Breweries and the popularity around drinking craft beer selections aren’t an entirely new concept. Sure we’ve all heard of the big-name beer companies, but independently-owned operations, better known as “microbreweries,” have really become a trendy and in-demand industry over just the last decade.
The fact that there are so many different flavors and varieties of beer to choose from and the overall experience that comes along with tasting them, has brought the industry attention from crowds around the globe who have become dedicated fans.
Brewing Craft Beer
Getting that crisp, delicious taste you favor in a craft beer is a process that takes time and some special tools. Craft beer connoisseurs even choose their beer selections based on how they are brewed.
The most basic ingredients used to brew beers include malted barley or other grains, hops, yeast, and water. There are numerous steps that are taken to turn the ingredients into the brew you favor. We won’t go too deep into that here, but there’s some great information on the brewing process over at Craft Brewers Guild.
Temperature Sensors
Throughout the beer brewing process, temperature and time are two key components we’d like to focus on as varying these elements can change the type of beer that results. From the very beginning of the process, when the brewer is just malting the barley, and all the way down the line to the fermentation process, active temperature management is key.
Accurate measures are needed to ensure the wort is cooled at the right pace to keep microbial contamination away. Once a safe temperature is reached, it is then added to the fermentation tanks with the yeast and the true magic happens.
Leave out the temperature monitoring and accuracy element in the process and you really won’t get that brew fans to enjoy. So how do you keep measurements inside of a tank? With level sensors and temperature gauges. Not only will accurate sensors make it possible to have great brews as an outcome, but they can also automate the process for microbrewers so they cut down on overhead while increasing production levels.
Fluid Switches for Breweries
SMD Fluid Controls’ FT20 custom liquid temperature sensor is ideally suited for reservoirs and delivers unrivaled quality and durability, making the FT20 temperature switches ideal for the craft brew industry. Combined with custom level sensors, efficiency and capabilities increase.
For example, SMD’s FM22 multilevel float switch is rugged, stainless steel and designed for full-size tank level detection. It’s also corrosion-resistant and able to withstand high max pressure and temperature thresholds for use with different types of liquid.
And it’s not just the brewing that liquid level float switches can help with. They can also be used to ensure storage containers don’t overflow, for wastewater, bottling, handling, and transport assistance. Without temperature sensors and float switches, microbrewers simply won’t be able to achieve the consistent product that craft brew fans become loyal to – and that dedicated fan base is the heart of today’s craft beer industry.