Brewing Efficiency: How Equals Brewing Optimized Fermentation with House Ale
How Equals Brewing Company reduced their tank residency time by 23%
One of our long-standing brewer partners is Matt Cummings of Equals Brewing Company in London, Ontario. We’ve worked with Matt ever since he had his own contract brand. These days, Matt manages the production of more than 100,000 hectolitres of beer, RTD, and non-alc. Matt’s job isn’t easy, and it’s our job here at Escarpment to help keep fermentation issues off his list of challenges.
At Equals Brewing, innovation and efficiency are at the heart of operations. Recently, their team embarked on a study to compare the performance of two yeast strains: the popular US-05 dry ale strain (Fermentis) and our House Ale (EL-D1) dry yeast. The results not only highlighted significant improvements in fermentation efficiency but also offered potential cost savings for the brewery.
Study Conception and Methods
The study was conceived to explore how different yeast strains affect fermentation efficiency and beer quality. Equals Brewing selected US-05, a widely used strain, and compared it to our House Ale yeast. The trials were conducted in controlled fermentation tanks at a consistent temperature of 18-20°C. Wort types varied according to brewery production requirements, but ranged in Original Gravity from 11-14ºP. Key metrics such as original gravity, final gravity, attenuation, pH, and yeast viability were measured using industry-standard equipment, including an Anton Paar DMA35 for specific gravity and a hemocytometer for yeast cell counts.
Fermentation Time and Efficiency
The data showed that the House Ale significantly reduced fermentation time compared to US-05. Specifically, the "Days to Crash" metric, which indicates the time taken for fermentation to complete and clean up any fermentation intermediates such as diacetyl and acetaldehyde, was reduced by 23% with House Ale.
This time reduction means that tanks can be freed up more quickly, allowing for increased production capacity without adding infrastructure. The data showed that beers made with House Ale could be crashed in an average of just 6.9 days, compared to 8.9 days for US-05.
In addition to opening up more fermentation capacity, shortening Days to Crash offers further cost savings in energy and labour, as less time is spent monitoring and managing the fermentation process.
Table 1. Average measurements of key fermentation parameter comparison between House Ale EL-D1 and US-05 yeasts across 8 generations of repitching.
Sensory Quality and Flavour Profile
Despite the faster fermentation, the sensory analysis showed no detrimental effects on the flavour profile of the beer produced with House Ale yeast. In fact, some tasters noted a slightly enhanced fruity ester profile, which is desirable in many beer styles. This consistency in flavour ensures that the quality of the beer remains high, maintaining consumer satisfaction and brand integrity.
In a previous comparison of direct pitch dry House Ale and US-05, Equals found that the House Ale strain produced nearly 4x lower diacetyl in the finished beer.
Table 2. Comparison of key parameters of finished beer in a direct pitch comparison of House Ale EL-D1 and US-05 in 20 hL brewery fermentations.
| House Ale EL-D1 | US-05 | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Final Gravity | 1.006 | 1.008 | Slightly lower |
| Alc. V/V | 5.37 | 5.32 | Slightly higher |
| pH | 4.16 | 4.25 | Slightly lower |
| BU | 24.0/24.0 | 30.0/30.0 | Slightly lower |
| Diacetyl (ppb) | 54 | 214 | 4x lower! |
Cost Savings Potential
The commercial implications of these findings are significant. By reducing fermentation time by 23%, Equals Brewing can increase its production capacity without the need for additional tanks.
This efficiency translates into potential cost savings and opportunities in several areas:
- Energy Costs: Shorter fermentation times mean reduced energy consumption for temperature control and other fermentation-related processes.
- Stacked Yeast Savings: By producing nearly 2x more yeast cells at the end of fermentation, House Ale yeast crops can be utilized in a larger volume of new wort in each generation, multiplying the cost savings of repitching.
- Labour Costs: With less time needed for daily fermentation monitoring, staff can focus on other tasks such as R&D pilot brewing, improving job satisfaction, productivity, and business innovation.
- Increased Production: Faster tank turnover allows for more batches to be brewed in the same time frame, increasing potential revenue from the same amount of brewery infrastructure.
- Cash Flow: Decreasing tank residency time shortens the window of time between when a brewery has incurred costs (ingredients, labour, rent, energy) and when they start selling the finished beer. Shortening the cash conversion cycle of beer production can have a dramatic improvement on overall business health, even if the brewery doesn’t need the extra capacity.
Yeast Performance and Viability
The study also examined yeast performance metrics such as crop cell density and viability. House Ale yeast showed a crop cell density of 434 million cells per millilitre, compared to 235 million for US-05, an 85% increase. This higher cell density indicates a more robust cell growth and fermentation process. This offers additional savings to the brewery. By producing nearly 2x more yeast cells at the end of fermentation, House Ale yeast crops can be utilized in a larger volume of wort in the following generation, ensuring simpler repitching and more production flexibility.
Conclusion
Equals Brewing's study demonstrates the potential benefits of using Escarpment House Ale yeast over US-05. The significant reduction in fermentation time, combined with consistent sensory quality and improved yeast performance, provides a compelling case for breweries looking to optimize their operations.
By embracing truly innovative yeast solutions, breweries in Canada and further afield can enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and ultimately deliver high-quality products to beer drinkers.
LEARN MORE ABOUT HOUSE ALE (EL-D1)
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