measured continuously. A continuous sampler for CO₂ in beer is described and illustrated. The output from the Sampler is fed to a mini-computer which controls the rate of CO₂ addition. In conclusion, the extent of fluctuations from the desired CO₂ level is considerably reduced by using the system outlined in the paper, by maintaining the CO₂ addition and sampling points as close as possible and by continuously sampling the carbonated beer.
Keywords: beer carbon dioxide carbonation