Intelligent Automatic Brewing Plant for Enhanced Production Efficiency
Rock Brewery is a renowned Italian craft beers producer with top-fermented and bottom-fermented beers. Based in Sicily, the brewery combines traditional brewing skills with state-of-the-art technology to offer premium-quality beer and increase its presence in international markets.
As market demand grew, the company upgraded its current 500-litre brewing facility to a fully automated 1200-litre plant capable of brewing double batches daily. The goal was to improve production capacity but also process efficiency, recipe consistency and overall product quality through advanced automation.
The Requirement
In order to achieve maximum production capability and prepare for future production expansion, Rock Brewery was in need of a scalable and adaptable solution for brewing ale and lager. Moreover, the company was seeking to automate its operations and ensure optimal efficiency of the process through a fully Industry 4.0-compliant automated brewing plant.
The Solution
Design of a fully automatic brewing system with a double heated tank brewhouse for 12 Hl batch production. One for mashing and lautering and one for brewing and whirlpool.
The facility was equipped with a sophisticated PLC-controlled automation system for automatic recipe and temperature management. The brewhouse can do the entire brewing cycle – mashing, lautering, brewing and agitation – in about 6 hours. It can produce double batches in 8 hours and triple batches with longer shifts of operations.
The installation also featured:
- Hot and cold-water tanks, each 25 Hl capacity
- Complete piping and process pump systems
- Malt handling system
- Condenser steam
- Double batch fermentors
- Efficient cleaning by integrated CIP system
Advantages of the Automated Brewing Plant
By implementing an innovative solution, Rock Brewery managed to increase production capacity fourfold compared to the old brewery and provide:
- High-capacity production
- Optimized control and automated recipe management
- Improved quality and consistency of products
- Automated cleaning with CIP technology
- Flexible manufacturing and scalability
- Simplified operation with only one operator needed
- Minimal energy expenditure due to heat recovery systems
- Fast return on investment (ROI)
- Full compliance with Industry 4.0 requirements
The Result
With the introduction of the automatic brewing plant, Rock Brewery was able to attain higher productivity, reliable processes, and efficient operations while ensuring that the quality of the product met the standards associated with high-quality brewing.
Alantech offers state-of-the-art brewing solutions that help breweries enhance their production efficiency and grow sustainably.
