Brewhouses use steam for mashing and wort boiling and glycol for fermentation control. When batches drift, the cause is often in the utilities behind them: boilers, steam traps and chillers.
Common problems
Slow wort boil or mash heating
Check steam pressure at the vessel, condensate removal and steam-trap condition, and whether the boiler is cycling during peak demand.
Fermenter temperature overshoot
Compare glycol supply temperature, valve response and the number of vessels calling for cooling at once.
Batch times creeping up
Trend the duration of each step per batch to isolate where time is being lost.
Evidence that helps
- Batch records or brew logs
- Steam pressure and glycol temperature trends
- Vessel temperature trends
Work on burners, fuel trains, pressure vessels and electrical equipment must be carried out by qualified personnel following the manufacturer's instructions and local codes. Never bypass a flame safeguard, limit or interlock.