Water treatment for brewing process purposes.

Mailer, A., Peel, R.G., Theaker, P.D. and Ravindran, R.

Abstract
Experiences are outlined within breweries of the Elders Brewing Group in Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom, with various methods of treating mains water to achieve the best water quality for all brewing purposes. Examples are given for sand filtration, activated carbon treatment, ion exchange and reverse osmosis. For ion exchange plants selection of resins, regeneration chemical and processes, pH control of treated water and system economics are discussed. Operating problems relating to water treatment sterility, flavour and organic contamination removal, pick up of resin flavour and plant running are assessed. Selection of equipment is influenced by capital and operating costs of inlet water cost and quality, treated water specification, available effluent treatment facilities, plant maintenance, materials replacement, energy utilisation and resin selection.
Keywords : brewery brewing costs equipment filtration ion exchange purification water