Patent GB-959847-A (GB)
Title: A plant for the continuous production of hopped wort in the manufacture of beer
IPC: C12C7/06
Filed: 1961-12-01
Abstract: <PICT:0959847/C3/1> <PICT:0959847/C3/2> <PICT:0959847/C3/3> A plant for the continuous production of hopped wort in the manufacture of beer includes a mashing reactor connected to receive crushed grain and water, and a distributer connected to receive mash from the mashing reactor and distribute the mash in a predetermined ratio along separate paths to further apparatus for filtering wort from the mash and hopping the wort, wherein the mashing reactor comprises a plurality of chambers separated by transfer elements for successively transferring mash from one chamber to another, the distributer has a chamber for receiving the mash and a number of transfer elements equal to the number of paths for directing the mash along the paths, each of the transfer elements has two baffles having orifices which are out of register with one another and between which baffles there is mounted a rotary plate having a bore extending therethrough which communicates with the orifices in succession, the speed of rotation of the plate being related to the rate of feed of the crushed grain and water.  Malt is poured from a hopper 1, Fig. 1, into a feeder comprising an automatic balance 2 and a vessel 3, the capacity of which is preferably rather more than two weighted-out samples.  In response to the level of mash in the first reactor 11, feed is directed through a valve 5 to a crusher 4, and the crushed meal and bran are mixed with water supplied by a line 8 prior to entering the reactor in which mashing is effected.  The mash produced is directed through a pipe 12 to a distributer 13 by which part of the flow is passed through heated reactors 16, 17 which bring the mash to a temperature of 72-75  DEG C. to promote saccharification but is united with the remainder before passing through further reactors 19 and 20; the heating devices 18 for certain of the reactors may be operated by electrical heating elements, burners, steam, or hot water.  The wort recovered by filtering the mash through a filter 22 is hopped and concentrated in a heated reactor 23; the hops may be admitted into the main body of wort from controllers 24, 25, or from a controller 27 into an auxiliary circulation of wort by a pump 28. Alternative arrangements involve utilizing two or more distributers and feeders, Figs. 5 and 6 respectively (not shown); in the latter case, one feeder can deliver part of the meal and bran while the remainder, including a supplementary charge of raw (unmalted) grain, is delivered by the other.  A reactor 11 for mashing the mixture of crushed grain and water, the supply of which is regulated by a probe 6, Fig. 1, has four chambers 11a, 11b, 11c and 11d, Fig. 2, in which the mixture is agitated by paddles 35 mounted on a rotating shaft 34; the mixture is transferred between chambers by transfer elements consisting of a plate 38 keyed on the shaft 34, and having an aperture 38a which communicates alternately with, for example, chamber 11a and chamber 11b.  The aperture 38a may be replaced by at least one slot 38b, Fig. 3.  In a modification the transfer elements may be driven directly by a pinion 40, Fig. 4. The Specification discloses also distributers 13, Fig. 1, for the mashed material in which the input of mash into two chambers (or more) 13b, 13c, from the inlet 13a is regulated by transfer elements 14b, 14c rotating on differentially adjustable shafts coupled either to the drive of the feeder 5 or through a control to the cock 9 in the water supply line 8.  The coupling between the various transfer elements of the reactors and of the mash distributers may include electrically driven transmission systems, e.g. synchronous motors, and synchronism may be effected stroboscopically.