Luck of the Irish and Compressed Air Give Us Beer

With the Luck of the Irish and a little help from air compressors we will all be enjoying a pint of our favorite beer this St. Patrick’s Day.

St. Patrick’s Day, started on March 17, 1631 when the Church established a Feast Day honoring St. Patrick, the Patron Saint of Ireland.

Modern St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, at least in the United States, are less to do with the historical figure of the saint and more to do with corned beef and cabbage and green beer. And lucky for us, air compressors assist in bringing us both.

Compressed air is essential in the beer making process. It is used in almost every stage of the brewing process including:

Bottling/Canning – to get beer in the bottles and cans we buy - compressed air is used to move beer from the conditioning tank to the bottle. It is also used for keeping the lines clean. Class 0 oil-free air will make sure the lines and tanks do not get polluted in the process.

CO2 Recovery – one option is to recover the CO2 that is created during the fermentation process and either use it to carbonate your products or by storing it and later selling it.

Cleaning air – Oil-free compressed air is used for cleaning bottles and packaging prior to the filling. It is important the air is clean, if the air is contaminated it can alter the flavor, odor and foam as well as being a health hazard.

Fermentation – during the fermentation process, Compressed air supplies oxygen to bacteria. This converts carbon hydrates to alcohol using micro-organisms. It is extremely important to deliver the exact amount of compressed air and maintaining the correct oxygen level to determine the quality of yeast.

Packaging/labeling – Compressed air is used to control the valves and actuators in automated lines for packaging, labelling and more.

Wastewater treatment – Water used during the brewing process must be treated before it can be returned to the water cycle to minimize its impact on the environment. The air needed for this treatment must be oil-free of the water would be contaminated again.

So, this St. Patrick’s Day, as you raise your favorite pint with your friends honoring St. Patrick, remember compressed air played in your day. Sláinte!

If you are interested in learning more about how compressed air can be used in the brewing process, reach out to an expert today.