After start-up of the factory, two brews of 100 hl each are to be produced per day. NESSIE allows for high original wort concentrations of 20 percent or even more: “This is optimal for the whisky production process and provides us with all the freedom we want”, says Björn Stegemeyer, who, with his company HanseBev, was commissioned with the planning and project design. Furthermore, NESSIE worts supply the yeast with important nutrients, resulting in a fast fermentation and a high final degree of fermentation. Due to the very compact design, NESSIE requires little space in the building. The decision in favour of T-REX was taken due to its attractive economic efficiency compared to other mill systems and the optimal grist composition for the NESSIE operation.

“We are pleased that we were able to open up a new and extremely interesting field of application through the outstanding advantages of our innovative solutions, especially because the initiative for the cooperation came from the customer,” says Holger Wunsch, Sales Manager DACH and Eastern Europe at Ziemann Holvrieka GmbH. “We are sure that this grist and lautering system will optimize the process flows for many whisky producers. Everyone who is active in this beverage segment should deal with this technology.”

At the Dresdner Whisky Manufaktur UG, they are pleased to be able to rely on Ziemann Holvrieka GmbH with regard to the mash filtration: “In Dresden, we are planning not only the largest, but also the most modern distillery in the country. Due to the energy efficiency, the higher yield and the first-class support, we deliberately decided in favour of this cooperation”, says co-initiator Thomas Michalski.

With this award, dena honoured the sustainable energy savings, which have been achieved with the new brewhouse of the private brewery from Straubing. This new brewhouse was built in cooperation with Ziemann Holvrieka GmbH, Ludwigsburg in 2013. Due to the highly efficient brewhouse work with the Colibri, Lotus and Shark, the gravity conveyance due to the cascade construction as well as numerous other energy-optimized measures, the heat energy consumption decreased by more than 40 percent compared to the old brewhouse. The required electrical energy decreased by about 10 percent, while the yield increased by about three percent.

The German Energy Agency ‘dena’ was founded in autumn 2000 and is based in Berlin. dena’s shareholders are the Federal Republic of Germany, the KfW Group, Allianz SE, Deutsche Bank AG and DZ BANK AG.

‘dena’ supports the implementation of the energy turnaround in politics, economy and the society. An important element is the ‘Best Practice in Energy Efficiency’ label, which is granted for implemented energy efficiency measures, which have an exemplary character due to the effects achieved. The initiative ‘Energy Efficiency’ is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.

The first step towards an energy-autonomous brewery

The construction of the new brewhouse was the first step towards an ‘energy-autonomous brewery’. This concept was also developed in close cooperation with Ziemann Holvrieka and won the ‘Federal Award 2013 for Outstanding Innovative Craft Achievement’. The aim is to obtain the total primary energy of the Karmeliten Brauerei almost completely from renewable energy sources.

For this purpose, various actions and measures shall be implemented within the next 1.5 years. In March, for example, a biogas-driven micro gas turbine shall be installed for the electricity and heat generation. In addition, it is planned to use the solar-generated process heat for process steps with high heating temperatures, using Fresnel collectors. An absorption-type refrigeration system, with propane as a natural refrigerant, will additionally convert the low process heat, recovered from the solar thermal process, into process cold. Moreover, it is planned to use various storage facilities in order to buffer the excess heat and cold and to provide this energy in case of need. Another measure is to recover the process heat and to reuse it for the bottle cleaning, the brewing water heating and the heating of the building. Highly contaminated waste water shall be converted into biogas, which, in turn, shall be used within the brewery.

With this plan a total of approx. 1.4 million kilowatt hours of primary energy can be saved. Compared to the existing plant, this corresponds to a reduction potential of more than 30 percent. Thus, the CO₂ emissions can be reduced by approximately 900 tons per year. The Federal Environment Ministry supports this project with more than one million euros from the Environment Innovation Programme.

For Cervecería Centroamericana in Guatemala, beer is not only a beverage. It is a real passion. One visible expression of this philosophy are the architecture and the technological facilities of the brewery. Thus Guatemala City houses one of the world’s most beautiful brewhouses. It will be modernised this year, while at the same time extending the cellar area of the brewery.

But Cervecería Centroamericana is prepared to go further: Now a second, very modern brewhouse is to start operating; with the corresponding cold block adaptation, this will increase the capacity of the brewery to 4.3 million hl per year. As was the case with the existing brewhouse and the current extension, the corresponding order was once again awarded to Ziemann Holvrieka GmbH in Ludwigsburg.

The new brewhouse is to produce 12 brews a day, each of approximately 1,050 hl. It will be equipped with a mash tun with a Colibri agitator, a lauter tun, a Shark internal boiler and a whirlpool. Cervecería Centroamericana deliberately chose the variable Shark boiler in order to be able to produce various aroma profiles, ranging from “mild” to rather “edgy”. Other components of the order are a hop dosing plant and a CIP plant. The malt intake system will also be extended by adding the innovative T-Rex milling system.

Yet another feature is the hot water operation of the new brewhouse. This will provide Cervecería Centroamericana with the option of converting to sustainably generated energy such as solar thermal energy at any time.

The new cold block comprises eight cylindroconical fermentation tanks with a diameter of 7,200 mm and a capacity of 6,000 hl, which will be manufactured on site. All other tanks and the brewing vessels will be shipped to Guatemala from Bürgstadt. The fermentation tanks will be equipped with very light yet robust domed lids made of polyurethane. The order also includes a filtration line with a capacity of 500 hl/h, including stabilisation, and a yeast cellar with propagation.

The entire project will be handled by Ziemann Holvrieka on a turnkey basis, i.e. comprising engineering, production, transport, installation, pipework, automation and commissioning.

Tom Kehoe, founder and brewmaster of Yards Brewing Company, has decided to execute his new brewery project together with Ziemann Holvrieka GmbH. With the largest craft brewery in Philadelphia, the brewing technology specialist from Ludwigsburg, Germany, was able to win an important new customer.

Two Lotus lauter tuns for ultimate flexibility

The order placed with Ziemann Holvrieka includes one complete brewing line including the raw material handling. The brewhouse is designed for twelve brews per day. The planned cast out wort volume with an original wort content of 15.5° Plato amounts to 120 hectoliters per brew. The brewhouse will be equipped with the innovative mash agitator Colibri as well as with two Lotus lauter tuns with diameters of 2.3 and 4.8 meters. This dual solution allows Yards Brewing Company to effectively process even brews with a volume of less than 25 hectoliters or lauter a very strong brew simultaneously with two lauter tuns. For this purpose, Ziemann Holvrieka will also install an external wort boiler, which is ideally suited for small batches. Another special feature of the brewhouse is a fully automatic dosing system for cone hops. In addition, Ziemann Holvrieka will supply six cylindro-conical 1,000-hl tanks including dome covers and a catwalk system. A special feature of the tanks is that they will be installed at such a height that below the tanks there is space for a beer garden. Ziemann Holvrieka will also be responsible for the planning and supervision of the installation.

Tom Kehoe explains the decision in favor of Ziemann Holvrieka: “For the solution chosen by us, it was very important to visit reference breweries and during a test brew in their pilot brewery in Ludwigsburg, we could assess for ourselves the performance of their equipment and technology”. The shipment of the components took place beginning of July and the installation August / September 2017. The first brew in the new brewhouse of the Yards Brewing Company was already produced.

Experienced process and filling technology specialist will be the first point of contact in the future

In order to expand its presence on the Iberian Peninsula and thus to further optimize its sales structure, Ziemann Holvrieka GmbH has agreed a strategic partnership with Franz Scheck and his company BERITEIL IBERICA. BERITEIL IBERICA is a process and filling technology specialist for the brewing, beverage and liquid food industry, operating in Spain and Portugal. Scheck himself can draw on a wealth of experience gained over about one and a half decades as managing director of the Spanish branch of a well-known mechanical engineering company.

“For Ziemann Holvrieka, the Iberian Peninsula has traditionally been an important sales market. In addition to the well-known Global Players, strong regional companies and brands are present here, which meanwhile also have international importance but still operate from Spain or Portugal. With the competent and well networked partner BERITEIL IBERICA, we can now intensify the contact to all these customers even more”, explains Florian Schneider, Sales Director EMEA and APAC of Ziemann Holvrieka GmbH.

New segments will also benefit from this partnership, points out Florian Schneider: “BERITEIL IBERICA will, of course, access the portfolio of the entire group of companies. Take, for example, the growing craft beer scene. In this sector, our sister company DME Process Systems covers the area of very small brewhouses with extraordinarily attractive solutions.” BERITEIL IBERICA will serve the Iberian market from the Spanish capital Madrid.

“The decision in favor of the OMNIUM brewhouse is essentially based on the greater flexibility. The brewhouse tasks are divided into sub-processes and optimized accordingly. This allows us to work with a wider variety of raw materials, such as traditional cereals, which are nowadays considered to be less suitable for industrialized production processes”, explains the graduate engineer and brewmaster Dominik Eichhorn, who is responsible in the third generation for the fortunes of the family brewery.

The combination of creativity, variety and 400 years of brewing tradition is one of the central success factors of the brewery. Eichhorn points out: “Our aim is to brew beer varieties, which may have some rough edges in a positive sense and precisely for this reason impress and convince our customers. We gladly leave the production of replaceable mainstream beers to the industrial breweries.” With great success: the brewery not only wins loyal customers, but also renowned awards with its beers. The silver medal in the European Beer Star and the gold medal in the International Craft Beer Award for the wheat bock beer are just two examples. Currently, the consumers can choose from a complete range of eleven beer specialties, one mixed beer drink and fourteen non-alcoholic drinks from the brewery’s own production.

Best results in terms of yields and valuable ingredients

Eichhorn sees other important advantages with OMNIUM: “Among other things, we can intervene in the individual process steps in such a way that we achieve the best result for ourselves and our customers, both in terms of yields and in terms of valuable ingredients.” The OMNIUM brewhouse provides Eichhorn with the opportunity to compensate the increasing fluctuations in malt quality, mostly influenced by the climate.

The core component and centerpiece of the new brewhouse is the mash filtration process NESSIE by ZIEMANN, which was already presented at the BrauBeviale in 2016. The mash is separated into wort and spent grains in a continuous process and the extract is obtained by a target-oriented guiding of the generated flows. This results in a short process time and high yield efficiency. Another new development is the post-saccharification of wort ALADIN by ZIEMANN. The saccharification usually takes place exclusively during mashing. ALADIN takes into account the influence of the thermal boiling processes on the saccharification of the malt starch. As a result, the quality of the wort at the end of its production with malt enzymes is ensured. Another new development is the fractional wort boiling JANUS by ZIEMANN. A second boiling vessel takes up about 1/3 of the brew for separate hop isomerization. Only the partial flows of the NESSIE modules are used, which already have a reduced extract content and a slightly elevated pH value. In addition, this fraction includes many minerals, such as magnesium, and it forms less trub during the wort boiling. These are important factors, which demonstrably increase the hop yield. In the subsequent process steps, the formed wort fractions are again brought together and guided to the fermentation cellar with all maintained valuable ingredients.

Less space requirements and reduced costs for foundations

In addition to the technological advantages, there are also various advantages regarding the building design. The OMNIUM brewhouse has reduced space requirements and requires lower costs for the foundations due to the NESSIE design. This is another central argument for the brewery, since only in this way the new brewhouse can be implemented in a very compact new building, which was desired due to the limited space conditions.

In the OMNIUM brewhouse in Reckendorf, three brews per day, with 70 hl each, will be produced. In order to obtain the highest possible variability in terms of the brew sizes to be produced, Ziemann Holvrieka equips the wort kettle with an external boiler. The first brew is scheduled for the beginning of April 2018. The official inauguration will follow in July 2018.

Entering the unknown territory “beer”

Toshkentvino Kombinati, with its history of more than 150 years, originated from a winery on the banks of the Salar in Uzbekistan’s capital Tashkent. Today, 4 large wine and spirits factories and 12 wineries are part of the company, which produces award-winning white and red wines as well as vodka, cognac and soft drinks. Since 2012, a glassworks has been part of the company. “Due to the opportunities in the beer market, we have decided to diversify further and to build our own brewery,” says Mirabid Mahmudov, CEO of Toshkentvino Kombinati. “When we started to bring the idea of the brewery to life, we also visited the trade fair Drinktec, where Ziemann immediately convinced us with its products and services,” explains Mahmudov. The idea became concrete at the end of 2017, when the contract for the Greenfield project was signed. Ziemann Holvrieka acted as general contractor for the process technology sector, from the malt intake to the bottling plant, including all utilities. Toshkentvino Kombinati was responsible for construction and the buildings.

Zomin as a location and brand core

“We did not want to produce at our headquarters and deliver our products from there. Rather, we have chosen a region that is gaining in popularity among tourists and the local population: Zomin, the Switzerland of Uzbekistan,” recalls Mahmudov. The Zomin National Park (in Uzbek called “Zaamin”) is located about four hours by car from the capital Tashkent in the southeast of the country on the border with Tajikistan and has an area of about 480 km². Zomin is known as a climatic spa resort and for its unique flora and fauna. The national park is a popular recreation area for residents of the near and far surroundings. In addition, Zomin is located on the tourist route between Samarkand and Tashkent.

“We really wanted to use innovative brewing technology”

The Zomin region should not only be the location, but also form the core of the brand with its numerous positive associations. For this purpose, a corresponding product had to be developed, namely an all-malt beer with a German character, but without high gravity. “We did not just want to set new standards with our product in Uzbekistan, but we really wanted to use innovative brewing technology,” says Mahmudov. Toshkentvino Kombinati decided to equip its new brewery with a grist mill type T-Rex, a mash kettle with Colibri agitator, a Lotus lauter tun, an internal boiler Shark as well as the proven whirlpool Wortex with conical bottom, tangential inflow and various side and bottom outlets for hot trub separation. The brewhouse was designed for a maximum of 12 brews per day with a cast-out volume of 110 hl of hot wort.

For the cold block, Ziemann Holvrieka supplied the entire process pipework as well as a total of 16 fermentation and storage tanks, each with a volume of 1,050 hl. The interface to the bottling plant consists of four bright beer tanks, each with a volume of 510 hl. The tanks and the other plant components were transported to the construction site by ship and truck. The turnkey project also included the essential process components and utilities, such as filter and yeast propagation cellar, brewing water treatment, refrigeration plant as well as the CIP system for the brewhouse and cold block area. The new brewery was equipped with the process control system Braumat V7, whereby the media routes in the cold block area are defined by means of swivel bends.

Almost 3,000 kilometres to the nearest seaport

After extensive structural preparatory works, the actual implementation began in mid-2018. Components and materials had to be transported by land on the last nearly 3,000 kilometres, since neither Uzbekistan nor one of the neighbouring countries has a seaport. It was also clear that “Greenfield” really meant “on the green field”. The nearest small town is a few kilometres away. However, the associated logistical challenges were mastered by the Ziemann project management and the first brew was successfully produced on December 15, 2018.

Success proves the courage

The official inauguration ceremony took place on December 27, 2018, which was also reported on Uzbekistan television and other media. Since April 2019, the Zomin Pilsner with 12 % original wort, bottled in a green 0.5-litre glass bottle, has been available on the market. Its label proudly announces a brewing tradition “since 2018” that will hopefully last a long time. “The market response is consistently positive. We also have many interesting ideas on how we can further strengthen and expand our Zomin brand. Uzbeks and tourists can be equally excited,” concludes Mahmudov.

Innovative interpretations of Ales, Porters and Stouts based on the English model – these are the main pillars of Yards Brewing Company. The product range is completed with a high quality all malt lager and seasonal products such as a summer wheat beer flavored with citrus zests and innovative beer specialties such as the Chocolate Love Stout. A total of no less than 200 lb of dark Belgian chocolate is brewed for this purpose.

Once again, it started in a garage

he brewery was founded in 1994 by Tom Kehoe and Jon Bovit, both of whom were enthusiastic home brewers since 1988. Their first garage-sized brewhouse had an output of 3.5 bbl. By the end of 1996, Yards’ output had already grown to 800 bbl. In 1997, Kehoe and Bovit moved for the first time. The new brewery gave them the opportunity to bottle their beer. Until this time, Yards had delivered all the beer in barrels. In 1999, Bovit left the company. Since then, Kehoe has been President and brewmaster of the Yards Brewing Company as well as the brewery’s face and driving force. In 2001, the brewery reached its maximum output capacity with 2,100 bbl.

Time for the next relocation: in 2001, Yards Brewing Company moved to the old Weisbrod & Hess Brewery. Tom Kehoe partnered with Nancy and Bill Barton, who leased the building to him. The partnership was, however, short lived. As of 2007, Kehoe and the Bartons went separate ways. At that time, Yards brewed about 10,000 bbl per year.

Extension in a first step from 55,000 to 100,000 bbl

Kehoe then rented the next property, in which he installed his brewery plant. Yards produced 6,500 bbl in the first year. This location was the first brewery in Pennsylvania that was powered entirely by wind. Then in 2009 Kehoe brought in new partners Trevor Prichett and Ethos Holdings, and from that point forward the brewery was constantly modernized and expanded. In 2016 about 41,300 bbl were produced and sold. Roughly 90 percent of the Yards beers are distributed in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. As high quality ingredient products, these beers are sold at premium prices: a six-pack costs about 10 USD.

As they were pushing up against brewing capacity and didn’t have a canning line, Kehoe and Prichett needed a bigger facility. In 2017, Yards found the necessary hall with an area of 70,000 square feet. In the first stage, the new brewery plant should have an annual output of about 100,000 bbl and later be extended to over 200,000 bbl. For the first time, a canning line was planned. The principles of using wind energy and the commitment to sustainability were maintained. The estimated cost for the completion of the new brewery is about 24 million USD, whereas 8 million USD are estimated for building and construction and the remaining 16 million USD for plant technology and equipment.

Two lauter tuns and one external boiler for maximum flexibility

The order placed with Ziemann Holvrieka included one complete brewing line including malt handling. The brewhouse is designed for twelve brews per day. The output volume is 100 bbl per brew with an original extract content of 15.5° Plato. The brewhouse was equipped with the innovative mash agitator Colibri as well as two Lotus lauter tuns with diameters of 7.5 feet and 15 feet. With this dual solution, Yards Brewing Company can effectively produce brews of less than 20 barrels or can even lauter brews with a high extract content. For this reason, an external boiler was installed, which is ideally suited for small batches. Another specialty of the brewhouse is the fully automatic dosing system for cone hops. In addition, Yards ordered six cylindro-conical 650-bbl tanks including dome covers and catwalk system.

“The visit of several reference breweries was very important for the choice of our brewing line”, says Kehoe. Kehoe’s aim was a brewery plant that offers the highest possible flexibility in addition to maximum wort quality. This required an individual solution that was best implemented by Ziemann Holvrieka. As examples, Kehoe mentions the two lauter tuns or the external boiler. “The solutions of the competitors were much more standardized. Compared to an industrial brewhouse, there were no compromises regarding the installed functional components such as pumps or valves”, says Kehoe.

All brewing vessels were delivered pre-assembled on a base frame

The planning and monitoring of the assembly as well as the automation were the responsibility of Ziemann Holvrieka. To simplify the assembly, all brewing vessels were pre-assembled on a base frame in Germany, with integrated internal piping and already mounted valves. On the construction site, the individual modules were only connected with each other.

The Yards team produced the first brew in the new brewhouse in March 2018. Until June 2018, the existing production facility was still operated for the “flavor matching”. Since that time, Yards has been brewing exclusively at the new location in downtown Philadelphia. An important part of the new brewery is the taproom. A gastronomic recommendation for all residents and visitors of Philadelphia as well as an architectural highlight and eye-catcher. While sitting in the taproom, the guests can look through large glass panes on the entire brewing process, from the brewhouse up to the canning line. Separated from the main dining room by a roll-up door is an outdoor area, where guests and visitors can have a seat below the fermentation and storage tanks. For this purpose, the stainless steel tanks were designed with high skirts. “It’s about working hard, having a good time and giving something back to society”, Kehoe summarizes his motivation to continue investing money and passion in his Yards Brewing Company. Yards has created something that has the potential to be spontaneously associated with the keyword “Philadelphia”, such as the Liberty Bell or the “Rocky Steps”. At least for lovers of top-quality beer specialties, the chances are good. 

A key element in the production, storage and transport of fruit juices and dairy products is the hygiene: it is of utmost importance to prevent any contamination due to germs or dirt. Thanks to the aseptic design of the tanks – among others with smooth surfaces, rounded corners and self-draining contours – Ziemann Holvrieka provides its customers with sterile tanks for all process steps. With the turnkey storage terminals, the producers can easily store their products in an aseptic way over a period of 18 months. The tanks and vessels are tailored to the individual needs and requirements of the customer. The specialists supply tanks for both NFC (not-frozen concentrate) and FCJ (frozen concentrated juice), designed for various fruit varieties such as apples, peaches, pineapples and oranges.

With regard to the design, engineering and manufacturing of the tanks, Ziemann Holvrieka meets the hygiene directives of the European Hygienic Engineering & Design Group (EHEDG) as well as the 3-A sanitary standards (3-A SSI). These requirements include, among other things, a cleaning-friendly design of the plants and components. In addition, the tanks and vessels must not interact with the product.Furthermore, Ziemann Holvrieka offers CIP & SIP systems (cleaning in place & sanitizing in place). CIP & SIP is a cleaning and disinfecting system, which is integrated into the overall plant concept and which effectively removes all residues and deposits and kills microorganisms. This ensures a consistently high product quality. The company, located in Ludwigsburg, thus responds to the customer demands, which are rising due to ever-increasing batches and hygiene regulations.