Hey all,
Looking to the collective wisdom...
The brewery I just started at is looking to replace their beaten up IDD keg washer/filler. They are currently looking at a Lambrechts 235 which is similar in process to how the IDD works (clean/steam sterilize on one station then fill on the other).
However, the more I look at the process flow, I have to wonder if this is the right way to go. We are draft only and kegging off of a 40 BBL brite and will be adding a 60 BBL soon. Because of the inefficiencies in the IDD it can take 8-9 hours to completely empty a 40 BBL. Makes for a long day and nearly impossible to turn the tank and put something else in it without going way into overtime. THEORETICALLY the new Lambrechts will bring this down to the 4 hour range but I'm still not convinced this is best. If I purchase a 3 head washer/sanitizer (Premier etc) instead of the Lambrechts I can clean about the same number of kegs per hour but I can do it during slower times and have most if not all of the kegs cleaned and ready when the tank is carbed and ready. Then simply build a octopus filler out of couplers and drain the entire brite in a couple of hours. This way I can hopefully turn the tank in the same day.
For some reason the idea of filling one keg at a time vs. 8 at a time seems better to me even though the overall labor output is probably about the same....
Any thoughts? I'm sure a few of you have been on both sides of this equation before.
P.S. I also hate steam sterilization since it means I am filling cold beer into a crazy hot keg. I know that's how it's done at bigger facilities but the idea of cooking the first few gallons of beer bugs me a bit. Plus I'd love to regain the floor space by yanking out the crappy old high pressure boiler that is sitting in the packaging area...
Looking to the collective wisdom...
The brewery I just started at is looking to replace their beaten up IDD keg washer/filler. They are currently looking at a Lambrechts 235 which is similar in process to how the IDD works (clean/steam sterilize on one station then fill on the other).
However, the more I look at the process flow, I have to wonder if this is the right way to go. We are draft only and kegging off of a 40 BBL brite and will be adding a 60 BBL soon. Because of the inefficiencies in the IDD it can take 8-9 hours to completely empty a 40 BBL. Makes for a long day and nearly impossible to turn the tank and put something else in it without going way into overtime. THEORETICALLY the new Lambrechts will bring this down to the 4 hour range but I'm still not convinced this is best. If I purchase a 3 head washer/sanitizer (Premier etc) instead of the Lambrechts I can clean about the same number of kegs per hour but I can do it during slower times and have most if not all of the kegs cleaned and ready when the tank is carbed and ready. Then simply build a octopus filler out of couplers and drain the entire brite in a couple of hours. This way I can hopefully turn the tank in the same day.
For some reason the idea of filling one keg at a time vs. 8 at a time seems better to me even though the overall labor output is probably about the same....
Any thoughts? I'm sure a few of you have been on both sides of this equation before.
P.S. I also hate steam sterilization since it means I am filling cold beer into a crazy hot keg. I know that's how it's done at bigger facilities but the idea of cooking the first few gallons of beer bugs me a bit. Plus I'd love to regain the floor space by yanking out the crappy old high pressure boiler that is sitting in the packaging area...
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