GEA to reveal futuristic Brewery 4.0 beer production process at drinktec 2017

GEA is putting a strong focus on the future of beer production with the release of its Brewery 4.0, a vision of continuous brewing and fermentation that places strong demands on tomorrow’s technology and IT infrastructure. A pioneering feature is the linking of beer production — the continuous mash separation in double decanters, fermentation and maturation processes as well as quality assurance — with just-in-time production technology and flexible processing of digital data. Large quantities of data are processed as these production steps are digitized and allow for analysis of mid- and long-term trends, increasing the data availability. Customers can thus use Brewery 4.0 to prepare for competition in the coming years and generate the greatest possible flexibility throughout the supply chain.

Simultaneously GEA takes into account sustainability with regard to yields, energy consumption and space usage of the plants. At drinktec 2017, GEA will meet with industry representatives to discuss the elements of a semi-continuous process variant and the advantages and challenges facing beer production. The ability to apply lean fluid processes and to guarantee top quality products and adapt rapidly to meet the the needs of a constantly changing market are critical to success in the highly competitive global brewing industry. If a plant is to meet fully the requirements of brewery markets and customers, it must be designed according to the latest process technology standards, i.e., as a highly flexible system that can undergo optimization on an ongoing basis to ensure reliability and product safety.