Supplier's viewpoint: Crisp Malt
Cost saving tips for your brewery Using his 20 years of brewing experience, Mike Benson from Crisp Malt gives his take on ways to save money in the brewery…
With everything we’ve been through in the past two years - and are still going through now - saving costs is high on the agenda. I’ve put together a list of ways to save money, which can be used as a checklist. Sure, some of the recommendations will seem obvious, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll have implemented them. A lot of these tips come from trial and error on my part over the years, and some of them will need a bit of trial and error from you. Every brewhouse and every operation varies, and clearly it’s a matter of finding out what works in your particular setting. 1) Measure, measure, measure You need the facts at your fingertips. Get on top of the metrics. Measure, measure, measure.
64
Then put everything on to spreadsheets. Use them to update monthly costs. Create comprehensive sheets for each beer. To get a picture of the true cost per barrel, don’t leave anything out. Once you have everything, count it every month - and check the usage is in line with production. Once you know your metrics, you can begin to play. Make minor adjustments, one element at a time, and you’ll begin to see where you can make those elusive savings. Want a template spreadsheet? Email sales@ crispmalt.com. 2) Malt and mashing Use good quality, well modified malt. Good modification means it gives up its extract more easily and provides a better yield. Use your hydrometer or refractometer to
Summer 2022 | SIBA Independent Brewer | www.siba.co.uk
take your last running down to 1.5 to 2 degrees Brix / 1.006 to 1.008 SG. Careful not to go lower, or you’ll be getting those harsh, astringent flavours and poorer head retention. Try replacing a small proportion of malted barley with malted wheat. It will save you money and increase head retention. 10% inclusion of malted wheat should give you a 20p per barrel saving. It all adds up. If you are already adding wheat, try torrefied barley. It offers greater savings, but be careful: it can be harsh at higher addition rates. If you are cold stabilising beer using sterile filters before packaging, it’s always worth using beta-glucanase in the mash. It’s a cheap enzyme to use and you can expect to see longer filter runs and longer filter life. So, more beer and less money spent on
