Beer holds a strong place in Americans’ hearts. Ben Franklin, one of our country’s founding fathers, is believed by many to have said the famous quote, “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” (Though others believe this is actually about wine.) For many people, a cold beer is a welcome respite at the end of a long day at work or a hot afternoon cutting the grass.
Craft breweries are small, independent breweries popping up in communities and enjoying a golden age of golden ale as the industry continues to grow. In fact, the industry has experienced double-digit growth for eight consecutive years, benefiting tourism and other peripheral industries.
Oil-free compressed air is vital to the craft brewing industry, because, like other food- and beverage-related industries, presence of oil in the final product can be a disaster.
Compressed air helps brewers move the raw materials that are key ingredients in beer, including spent grains, whole malts and sugars. Having clean, dry air to power these pneumatic processes is critical to keeping these ingredients pure. Aeration is an important part of the process as well and compressed air is often used to power these functions when aerating wort, yeast and water. Compressed air can also help drive the valves and other air tools used in the fermentation process.
A good brewer knows that clean tanks and vats are essential to the brewing process. Without a clean start, the entire process can be a waste. That’s why they rely on nitrogen gas to displace all of the CO2 from tanks and lines prior to being cleaned. Without sterile, oil-free air, the entire process would be left … flat.
The trend in local, craft products is helping to drive the craft brewing industry. Compressed air is helping power this industry, working behind the scenes to keep the taps flowing.
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