For those of you who make a point of following the YoLong Brewtech blog posts, there is much on-site excitement as staff prepares to present the company’s equipment at stands 40 to 42.

BrewCon19 is the 7th annual ABC (Australian Brewers Conference) and Trade Expo. It is to be held in Melbourne during the first week of September at the Melbourne Convention Exhibition Centre.

Who is Hosting BrewCon19?
The Independent Brewers Association of Australia have been hosting BrewCon for the past seven years, and it has rapidly grown to become one of the most significant events in every craft and commercial beer producers calendar in the Asian-Pacific area. They developed the BrewCon event to help further brewing excellence and best practices in the Australian beer industry.

The 2019 conference is the most important event in the Australian quality independent beer industry’s year. This is because BrewCon is recognized all over the world as an educational platform of international significance. Everyone connected to the craft beer or commercial beer brewing and production industries regard this conference in Melbourne as an unmissable trade event. It is a great honor to be able to showcase some of the outstanding YoLong brewing equipment on this occasion.

What Service Do the Australian Independent Brewers Association Members Provide?
Anyone drinking a beer with the IBA seal of approval on it is guaranteed the highest quality beer and production methods. The Independent Brewers Association has a clear mission statement: To assure superior independent beer production everywhere.

The IBA seeks to educate and influence trends, sales, and marketing of independent brewers for the benefit of the industry as a whole. By hosting various events, programs, and campaigns, the IBA can advocate for fair and best practices across Australia. By lifting awareness of the industry together, it ensures quality is maintained, and members derive the greatest value from the organization.

Because the independent brewers sector is so diverse, the biggest challenge IBA faces is to standardize and coordinate the industry. By working closely with the members and quality equipment producers such as YoLong Brewtech, the IBA is able to play a critical role in leveling the regulatory playing fields so that independent beer companies are continually sustained.

YoLong + IBA
As an industry associate, YoLong Brewtech is able to offer the highest quality brewery equipment to independent Australian beer producers. YoLong Industrial works hand in hand with independent brewers across Australia to supply them with their essential equipment manufacture and design requirements, such as:

• complete turnkey brewing equipment
• microbrewery
• brewpub equipment
• packaging
• brewery concepts and design
• latest technological innovations

And, of course, with every order comes the excellent YoLong tech support and customer service. These are the reasons why YoLong has become a preferred supplier on the IBA website.

What is the BrewCon19 Program?
When you enter the BrewCon Trade Expo at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre and begin walking up the right aisle, you will come to the YoLong Brewtech stands on your left. We will have some of our most innovative equipment on show there – and it is quite spectacular to see it up close outside a brewery floor!

As the guest of the Independent Brewers Association, YoLong will be able to offer conference attendees an unrivalled opportunity to learn from one of the leading brewery equipment manufacturers in the Asian-Pacific area.

Every industry veteran in the brewing and business streams will have the chance to meet other suppliers and fellow beer supporters and enthusiasts at this event. We are all brought together in one spot at the Trade Expo in September to appreciate the highest quality beer and brewery equipment.

The 2019 program will follow the same basic itinerary as the previous years, but with a few extra special guests and features. Several international speakers will be there to share their expertise on their specialist subjects.

Pete Brown, the renowned author, journalist, and broadcaster is the BrewCon19 keynote speaker this year. He has an impressive CV that includes a background in advertising with the emphasis on brand strategies. As the Chair of the British Beer and Cider Marketing Awards, Brown was named the Best British Beer Writer of the Year for 2009 and 2012. Some people might say that he has the best job in the world!

Needless to say, Pete Brown has one of the most pronounced understandings of breweries, and his passion for communicating this to consumers makes for an unmissable lecture.

More Information About the Equipment YoLong Will Be Transporting to the Melbourne Expo
As we mentioned before, the YoLong stands will have some impressive equipment on display there. Every piece of YoLong equipment is perfectly designed around the brewer’s operation. A good example of our high quality manufacturing is the fully automatic 10bbl brewhouse. The brewhouse is built for Mr. Adam Bruce, a famous Austalia brewer, also is one of the judges in BrewCon 2019, ther other equipment will be shipped separately to his new brewery site.

The Fully Automatic 10bbl Brewhouse
A brewhouse contains every component or vessel that is necessary for the brewing process. Brewhouses are fully customizable depending on the physical size and scale of the operation and production requirements. Buyers who are interested in purchasing a brewhouse can range from someone who requires a full-scale brewery and turnkey brewing system, all the way to brewpub buyers and the beer hobbyist who want to buy a home brewing set-up.

This is why brewery equipment suppliers who are able to create a custom, personalized brewhouse solution based upon the customer’s specific wants and needs, such as YoLong, is an important part of brewhouse selection.

The size and automation of the brewhouse are linked to the expected scale of production. YoLong brewhouses, such as the one in the image below, are based on the typical units of measurements in terms of both annual beer production and the preferred system choice.

Some of the typical units of measurement you will see in reference to annual beer production and brewhouse systems in general are:

• Beer barrel – bbl
• Gallon – gal
• Hectoliter – hl

1 bbl is equal to 31 gallons, and 1 hl is equal to 0.85bbl.

A brewhouse is measured and described by the number of vessels or tanks it has. The brewhouse YoLong is taking to exhibit at BrewCon19 is a 2-vessel 10bbl pub brew. Most 2-vessel brewhouses of this kind include a hot liquor tank/mash/lauter tun combination vessel paired up with a whirlpool/boil kettle combination vessel.

These specially designed vessels serve a particular purpose; they allow you to brew greater quantities of beer all at the same time. The set-up you choose will depend on what your brewing requirements are, the amount of space you have available, and how much your budget is for equipment.

There are two different brewhouse configurations you can decide on when selecting a 2-vessel brewhouse.

• A mash/hot liquor tank/lauter tun combination vessel with a whirlpool/brew kettle
• A mash/lauter tun and whirlpool/brew kettle

What is the Difference Between a Fully Automatic and a Semi-Automatic or Manual Brewhouse Control System?
A fully automated brewhouse control system has computer support. Most of the operations will be controlled automatically according to its specified program on a central control panel. YoLong promotes the automation of breweries to support the art and efficiency of the brewing process.

YoLong has been associated with the manufacture of state of the art, industrial, fully automated, and semi-automatic brewhouses for many years.

A semi-automatic brewhouse will include such control features as manual hand removal option for any brewhouse regarding different systems. Manual brewhouse systems are recommended for anyone dealing with manageable quantities of beer such as a home hobbyist brewer.

For quantities of 10bbl in a professional brewery set-up, the YoLong fully automatic 10bbl brewhouse is the right choice. This is the reason why it will be on display at BrewCon19 in September.

A semi-automatic brewhouse will include such control features as manual hand removal option for any brewhouse regarding different systems. Manual brewhouse systems are recommended for anyone dealing with manageable quantities of beer such as a home hobbyist brewer.

For quantities of 10bbl in a professional brewery set-up, the YoLong fully automatic 10bbl brewhouse is the right choice. This is the reason why it will be on display at BrewCon19 next month.

What Are the Other Pieces of Equipment for that YoLong Are Taking to BrewCon?
Good question! Besides the one fully automatic 10bbl brewhouse YoLong will be displaying on our stand in Melbourne next month, a10bbl fermenter, 10bbl brite tank, and 2-station keg washer will also be there. If you want to know where these vital pieces of brewing equipment feature in a beer brewery set-up, you will get a better picture how they are used by looking at the image below.

The Brewhouse
The barley/malt mix is introduced into the mill and then passes into the brewhouse where the mash it processed. It passes into the mash tun where the barley/malt is mixed with water. In turn, the mix flows into the lauter tun, and then onto the wort kettle where the hops are added. From there the mash moves to the whirlpool tank and then heated and oxygenated.

After yeast has been introduced to the mash and is activated by the oxygen, it is transferred to the fermenting tank.

The Fermenting Tank: YoLong 10bbl Fermenter
Fermenters are also aging vessels. This is where the yeast is pitched into the wort, and where the mash is definitively turned into beer. So without a fermenter in the brewery equipment, there would be no beer!

The wort is pumped into the fermenter via a heat exchanger. The wort is then added to the pitched yeast and begins fermenting. Some breweries choose to have specially designed aging vessels where the beer is aged after being transferred into the fermenting vessel. Obviously, the more beer you wish to produce, the larger your fermenter capacity must be.

What Does a Brite Tank Do in the Beer Making Process? YoLong 10bbl Brite Tank
This might sound a bit scientific, but the brite tank is a vital part of the beer making process because this is where the beer is carbonated. Carbonation is where the CO2 or carbon dioxide gas is dissolved into the beer. In science, there is a law in physics called Henry’s Law.

Henry’s law states that when an amount of given gas is dissolved in any given type and volume of liquid at a constant temperature, the volume of liquid is directly proportional to the fractional pressure of the gas in equilibrium with said liquid. Or, to put it in a way easier to understand, the gas solubility inside a liquid is directly linked to the partial pressure of the gas above the (beer) liquid.

This is the interesting science behind the natural carbonation of beer or any other beverage you drink that has bubbles. As the pressure increases above the beer liquid (in the brite tank), some of that CO2 will be dissolved into the beer. This process is made a lot quicker with the introduction of a carbonating stone inside the brite tank. It produces bubbles that are more easily absorbed into the beer liquid.

Both fermenter and brite tank are AS1210 certified. AS1210 is certification for pressure vessels that have a working pressure above 1-bar in Australia. The equipment has been perfectly designed around the brewer’s operation.

As Australia is a rapidly growing craft beer market, the quality, design, and full AS certification of the YoLong equipment is in accordance with the country’s strictest electronic and engineering practices.

YoLong 2-Station Keg Washer
A keg washer might not be an exciting piece of brewing equipment involved in the crafting of a fine beer recipe, but it is still an essential part of the beer production process. A keg washer is a machine that is used to clean the stainless steel beer kegs between usage. Every keg washer cleans the kegs by washing, flushing, sterilizing, and pressurizing each keg sequentially.

Most 2-station keg washers are semi-automatic however, both manual and fully automated keg washer options are available.

YoLong Brewtech in Australia
The intrepid British voyager and explorer, Captain James Cook, is credited as the first person to bring beer making ingredients and equipment to Australia on board his ship the Endeavour in 1770. Beer was an essential ingredient to have on board a ship and in any settlement because it is nutritious and does not spoil in the same manner as water does.

At YoLong Brewtech, we are proud to follow in Captain Cook’s footsteps, and present our high quality brewing equipment at BrewCon19!

Beer is a drink that has been around for a very long time.

Today, it is one of the most popular drinks in the world, consumed on just about every occasion that can be imagined.

 

It is prepared in a variety of different ways, each serving a different purpose.

From industrial output to home preparations, it is one beverage that is produced in a variety of different ways. As exciting and interesting as this world of beer might seem, it does come with its own challenges.

One of the many challenges that exist, with regard to the preparation of beer, is that of the equipment.

With plenty of variations and unique requirements to be addressed in every given case, it can get confusing when it comes to selecting the appropriate beer-making equipment.

Given in the list below are the three major kinds of beer making equipment, and the strategies that can be employed when selecting the ideal equipment.

 

1. Micro-beer Brewing Equipment

Micro-beer is a reference to beer prepared by small breweries, also called craft breweries. In fact, beers they produce are also known as craft beers.

The process of selecting the ideal micro beer brewing equipment is given below:

1. Batch Size –

The batches prepared should be sufficient for craft breweries. The exact quantities produced, should be sufficient for small scale businesses to maintain beer supplies. This is usually a lot less than the quantities used in large scale beer production.

2. Maintenance –

It should be easy to maintain in general, but it is especially important in the case of micro breweries, given that maintenance is an expense unto itself.

3. Personnel Requirements –

The number of personnel required for running the machinery should be limited, as labor charges are often expensive for small brewers.

4. About the Manufacturer –

It is preferable that the beer equipment is manufactured locally, to keep costs low.

5. Add-Ons –
   Check if the beer making equipment has all the necessary additions, such as thermometers, pressure gauges, etc. These are often not sold along with the main equipment, when it comes to small scale production. Buying a complete brewing kit or set is a better choice, compared to buying it one piece at a time.

 

2. Commercial Beer Equipment

The term commercial beer is a reference to the beer that is produced on a commercial basis, in large quantities. This happens to be the predominant form of beer produced today, and is a massive industry involving huge companies.

The process of selecting the ideal commercial beer brewing equipment is given below:

 

1. Batch Size –

The equipment should be in a position to produce vast quantities of beer for every single batch. It is a necessity, given that these businesses are operating on a large scale, and require huge amounts of beer to be produced on an everyday basis.

2. Maintenance –

The maintenance factor should be almost minimal, and possible to do by those operating the equipment. Nano breweries, just like micro breweries, have a limited amount of cash to spend, making it very necessary that maintenance costs be kept to a minimum.

3. Personnel Requirements –

The number of personnel required for running the operation should be limited. This is however, not as big a concern, as it would be in the case of small and micro brewers.

4. About the Manufacturer –
   It doesn’t matter if the equipment is manufactured at home or abroad, as long as it gets the job done. What matters for large scale manufacturing is productivity more than anything else.
5. Add-Ons –

The equipment that is sold tends to be all encompassing, and is often far more complex than any ordinary home-brewing kit. The concern therefore, that it may not have the required additional brewing supplies is rather unfounded. At the same time however, it is necessary to check the details of the additional hardware that is supplied with the main equipment, just to make sure that it suits the company’s needs.

 

3. Nano Beer Equipment

The term nano beer is actually related to the craft beers, in the sense that both are produced in small batches. At the same time however, nano beers are produced in quantities that can be considered as extremely limited, in comparison to craft beers, with most batches of nano beers limited to about three barrels at most.

The process of selecting the ideal nano beer brewing equipment is given below:

1. Batch Size –

The amount of beer produced by nano beer equipment should be just enough for the required batches of about beer barrels. Anything more and it will lead to wastage of input.

2. Maintenance –

The amount of maintenance required for nano beer equipment should be very limited, given that the workforce is limited as well. This is particularly important for nano brewers, considering that many of them tend to be used for personal purposes or small businesses, which cannot afford additional maintenance charges.

3. Personnel Requirements –

Just like in the case of craft beers, it is important that the personnel required for the nano beer equipment are very limited.

4. About the Manufacturer –
   It is preferable to buy the equipment from local companies rather than foreign ones, given that the costs are usually high.
5. Add-Ons –

It is highly unlikely that all the necessary additional hardware like pressure gauges, thermometers and so on, are provided with the main brewing kit. This is therefore something very important to check up, before making the purchase.

 

Last but not the least, it should also be added that there are other things worth considering as well in this regard. These include things like the cost of the equipment, after sales service and so on, all of which tend to be rather general in nature, rather than being something unique to each of the above mentioned categories of beer making equipment.

The above mentioned list is but some of the most important ones around, and nothing more. Depending on your unique needs and requirements, other considerations may also have to be taken into account, when getting the ideal hardware for the job.