GEA’s AromaPlus PRO reduces water usage in dealcoholization

When the beverage industry gathers for Drinktec in Munich from September 12 to 16, 2022, raw material shortages, soaring energy costs, climate change and consumer trends will ensure plenty of buzz. GEA will be presenting technical and digital solutions to help the industry build sustainable, resilient production processes. GEA demonstrates how it is possible to configure hybrid, highly adaptable production lines that enable smaller batches, faster changeovers and greater product variety.

“Considering the almost unparalleled impact that social developments are having on the beverage market, Drinktec could not have come at a better time,” says Ilija Aprcovic, Division CEO of Liquid and Powder Technologies at GEA. “The good news is that GEA is here to help our customers overcome these hurdles. That’s why, at Drinktec, we will be showcasing how we fit out plants to improve efficiency and sustainability as well as respond to consumer trends.”

Among the units being showcased, GEA AromaPlus PRO stands out.

The GEA filtration specialists have rounded out the GEA AromaPlus membrane-based beer dealcoholization unit with a sustainable option. GEA AromaPlus PRO drastically reduces the volume of water required during dealcoholization. At the same time, beverage producers can use the byproduct, the alcoholic base, to produce other alcoholic beverages such as hard seltzer – or reuse it in the brewing process.

Water savings aside, for breweries that already have a brewhouse for producing the sugar base and technology for fermenting, blending, carbonating as well as bottling, the GEA AromaPlus membrane dealcoholization unit reduces the alcohol content in beer to <0.0 percent. This plant is also used for other non-alcoholic beverages such as 0.0% cider.

At the same time, the resulting alcoholic base can serve as the basis for hybrid products, in this case trendy beverages containing alcohol, which run just-in-time through a GEA DICON inline blending plant.