From Circular to Linear? Assessing the Life Cycle Environmental and Economic Sustainability of Steel and Plastic Beer Kegs

In the craft brewing industry, kegging solutions have changed dramatically in recent years. While steel kegs once dominated the draught beer market, single-use plastic kegs have increased in popularity due to their convenience, especially in the craft brewing sector. With the increasing importance of the circular economy and the introduction of policies in Europe to move away from single-use plastic systems, this study aims to assess and compare the sustainability of conventional steel and single-use plastic kegs. The environmental and economic performance are assessed through life cycle assessment and life cycle costing approaches. The results suggest that steel kegs have better environmental performance and life cycle costs. However, these are limited to the local markets, and with larger distances, plastic kegs may become the better option due to their lower weight, suggesting that both kegs are useful in certain situations. This is especially important in countries that have long distances between breweries and their markets. The importance of extending the lifetime of the keg fleet is also highlighted to improve the environmental performance as the results are influenced by the assumption on the lifetime of the steel kegs. To improve the environmental performance of plastic kegs, efficient closed-loop recycling systems should be developed. Careful decision-making is needed to ensure that more sustainable packaging options are chosen for draught beer and that sustainability aspects be taken into account beyond convenience.

Providing Stability to High Internal Phase Emulsion Gels Using Brewery Industry By-Products as Stabilizers

The modern brewing industry generates high amounts of solid wastes containing biopolymers—proteins and polysaccharides—with interesting technological and functional properties. The novelty of this study was to use raw by-product from the brewing industry in the development of high internal phase emulsion (HIPE) gels. Thus, the influence of the emulsion’s aqueous phase pH and the by-product’s concentration on structural and physical stability of the emulsions was studied. The microstructure was analyzed using cryo-field emission scanning electron microscopy. To evaluate the rheological behavior, oscillatory tests (amplitude and frequency) and flow curves were conducted. Moreover, the physical stability of the emulsions and the color were also studied. The increase in by-product concentration and the pH of the aqueous phase allowed development of HIPE gels with homogeneously distributed oil droplets of regular size and polyhedral structure. The data from the rheology tests showed a more stable structure at higher pH and higher by-product concentration. This study widens the possibilities of valorizing the brewing industry’s by-products as stabilizers when designing emulsions.

Use of Chlorella sorokiniana (Chlorellaceae, Chlorellales) microalgae for purification of waste water from the brewing industry

The paper presents some environmental problems of the brewing industry. The literature data on the methods of water purification using microalgae have been studied. The composition of wastewater from the brewing industry is shown to consist of few biogenic elements, namely: nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, which are necessary for microalgae biomass cultivation. Therefore, the wastewater from the brewing industry can be used as a basis for making a nutrient medium to cultivate microalgae. In the experimental part, the effect of various dilutions of a suspension of microalgae Chlorella sorokiniana (C) grown on a nutrient medium with untreated wastewater (UWW) from the brewing industry was studied. Various percentage ratios of wastewater to microalga suspension were studied, namely: UWW/C = 70:30, 50:50, and 30:70 for the ability to absorb nitrogen, organic and inorganic carbon from dry matter, and to change the pH value. The dependences of the growth rate of microalgae at various percentage additives of the wastewater from the brewing industry are presented. It was shown that at a UWW:C = 30:70, this dependence is characteristic of the standard growth curve of a microorganism culture. A lag phase, phases of exponential growth and withering away are observed. At a 70:30 ratio, the harmful effect of effluents on the growth of microalgae is obvious, on the 3rd day their death occurs, the green solution acquiring a brown color to confirm the death of microalgae cells. It has been shown that the optimal UWW:C ratio is 30:70, with no loss of biomass, it grows well using pollutants for its nutrition. The color of the solution after cultivation was bright green, which corresponded to the color of healthy cells. At UWW:C = 30:70, the wastewater is purified up to 70% and 90% for total nitrogen and organic carbon, respectively. The pH value changes from acidic to neutral. Keywords: Chlorella sorokiniana, wastewater treatment, brewing industry

Cultivation of mycelium of the edible fungus Pleurotus ostreatus (oyster mushroom) with the use of wet sparging grain, the waste of the brewing industry.

Wet sparging grain, a waste product of brewery, was shown to be successfully utilized as a supplement to the nutrient media and substrates for both isolation of the vegetative mycelium of the Pleurotus ostreatus mushroom, as well as for its further recovery and growing the carposomes. We studied the influence of the wet sparging grain on mycelium growth. Cultivation results demonstrated that wet sparging grain is an efficient additional component to the minimal agarized nutrient media for P. ostreatus growth and isolation and to its common fruit body cultivation substrates. Even the depleted agaric media and substrates with addition of the sparging grain allowed intensive growth of the P. ostreatus mycelium and its fructifying. Practical Application: Addition of wet sparging grain to poor cheap substrates increases their quality for rearing the edible oyster mushroom mycelium to the level of reach substrates, and allows utilization of agricultural wastes. The technique is ready for application and patented in the Russian Federation.

Consumers' perceptions of product quality and entrepreneurial survival: evidence from the craft brewery industry

Purpose Most studies of entrepreneurial failure do not have good measures of consumers' perceptions of product quality. As a result, perceived quality in entrepreneurial success is often omitted. The craft brewery industry is comprised of small entrepreneurial firms selling an experience good making it an ideal study setting. Using online beer reviews, the authors examine how perceptions of beer quality and the size of brewery production influence entrepreneurial success of microbreweries and brewpubs.Design/methodology/approach Using data from the Brewers Association and over 12 million reviews from beeradvocate.com between 2002 and 2016, the authors examine the relationship between perceived product quality to firm survival. Perceived quality is measured using online beer reviews. The authors expect larger microbreweries will survive longer as will breweries with higher perceived quality. The authors use a conditional log-log hazard model to estimate survival for microbreweries and brewpubs.Findings A one standard deviation increase in the beer ratings reduces the probability of exit by 26% for a microbrewery and 19% for brewpubs. The authors find that larger microbreweries have a lower hazard of exiting.Originality/value Entrepreneurs in the brewing industry start as home brewers before beginning commercial enterprises. Scaling up production is difficult. The initial size of their brewery is an important determinant of their success. Likewise, the perception of the quality of their beer as measured by consumer ratings gives a good market indication about future survival. This research is one of the few studies to examine the influence of perceived quality on firm survival in a growing industry.

Integrated Use of Microalgae in Waste Water Purification and Processing of Food Industry Waste

The processing of liquid and solid waste from the food industry using microalgae is considered on the example of St. Petersburg enterprises. Waste water from Baltika Brewing Campaign and food waste from public catering enterprises were used in the work, using the example of food waste from the canteens of Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University. Тhe possibility of purifying wastewater from the brewing industry using microalgae was studied. The obtained biomass of microalgae after purification of waste water from the food industry is proposed to be used to accelerate the processes of anaerobic digestion of food waste generated in the canteens of the Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University. It has been shown that the addition of microalgae biomass is capable of accelerating the decomposition of food waste and producing more biogas with a maximum methane content.

POSSIBILITY OF USING THE FULFILLED DIATOMACEOUS EARTH FROM THE BREWING INDUSTRY

Рассмотрены исследования в области использования отработанного кизельгура (диатомита) пивоваренного производства. Ресурсы кизельгура ограничены, его утилизация осуществляется захоронением на полигонах и требует больших затрат, поэтому поиск возможностей использования кизельгурового шлама экономически выгоден, а их внедрение на производстве будет способствовать улучшению экологии. Кизельгуровый шлам может подвергаться термической регенерации на специальных установках, после чего снова использоваться в процессе фильтрации пива. Использование регенерата отработанного кизельгура в качестве добавки в рацион кур-несушек и цыплят-бройлеров увеличивает их продуктивность и качество получаемых продуктов. Также возможно приготовление на основе отработанного кизельгура добавки к корму коров. Кизельгуровый шлам может применяться для очистки почвы от нефтепродуктов, а также воды от гербицида параквата и красителя метиленового синего. Как компонент строительных смесей отработанный кизельгур улучшает их свойства. Researches in the using of the fulfilled diatomaceous earth from the brewing industry are considered. Diatomaceous earth resources are limited, its disposal is burial in landfills and costly, so search the possibilities of the use of kieselguhr sludge cost-effective, and their implementation in manufacturing will contribute to improving the environment. Kieselguhr sludge can be subjected to thermal regeneration in special plants, and then used again in the filtering process of beer. The using of reclaim of the fulfilled diatomaceous earth as a supplement in the diet of laying hens and broiler chickens increases their productivity and the quality of the products. Also the preparation of additive based on spent diatomaceous earth to the feed of cows is possible. Kieselguhr sludge can be used for cleaning soil from petroleum products and water from the herbicide paraquat and dye methylene blue. As a component of construction waste mixtures of the fulfilled diatomaceous earth improves their properties.

Brewing with 10% and 20% Malted Lentils—Trials on Laboratory and Pilot Scales

Lentils, a popular foodstuff worldwide, are gaining more interest for their use in alternative diets. In addition, we are observing an ever-growing demand for new raw materials in the malting and brewing industry and an overall rising interest in a low-gluten lifestyle. Therefore, in this study, malt was produced from green lentils and used in both laboratory- and pilot-scale brewing trials. Malted lentils were used as 10% and 20% adjuncts at the laboratory scale, following the Congress mash procedure, and the most important parameters (e.g., filtration time, pH, color, extract, fermentability) of the wort and beer samples were analyzed with a special focus on the concentrations of metal ions (Mg2+, Ca2+, Zn2+, Fe) in wort. The production of beer with lentil malt as an adjunct was then scaled up to 1 hl, and several beer parameters were analyzed, including the gluten content and foam stability. The results showed that the gluten content was decreased by circa 35% and foam stability was enhanced by approximately 6% when adding 20% lentil malt. Furthermore, the use of lentil malt reduced the filtration time by up to 17%. A trained panel evaluated the sensorial qualities of the produced beers. Overall, the use of green lentil malt shows promising results for its potential use in brewing.

Utilização do bagaço de malte da indústria cervejeira como substrato para produção de pectinase por cogumelos / Utilization of beer spent grain from the brewing industry as substrate for mushroom pectinase production

O aumento da produção de cerveja promoveu, consequente, aumento na geração de resíduos, como o bagaço de malte, provenientes dessa atividade industrial, intensificando a necessidade de seu reaproveitamento. Uma alternativa para isso, é a utilização dos resíduos da indústria cervejeira como fonte de carbono no cultivo de macrofungos (cogumelos), visando a produção de biomoléculas, como enzimas, de importante interesse pelas indústrias. O objetivo desse estudo foi avaliar a produção de pectinase por duas espécies de basiomicetos, Pleurotus djamor e Hypsizygus ulmarius, a partir de cultivo submerso, tendo o bagaço de malte como fonte de carbono e aplicando um delineamento composto central rotacional para otimização das variáveis do processo: concentração de substrato, temperatura e agitação. Para a produção de pectinase por P. djamor, as variáveis que melhor influenciaram o processo foram concentração de bagaço de malte (30 g/L), temperatura (29°C) e agitação (75 rpm), quando obteve-se atividade enzimática de 2,544 U/mL. Já o cultivo de H. ulmarius para produção de pectinase, as variáveis que melhor influenciaram o processo foram concentração do bagaço de malte (30 g/L), temperatura (24°C) e agitação (150 rpm), quando foi verificada atividade enzimática de 2,367 U/mL. Ensaios de estabilidade térmica de pectinase obtidas a partir do cultivo submerso em bagaço de mate, de ambas espécies de basiodiomicetos, indicaram bom desempenho da enzima sob temperaturas mais altas (80°C). Estes resultados, sugerem portanto que o bagaço de mate é uma fonte de carbono interessante a ser aplicada no cultivo submerso de P. djamor e H. ulmarius visando a produção de pectinase .