Dry hopping technology for distinctive aroma profiles
A plug-and-play dry hopping skid for breweries wishing to optimize their processes and produce individual beers with a unique aroma profile in a more resource-efficient way.
In the brewing industry, dry hopping is often associated with significant beer losses and low efficiency in hop aroma extraction within cylindroconical tanks (CCTs). The GEA HOPSTAR® Dry introduces next-generation dry hopping technology that enhances quality and efficiency while reducing product loss.
Studies in the brewing industry have demonstrated improvements of up to 30% in extraction efficiency and raw material requirements compared to static processes. Additionally, hop residues are retained within the unit through sedimentation, minimizing beer losses and preventing downstream issues.
Pre-piped, pre-wired and tested dry hopping skid
The GEA HOPSTAR® Dry is a fully automated, plug-and-play unit that seamlessly integrates into existing brewing systems and can connect to multiple CCTs. The Liquid Jet Mixer, developed by GEA, ensures a homogeneous product in the connected CCTs. The system features an independent control system and interfaces for signal exchange with peripherals. A range of standard sizes will accommodate hop quantities between 80 kg and 750 kg, with larger batch sizes available on request
After manually filling the hops into the extraction tank, the fully automatic process begins with a dynamic extraction step, facilitated by a low-shear agitator. The extracted aroma compounds are transferred to the CCT, while sedimented hop particles almost completely remain in the extraction tank. This extraction and transfer cycle is repeated until the desired aroma yield is achieved.
The GEA HOPSTAR® Dry allows for adjustment of soaking, dissolving, and sedimentation times, as well as extraction cycle parameters, to match the characteristics of the hops, variety, or desired aroma profile. To ensure the highest possible product quality during dry hopping, the system maintains a CO2 atmosphere to minimize oxygen uptake in the beer.
Waste reduction is important to us at GEA, and by harnessing the power of freeze drying technology, we can transform surplus food into valuable, long-lasting products – helping to reduce waste, extend shelf life and build a more resilient food supply for generations to come.
When plant-forward South Korean food producer Pulmuone brought GEA the challenge of developing a modern spin on the traditional chewy cold (naengmyeon) noodle, GEA’s R&D experts were up to the challenge. They helped develop what is now a commercial hit produced with less water and electricity than previously existing methods. The result is also true to the traditional origins of the dish as well as Pulmuone’s health, well-being and sustainability roots.