Adjunct Kettle, Mash Kettle and Lauter Tun

The brewing process begins by heating a mix of water and grain in the mash and adjunct kettle to break down grain and convert starches into sugars. The quality of the wort and, ultimately, the beer depends on this process.

A stable temperature and achieving the right temperature gradient are crucial. However, plants often use higher steam pressure than necessary to maintain temperature and combat fluctuations caused by condensate build-up in the heat exchanger due to inefficient trapping.

To address this, some plants bypass the steam trap or increase steam pressure, resulting in a higher MJ/HL ratio. Addition of extra water which subsequently requires evaporation, further increases energy consumption, extends batch times, and affects beer quality.