Wiper and True Brewery Slash Water Loss By 20% With Alfa Laval

Bristol-based Wiper and True is a quality-led craft brewery known for consistency and attention to detail. The company prides itself on creating ‘beautiful beer’ that reduces the carbon impact on the planet. Wiper and True use cutting-edge technology to capture carbon dioxide produced during fermentation, preventing its release into the atmosphere.

But as production ramped up and the business scaled to meet increasing demand, maintaining brew consistency, while limiting yield loss, became a critical priority for the company. Quality is a non-negotiable for Wiper and True, a company that sells itself on using only the best ingredients. So, the company needed to find a solution that could improve its scalability without affecting the taste of the product.

Karl Gowing, production manager at Wiper and True, said: “Whenever we try and attack costs in production, the one thing we never touch is ingredients. We never buy cheaper malt, yeast or old hops because it creates a product that is cheaper in taste too. So, when we were looking to scale-up our production, we were looking at how we could make sustainable efficiencies by introducing new machinery into our operation.”

An upgrade in every way

Prior to approaching Alfa Laval for a solution, Wiper and True was using a UNI tank system in its brewing process. That meant the beer was fermented, chilled and then left to clarify in a single tank.

After speaking with the Alfa Laval team, Wiper and True decided on the Alfa Laval Brew 80 unit, configured with the ProCarb™ system and feed pump. The Brew 80 separation system consists of a separator, a process and service liquid unit, and an electrical and control system. The liquid outlet is sealed mechanically by an axial hermetic seal that prevents oxidation of the clarified product, while the separator discharges solids intermittently at a fixed volume.

As chosen by Wiper and True, the system can be modified with an optional ProCarb™ feature - a patented inline carbonation technology that boosts productivity by combining rapid clarification with carbonation. This combination reduces the processing time from crash-cooling tanks to packaging from three days to three hours.

Alfa Laval had the Brew 80 unit available in stock in the UK, allowing for a rapid turnaround. A dedicated team of engineers installed the ProCarb™ system ahead of delivery, which allowed the brewery to receive the Brew 80 and ProCarb™ fully prepared, ready for installation ahead of pump delivery.

Wiper and True requested on-site support for unpacking and installing the new system, so an Alfa Laval engineer attended the following morning to provide hands-on support.

Karl added: “Transitioning to a two-tank system by bringing the Brew 80 onboard has allowed us to get more beer out of a tank and move from losing 12-30% of our product to 8-9%. This means we are also achieving savings across water, heating, CO² usage and overall energy consumption.

“Essentially, the new equipment met all the requirements for lowering our costs. It’s not simply about making things cheaper, it’s about doing them in a way that’s sustainable, using less energy and water.”

Marvin Lindner, brewery operations director at Wiper and True, said: “I would consider the Brew 80 as one of the best investments we’ve ever made. I only have positive things to say about the kit, and I can’t even imagine what brewing without the equipment would be like now.”

Mark Breese, technical support specialist at Alfa Laval, said: “It’s been great to see the capability of the full Alfa Laval Brew 80 centrifuge package being taken advantage of at Wiper and True. The compact, flexible solution suited to craft brewery operations, enabled the brewery to shift from traditional clarification to an efficient, sustainable, two tank system that significantly improved beer consistency, boosted yield, and reduced environmental impact — making it a standout investment for the brewery’s future.

“We’re excited to see what other efficiencies the Brew 80 can deliver at the site, where quality of product and sustainable operations will always be at the forefront of any adjustment to the brewing process.”

To find out more about Alfa Laval’s brewing solutions, please visit: https://www.alfalaval.co.uk/industries/food-dairy-and-beverage/beverage-processing/beer-production/craft-brewing/