Many craft beer breweries continue to struggle with out-dated equipment, which is costing time, money, and market opportunity, says NINKASI Brewkit Rentals, which has been looking into the issues that brewers face in trying to meet the market demands for ever more complex flavours, beer styles, and packaging solutions. Cask beer, whilst still requiring skill and care in the brewing process, can be produced in relatively “low tech” tanks which used to be the norm. However, with the market changing, fast growing and dynamic breweries are quick to adopt more heavily specified FVs/CTs. Consistently successful kegging, bottling, and especially canning, benefit greatly from more accurate carbonation at low and steady conditioning tempera- tures. Therefore, precise measurement of volume, temperature, pressure, and CO2 flow is ideal. Modern FVs/CTs should be equipped to fulfil a number of functions; be pressure rated, have provision for the fitment of a carbonation stone and a method of controlling the flow of CO2, be fitted with a spunding valve, be double skinned and insulated for quick and efficient cooling, and have accurate temperature controls ideally measuring temperature at different points of the vessel. Conical tanks have the added benefit of being universal, thus enabling fermentation and conditioning to take place without transfer of the beer between FV and CT. With the right equipment, it is easier to achieve consistency of flavour, and brew the widest range of beers quickly and efficiently. A brewery will also have the opportunity to keep more production in house with potentially less outsourcing, particularly for bottling and canning. Right now, there is no reason why any brewery should be without these essential pieces of equipment. NINKASI Brewkit Rentals UK manufac- tured, high quality Unitanks are fully specified, as standard, to meet all the requirements of a modern and dynamic brewery, and the optional Carbonation Kit features a long carbonation stone plus precise CO2 flow metering. There is also the availability of controlling the tank temperature remotely via phone or tablet. NINKASI says its Unitanks set the new standard for craft breweries. 100% of NINKASI Unitank customers have so far opted to take the carbonation kit, and 90% the NINKASI Chiller Pack which is matched to each tank for precise and easily controlled cooling, all it needs is a plug! Hire is from 8 weeks to 5 years 24 BREWING & BEVERAGE INDUSTRIES BUSINESS Ninkasi: “Why breweries need Unitanks” The famously distinctive bright green shell of one of CFB Boilers’ 4VT Steam Boiler has been transformed with a copper overskin – and the result is jaw-dropping. This customised job was completed at the request of an equally famous client who is set to launch a microbrewery in Devon later this year. The brewery will produce real ale to help pubs and restaurants meet increasing demand for the product. Handcrafted at CFB Boilers’ manufac- turing facility in Essex, this exclusive 4VT Steam Boiler underwent an overskin process using a 12mm copper sheet – the same material that is used by coppersmiths in the brewing industry on copper tanks, vessels and pipework – to give the boiler a more traditional look. The usual bright red burner casing was also exchanged for a more comple- mentary metallic silver finish. Ready to fire with skid, the boiler was then sited and installed by CFB Boiler’s in-house engineers at the client’s microbrewery. Despite its copper exterior, the 4VT steam boiler still very much retains its green credentials; it is arguably the most energy efficient, high performance, reliable, and low maintenance steam boiler on the market thanks to a number of class-leading innovations. These include energy-saving four-pass technology, a 30% larger steam chamber, and integral heat recovery. Additionally, the 4VT Steam Boiler boasts a start-up time of just 10-15 minutes, precise temperature delivery, a compact, tubeless design, and can be used with gas, oil or LPG. Fans of the 4VT Steam Boiler’s trademark green colour needn’t worry though, as Derek Parish, Managing Director of CFB Boilers, explained: “Clients can request a specific colour or finish for our boilers and plant rooms. As well as metallic finishes, we’ve done custom paint jobs in just about every colour you can imagine to fit in with our client’s branding or other particular needs. However, most clients absolutely love the original green and red on our flagship 4VT as it brings a great pop of colour to the brewery floor.” CFB Boiler’s 4VT Steam Boiler is available in 12 models from 8- 150HP and is manufactured by the 120-year-old steam specialist in Britain. Famous green steam boiler’s exclusive copper makeover www.steamboilers.co.uk For more information visit: www.ninkasirentals.co.uk For more information visit: PRODUCTION EQUIPMENT Showcase 24_Layout 1 10/11/2017 10:39 Page 1