Precautions for Beer Filling Machine

Ensuring Cleanliness

(1) Clean Packaging Containers:

All packaging containers used must undergo cleaning and strict inspection to prevent contamination of the beer after packaging.

(2) Clean Filling Equipment:

Particularly the beer valves and tanks of the filling machine must be cleaned and sterilized. After each shift, flush the equipment with water and add disinfectant for sterilization. Weekly, clean and sterilize the beer valves, tanks, and pipes. Any parts in contact with beer should be free of deposits, beerstone, and contaminants. It’s advisable to isolate the filling machine from other equipment, and lubrication parts of the filling machine and the beer-filling parts should prevent cross-contamination. Lubrication for conveyor belts should use specialized soapy water or lubricating oil.

(3) Clean Pipes:

All pipes, especially those directly or indirectly in contact with beer, should be kept clean. Daily flushing, weekly cleaning, and sterilization before each use are essential.

(4) Clean Compressed Air or CO2:

Compressed air or CO2 used for pressurization must be purified. Oil-free compressed air from air compressors should undergo deodorization, drying, or air-water separation. Air filters should be cleaned regularly, and deodorant filter media should be replaced promptly. For CO2, it should be purified and dried to ensure a purity level of over 99.5%.

(5) Clean Environment:

Maintain a clean and sanitary environment in the filling room, performing cleaning and sterilization at the end of each shift.

Preventing Oxygen Ingress

The entry of oxygen during the beer filling process can greatly harm beer quality. Reducing oxygen ingress and minimizing oxidation are of paramount importance.

(1) Lower Filling Pressure or Raise Filling Temperature:

Reducing oxygen dissolution by using purified CO2 as a pressure source or employing vacuum-assisted CO2 filling.

(2) Eliminate Air in Bottle Neck:

After beer filling and before sealing the cap, use methods such as bottle knocking, high-pressure water or CO2 injection, dripping beer, or ultrasonic oscillation to release CO2 from the beer in the bottle, creating fine foam to push out the air in the bottle neck. This operation is known as “foam expulsion” or “bubble burst.”

(3) Positioning Filling Machines Close to Bright Beer Tanks:

To lower air pressure during beer transfer, positioning filling machines as close as possible to bright beer tanks or using pumps to minimize oxygen dissolution.

(4) Pre-filling Pipe and Filling Machine Tanks with Water:

Fill pipes and filling machine tanks with water before filling, expelling the air, and topping with beer to reduce beer-air contact.

(5) Add Antioxidants to Beer:

Add antioxidants like Vitamin C (or its sodium salt) and bisulfite to the beer.

Low-Temperature Filling

Low-temperature filling is a fundamental requirement for beer filling. At lower temperatures, CO2 losses are reduced, and foam production is minimized, which is beneficial for beer filling.

(1) Beer Filling Temperature should be around 2°C and should not exceed 4°C. In case of higher temperatures, the beer should be cooled before filling.

(2) Cool the Beer Lines and Filling Machine Tanks:

Prior to each filling, especially in high-temperature conditions, use water at 1-2°C to lower the temperature of the beer lines and filling machine tanks.

Sterilization

Sterilization of bottled beer is a means to ensure beer’s biological stability. It is essential to control sterilization temperature and time to guarantee the sterilization effect. Additionally, one should avoid excessively high sterilization temperatures or prolonged sterilization times to minimize beer oxidation. After sterilization, the beer should be rapidly cooled to below a certain temperature (preferably below 35°C).