Industries Served
Distillery Water Treatment Systems
Distillery Water Treatment Systems
The quality of the water used to distill spirits significantly affects the finished product. Without a proper filtration process, you could be letting unwanted minerals and bacteria alter the taste and look of your drink.
Besco Commercial Water Treatment has over 200 combined years of experience in industrial water systems. Our skilled technicians can install a customized water filtration system that will allow you to use the most optimized water for distillation.
The types of water needed for scotch whisky are different from the kind of water needed for vodka. That’s why having a professional water treatment company work with you is vital. We will use our knowledge of water quality to create the perfect water treatment solution for your industry.
If you’re ready to take the first step towards creating the perfect water treatment solution for your distillery, call us or contact us online.
Best Water for Whiskey Making
Water, yeast, and barley are the three pillars of whiskey making. Of those three, water is considered the lifeblood of the product. It is heavily involved in the following processes:
- The steeping of green barley before it is malted.
- The mashing of malted barley grist and flour at high temperatures.
- The fermentation stage, where yeast and water are added to the washback.
- The cooling of the distilled spirit through tubs or condensers.
- Diluting the spirit.
- Having contaminated water will affect every stage of that process. Unwanted minerals can change the taste, odor, and color of your product.
During fermentation and mashing, an organic chemical called Oxalic Acid is produced in very small amounts. It’s a harmless substance in those small amounts and is often found in vegetables. However, it becomes a major quality control issue the moment it interacts with local water sources.
Many distilleries use water sourced locally, and it often contains Calcium. While Calcium is good for your body, it creates a white, clumpy substance when it is mixed with Oxalic Acid (called Calcium Oxalate). Calcium Oxalate isn’t soluble in alcohol or water and is often called “floc”. By using a reverse osmosis water filter system to eliminate the Calcium, your master distiller will be able to use perfectly crafted water every single day.
Precision Distillery Filtration Systems
Achieving a crystal-clear spirit requires a multi-stage distillery filtration system. Beyond treating the “liquor” (process water), the final product must undergo polishing to remove barrel char, fatty acid esters, and micro-sediments.
Besco provides advanced distillery filtration solutions, including:
-
Particulate Filtration:
Removing barrel char and grain particulates after aging.
-
Activated Carbon Pressure Filters:
Eliminating off-colors and odors in “neutral” spirits like vodka or gin.
-
Sterile Membrane Filtration:
Ensuring the spirit is biologically stable before bottling without stripping away the essential congeners that provide flavor.
We will assess your needs and recommend distillery filtration equipment accordingly. Learn more about the commercial water filtration systems we design and install.
Water Softeners vs. RO for Distilleries
Distillery water usage is very unique. In most cases, you want water to have a pH between 7 and 8 for general use, but fermentation requires something different. Most distillers will tell you that a pH level of 5.5 produces the perfect acidic environment for the fermentation process.
While a distillery water softener is excellent for protecting your boiler and plumbing from hard water scale, it doesn’t significantly change the pH of your mash. For that level of precision, you need a Reverse Osmosis (RO) system.
By installing a reverse osmosis system, the water will have calcium and other minerals removed. Without these mineral “buffers,” the water naturally becomes more acidic, lowering the pH into your preferred range of around 5.5.
Specifically, the mashing and fermentation processes need low levels of calcium carbonate. High levels of calcium carbonate keep the pH too high, which can stop the yeast from interacting properly with sugars in the mash and create an environment where unwanted bacteria can grow.
Managing the Distillery Wastewater Treatment Process
As production scales, distillery wastewater treatment becomes a critical operational requirement. The distillery industry wastewater treatment landscape is heavily regulated due to the high Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) found in “spent wash” or “pot ale.”
A robust distillery wastewater treatment process typically includes several key stages:
1. Screening & Equalization:
Removing spent grains and balancing the flow to prevent “slug loads” from overwhelming the system.
2. pH Neutralization:
Distillery effluent is naturally acidic. Our systems ensure the water is neutralized before moving to biological stages or discharge.
3. Biological Treatment:
Utilizing aerobic or anaerobic reactors to break down organic compounds.
4. Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF):
High-efficiency removal of Total Suspended Solids (TSS) and residual fats/oils.
Implementing on-site distillery wastewater treatment not only ensures environmental compliance but also significantly reduces municipal surcharge fees.
Need Industrial Water Treatment for a Distillery? Call Us.
Installing a water treatment for distilleries is one of the best investments you can make. It will increase the quality and consistency of your product while also keeping your equipment and facility in good condition. Besco Commercial is your partner in everything from ingredient water optimization to sustainable distillery wastewater treatment solutions.
For more information on which water treatment system is best for your business, call us directly. You can also fill out our online contact form. One of our water treatment specialists will reach out to you shortly after.