There are common hotspots in a craft brewery that are major contributors to volume of water used and wastewater strength (BOD and TSS). Click on the image below to see these hotspots. They represent areas where craft brewers can focus and prioritise their efforts to be more water efficient and to keep stuff out of the drain.
Water Filter
Boiler
Hot Liquor Tank
Brewhouse
Wort Chiller
Mobile CIP
Fermentation
Centrifuge
Brite Tanks
Filter
Canning Line
Loading Bay
Keg Washer
Keg Filler
Clean Water In
Wastewater Out
Brewhouse
Fermentation Tanks
Filter Rinse
Packaging Line
Brewhouse
WATER USE: Up to 25% of total water use
The frequency of cleaning along with the challenges of cleaning the various brewhouse components make this a major water use point.
WASTEWATER TSS: 5,000-20,000 mg/l
Residual spent grains and trub that are rinsed from tanks and down drains are a major source of solids.
Fermentation Tanks
WASTEWATER BOD: 40,000-90,000 mg/l
Disposal of spent yeast (containing beer and yeast solids) to the drain from fermenters is often the largest single contributor to BOD.
WASTEWATER TSS: 30,000-75,000 mg/l
Sending yeast solids from fermentation tanks down the drain can be significant contributor to TSS.
Filter Rinse
WASTEWATER BOD: 40,000-75,000 mg/l
Backwashing or cleaning filters into the drain results in all the filtered organic material as well as DE ending up in the wastewater.
WASTEWATER TSS: 30,000-140,000 mg/l
Diatomaceous earth, along with all the solids it filtered from the beer, can be a major source of solids if it is disposed of down the drain.
Packaging Line
WATER USE: Up to 20% of total water use
Cleaning and rinsing equipment, returned kegs and bottles, and filled containers can use significant quantities of water.
WASTEWATER BOD: 13,000-50,000 mg/l
Over-fills, foaming, spills, and the emptying of mis-fills or returned product to the drain can result in high BOD wastewater.
These are generally good places to start when looking for improvements that will have the most impact, but every brewery is different.
