Fermentation Pilot Plant
A micro malting plant is a facility for the micro malting of barley, which is known industrially as malting. It is used to determine the suitability of the barley used for malting and its behaviour during malting in different processes. In addition to the production of malted barley for beer production, almost any cereal or grain capable of germination can be malted in the malting plant. In addition to malting spring barley, winter barley, wheat, oats, rye, maize, millet and other commodities intended for the brewing industry, the baking industry or the industry of other cereal products can be malted.
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doc. Ing. Tomáš Gregor, Ph.D.
Malt House
The micro storage cabinets themselves are made of stainless steel with a ringed outer finish. The cabinets have uniform dimensions of 1153 x 753 x 1010 mm (l x w x h). The control cabinet is steel sheet with dimensions 1600 x 800 x 400 mm (h x w x d). The PC is specially adapted for data acquisition and parameter setting of individual malting steps. The PC, including the printer, is an integral part of the micromill and without its use the malting processes in the micromill cannot be controlled. The data output from the printer is in the form of a laboratory report. Each cabinet is equipped with 8 steel sample boxes with perforated and removable bottom (sample trays). One sample box is for 1 kg of barley. The samplers are uniform for all three cabinets, so the samples do not have to be reshuffled throughout the malting process. All cabinets are protected by insulation against heat loss and ambient temperature. Individual enclosures contain cooling or thermal units and are therefore independent of ambient temperature. The control cabinet is located close to the malting cabinets. It is equipped with an automatic control unit with auxiliary devices and the power part of the micro malting room including all protection and protection. In general, the malting process consists of three stages – steeping, germination and kneading. During steeping, the grain receives the necessary amount of water (around 45%) and germination begins. After germination to the required stage, the grain is removed.
The Soakery
The task of the steeping plant is to soak the dry barley in a controlled manner. The working space of the vessel is alternately filled with water (maximum level) or without water (minimum level) – air break. The soaking cycle usually lasts 48 hours (6 hours under water, 10 hours without water – 3 times in a row, so 2 days in total). All timing of the water condition and accompanying activities is predefined by the user in the process input on the operator PC. Therefore, the frequency of aeration – CO2 extraction is precisely predetermined. The fault-free function of the soaking cabinet depends on its correct installation, i.e. the sample frame must be in a horizontal position. An airtight seal must be achieved between the sample cups, the plate and the holder. Cleaned and graded barley must be fed into the sampler. There are 1000 g of barley per sampler. This quantity must be respected. The sampler must be weighed before inserting the sample.
Keyshop
The job of the germinator is to germinate the soaked barley. In a germination room environment with a sufficient supply of humidified air, the barley gradually germinates, forming green malt. The fault-free operation of the germination cabinet is also dependent on correct installation, and an airtight seal is important in the germination cabinet, as it was before in the steeping cabinet. The layout of the cabinet allows germination with conventional cooling with water circulation. With the help of built-in devices, the desired temperature can be maintained automatically. The upper part of the cabinet is the germination area – the container. Here, 8 sample trays with samples that were previously in the soaking chamber are placed. These form the aforementioned airtight seal with the plate and frame. Air flows through the working area via a built-in fan. Thanks to the airtight seal, the air flows over the perforated bottom of the sample tray, i.e. over the samples. A recirculation damper is connected to the inlet of this fan, which allows the ratio between fresh and return air to be varied continuously. The fan is equipped with speed control. In the pressure space under the sample plate there is a wetting foam plate. The humidified plate is used to cool and saturate the air with moisture before it enters the sample tray. Below the humidifying filter is a rectifying plate, used to distribute the airflow evenly into the sample trays. This plate is removable. At the bottom of the vessel is water, which is kept at the desired temperature by a cooling screw using a cooling unit. The level is sensed by a level sensor which influences the admission of fresh water. The cooling water, as mentioned, serves to maintain the temperature in the germination compartment in two ways:
By means of a humidifying filter, which is moistened by the water that flows off the sampler plate and thus cools and saturates the air with moisture before entering the samplers.
Cooling of the inner walls of the germination chamber through the cover plate is achieved by means of cooling water which is pumped from the bottom of the vessel by a circulation pump. The distribution of the water along the walls of the cover plate in the germination chamber is provided by a piping system with holes around the perimeter of the vessel. The water flows down the walls of the cover plate, cooling it. The water then overflows (flows) from the sample plate to the wetting filter (plate), the principle of which has already been described. A sensor is immersed in the water sump which controls the automatic temperature control. The water outlet is connected by a hose to a siphon of the prepared drain.
The Grove
The task of the carriage is to dry the germinated malt in a controlled manner. The actual kneading consists of several stages:
- ramping up to the rolling temperature (approx. 55°C)
- holding at this temperature
- ramp-up to creep temperature (approx. 85°C)
- again endurance at this temperature
Kneading is therefore the drying of germinated malt under precisely defined conditions of time, temperature and power. The process is completed within a specified time and provided that a given outgoing air humidity (approx. less than 10%) is achieved. The chassis of the micromill is based on the principle of a single-zone chassis. In the upper part of the cabinet there is a chassis space for 8 sample trays with samples, which are placed on a plate. Underneath there is a pressure compartment with a diffuser (rectifier plate), which ensures a uniform air flow. The air is blown through the heating element into the driving compartment (vessel) under the diffuser (rectifier plate) by means of a built-in fan. A recirculation damper is connected to the inlet of this fan, which allows the ratio between fresh and return air to be varied continuously. The fan is equipped with speed control. The green malt must be liquefied before the sample trays are placed in the carboy. Care must be taken to ensure that all the samplers stand well on the sampler plate, that air passes through the perforated bottom-samples and that there are no air leaks. The temperature is automatically regulated and the outgoing air humidity is measured throughout the kneading process.
The malt, after de-churning and cooling to room temperature, is de-churned in a de-churner and stored in breathable packaging in a climate-controlled warehouse awaiting further use.
Teaching
The following subjects are taught in the malthouse:
Equipment
The actual microstore cabinets are made of stainless steel with a ringed exterior finish. The cabinets have uniform dimensions of 1153 x 753 x 1010 mm (l x w x h). The control cabinet is steel sheet with dimensions 1600 x 800 x 400 mm (h x w x d). The PC is specially adapted for data acquisition and parameter setting of individual malting steps. The PC, including the printer, is an integral part of the micromill and without its use the malting processes in the micromill cannot be controlled. The data output from the printer is in the form of a laboratory report. Each cabinet is equipped with 8 steel sample boxes with perforated and removable bottom (sample trays). One sample box is for 1 kg of barley. The samplers are uniform for all three cabinets, so the samples do not have to be reshuffled throughout the malting process. All cabinets are protected by insulation against heat loss and ambient temperature. Individual enclosures contain cooling or thermal units and are therefore independent of ambient temperature. The control cabinet is located close to the malting cabinets. It is equipped with an automatic control unit with auxiliary devices and the power part of the micro malting room including all protection and protection.