Boiling wort is no longer fundamental to brewing

AB InBev has developed a new brewing process that obviates the need for boiling wort to remove unwanted aromas. A side benefit is a 5% reduction in CO₂ emissions, reduction in energy use plus a 0.5% reduction in water consumption.

In the new brewing process nitrogen or carbon dioxide is piped into the tank before the beer reaches boiling point. This pressurises the tank and facilitates the yeast digesting sugars in the brew, which is how bubbles are created through boiling. (The bubbles found in the finished product are still to be produced in the normal way, typically by the yeast’s digestion of sugars or by pressurisation in the kegging process.)

Furthermore, it is claimed that the beer stays fresh for longer because it is brewed below boiling point.

AB InBev has been working on the new process for four years, initially four years of testing, initially on a small scale in Belgium, then on a larger scale in the UK. The company is offering to share the patented technology free of charge with smaller brewers while larger companies would be charged a fee.

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