How Industry-Leading Alcohol Monitors are Transforming Operations at a Somerset-Based Brewery
Somerset Cider Solutions has significantly improved its operations, reduced resource consumption, and enhanced the overall taste of its products by integrating Anton Paar’s Flex-Blend 3500 into their production process. Factory Manager Tom Ebdon shares his insights about the benefits of this advanced blending system.
Redesigning for efficiency
To the delight of Ebdon, “The Flex-Blend 3500 has allowed us to redesign our processing facility to create a more compact process line, dramatically increasing the efficiency of our operations.” With the inclusion of DAVIS software, continuous monitoring and quality report generation have become seamless, allowing parameters to be visible at a glance. Additionally, the integration of a CO2 sensor before the filler has further enhanced quality control during kegging.
Significant cost savings
The implementation of the Flex-Blend 3500 has led to substantial cost savings for Somerset Cider Solutions. “The savings per year were more than the system cost, resulting in a return on investment (ROI) of about a year to 18 months,” Ebdon remarks. By modifying the processing line, the company replaced an inefficient pump and eliminated the need for a carbonation tank, reducing CO2 use and achieving significant energy and commodity savings. Specifically, electric and diesel energy savings exceeded 25 %, and CO2 consumption was reduced by approximately 24 % (over 30 tons) per year.
Time and resource efficiency
The Flex-Blend 3500 has also contributed to considerable time and resource savings. Water use has decreased by 3 m³ per day, the 5-stage CIP (clean-in-place) process time has been reduced by nearly an hour, and the volume of caustic used for CIP has decreased by 10 %, due to the reduced system size. Additionally, each product changeover now takes around 10 minutes less.
Additional benefits and environmental impact
The removal of the large carbonation tank has saved space and reduced cleaning burdens, while increased control of carbonation has enabled reliable production of a variety of highly-carbonated products, such as soft drinks and ready-to-drink cocktails. These improvements have not only supported Somerset Cider Solutions’ growth in these sectors but also reduced exposure to rising energy costs. The environmental benefits are significant as well, with a notable reduction in CO2 usage, diesel, and electric consumption, resulting in a more sustainable packaging process.
Enhanced product quality
Ebdon also notes improvements in product quality: “We sampled the cider during one of the production runs to analyze the CO2 content in the lab and ensure alignment between production sensors and QC analysis. The new process, driven by the highly efficient carbonator, has given the cider an even better tingle on the tongue.”
View the full case study here.
Find out more by visiting our website or contacting us via email info.uk@anton-paar.com.
