Nothing better than a good gas over a pint
May 1st 2008

To make a consistently good pint requires careful, hygienic and precise brewing, and most brewers today use thermostatically temperature controlled electrically heated water to sterilise equipment and supply warm water at the temperature required for the mash. Electric heating can meet requirements, but at high running cost. A gas alternative is available from Rinnai UK.

Rinnai manufactures continuous flow gas water heaters, that heat water only as it is needed, and deliver it at an electronically controlled temperature to ±1°C.

There is no need to heat tanks, or store water and maintain it at high temperature to avoid bacterial contamination. Rinnai water heaters are ideal for brewers, as they provide high temperature sterilising wash up to 85°C, and also lower temperature water for brewing on demand. Heating the water needed for the brewing process using gas rather than electric should save 70% of the associated energy costs. And reclaimed heat from the mash can be used to pre-heat the water input to the Rinnai heaters to save more.

Rinnai estimate that the pay back time for brewers who convert their process from electricity to gas is actually likely to be less than a year. One or two brewing installations are currently under conversion, and in the next few weeks the results of these trials will be available.

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