Industries Served
Commercial Brewery Water Treatment
Commercial Brewery Water Treatment & Wastewater Solutions
For many, there is nothing better than an ice-cold beer on a summer afternoon. Unless, of course, that beer tastes a bit “off.” While hops, barley, and yeast often get the credit for an award-winning brew, water quality can have the biggest impact on the finished product.
Beer consists of 91–97% water. If your source water contains impurities or inconsistent mineral levels, it can drastically alter the flavor profile, clarity, and shelf-stability of your beer. By installing a professional brewery water filtration system, you ensure a steady supply of purified, “blank-canvas” water tailored to your specific brewing needs.
Ready to start designing a custom water and wastewater solution for your commercial brewery? Call us or reach out online.
Challenges in Brewing Water Treatment
Every brewery requires a unique approach to water purification because water quality and chemistry vary across the country. At Besco Commercial, we evaluate four primary factors when designing brewing water treatment solutions:
- Geographic Location:
The levels of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) vary by region. High TDS can interfere with your mash pH and alter the mouthfeel of the beer. - Water Source:
Whether you pull from a private well, surface water, or a municipality, your brewery water treatment needs will change. We perform diligent water testing before installation to find the exact solution for your source. - Chlorine vs. Chloramine:
Most municipal water is treated with chlorine or chloramines to kill bacteria. For brewers, these are a disaster because they are toxic to yeast. We design commercial water filtration systems to remove these chemicals. - Beer Style: A stout and an IPA require different chemical compositions. While you are the beer expert, Besco provides the beer water treatment infrastructure that allows you to manipulate bicarbonate and TDS levels for any recipe.
Notable minerals include:
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Calcium -
Magnesium -
Carbonates/Bicarbonates -
Sodium
Advanced Brewery Filtration Systems
To achieve the clarity required for modern lagers and pilsners, a commercial beer filtration system is a necessity. Besco designs and installs multi-stage brewery filtration systems that handle everything from incoming ingredient water to product polishing.
Our solutions range from 5-micron sediment filters to high-capacity Reverse Osmosis (RO) systems. RO is the ultimate tool for a brewmaster, as it removes the widest range of contaminants and total dissolved solids, allowing you to “re-mineralize” the water to match any classic brewing profile (such as the soft water of Pilsen or the gypsum-rich water of Burton-on-Trent).
Beyond mineral control, biological stability is vital. We provide UV water treatment for breweries as a final stage of disinfection. UV water treatment for breweries is a chemical-free way to guarantee your water is free of spoilage organisms that could ruin a batch, all without affecting the beer’s delicate head retention or aroma.
Managing the Brewery Wastewater Treatment Process
As a brewery scales, managing effluent becomes as important as the brewing itself. Professional brewery wastewater treatment services are crucial for maintaining compliance with local environmental regulations and avoiding substantial municipal surcharge fees.
Brewery effluent is notoriously difficult to manage because it is often high in Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and can be highly acidic due to cleaning-in-place (CIP) processes. A robust brewery wastewater treatment process requires a custom approach to three critical areas:
1. Strategic Brewery Wastewater Design
Before equipment is ever installed, the brewery wastewater design phase must account for your facility’s unique footprint and peak production volume. Besco Commercial will engineer your system to handle “slug loads. These are the massive volumes of waste suddenly released during tank dumps. Strategic design ensures your system never overflows or shocks the municipal sewer.
2. Automated pH Neutralization
Distillery and brewery waste can swing wildly between acidic and alkaline. Your brewery wastewater systems must include automated dosing to balance the pH of the water in real-time before it is discharged.
3. High-Efficiency Solids Removal
A key part of brewery wastewater treatment systems is the physical separation of yeast, trub, and spent grains. By screening these solids out early, you significantly lower your BOD levels and prevent clogs in your downstream plumbing.
Whether you require simple equalization tanks or a complex brewery wastewater treatment system involving aerobic or anaerobic digestion, Besco provides the engineering expertise to keep your facility running sustainably and legally.
Why Choose Besco Commercial?
Besco Commercial is one of the largest brewery water treatment companies in the Midwest. We don’t just sell equipment; we provide long-term brewery wastewater treatment services and 24/7 emergency support.
With the largest DI (Deionization) regeneration plant in Michigan and decades of experience in brewery wastewater design, we have the scale to handle any project on-time and on-budget.
For more information on the best brewery filtration or wastewater solutions for your business, contact us today.