Kerry launches environmentally sustainable plant-based brewing processing aids

25 May 2023 --- Kerry has unveiled two new sustainable plant-based processing aids for enhancing beer quality, improving process efficiency and delivering cost savings in brewing.

These products, Biofine Eco and FermCap Eco, are part of Kerry’s new Eco Range family of plant-based and sustainable brewing solutions, a collection of tools designed to help brewers create exceptionally consumer-friendly beers while reducing their impact on the environment.

Biofine Eco is an aid that greatly improves beer clarification, while FermCap Eco is a foam-control product that optimizes process efficiency by increasing fermenter capacity, improving hop utilization and eliminating over foaming and beer waste. 

“We are proud to introduce Biofine Eco and FermCap Eco which have been specifically designed as environmentally friendly solutions to replace traditional fining and antifoam options with plant-based alternatives,” says Deborah Waters, PhD, product director for Brewing Ingredients at Kerry. 

She also explains how these ingredients are better for the planet and the production process by “enhancing the beer quality, increasing production efficiencies, reducing carbon footprint and increasing throughput.”

“They are also compatible with both membrane and crossflow filtration, proven to reduce membrane fouling and being plant-based processing aids, are appealing to the vegan consumer. The Eco Brewing Range is a result of Kerry’s commitment to clean and environmentally friendly brewing solutions.”

Improving beer clarification 
Biofine Eco is a new, innovative, allergen-free, plant-derived clarification aid that greatly improves beer clarification by delivering almost instant flocculation of yeast. It works well both with and without a centrifuge and has been developed as a chemical and allergen-free alternative to traditional clarification aids.

The products deliver significant benefits, providing clean, environmentally friendly and cost saving solutions for brewers globally.A consistent performer, Biofine Eco delivers a more compact yeast sedimentation, removes haze during the brewing process and is more economical to use. It is a natural, plant-based product that delivers two invaluable brand-building benefits: sustainability advances and the ability for brewers to produce beer with vegan-friendly claims.

Biofine Eco has been found to quickly reduce turbidity, outperforming traditional brewery fining options. It also improves beer recovery and enhances product quality. In its work to optimize process efficiencies, Biofine Eco leaves no impact on flavor or beer foam. Importantly, through targeted binding of multiple haze-forming actions, Biofine Eco produces a compact sediment that delivers easy cleaning and reduces the cost of disposal.

Optimizing process efficiencies 
FermCap Eco is an innovative, plant-based, foam-control product that optimizes process efficiencies by increasing fermenter capacity, eliminating overfoaming and enhancing hop utilization, as well as improving beer foam stability.

It is compatible with crossflow membrane filtration and extends filter run length and membrane life significantly. FermCap Eco delivers up to 15% increase in fermenter capacity versus untreated beer.  When compared to traditional antifoam, FermCap Eco reduces cleaning-in-place (CIP) time and frequency, and allows longer filter run lengths without membrane fouling.

FermCap Eco is a processing aid that has been developed to be a more sustainable alternative to traditional silicon-based antifoam products, in particular when crossflow filtration is used. In addition to maximizing fermentation vessel capacity and increasing CO2 recovery while reducing wort losses, FermCap Eco is not sensitive to cold temperature storage. This last feature provides an important logistical advantage for freight and storage in the Northern Hemisphere during colder months.

The optimized process efficiencies delivered by FermCap Eco include raising fermenter capacity by reducing foam height by up to 15% in the vessel. FermCap Eco also enhances hop (alpha-acid) utilization by up to 10% while maximizing CO2 recovery and reducing expensive wort losses.

By Elizabeth Green