Optimizing non-alcoholic beer process

The Alfa Laval Revos™ concentration system with dealcoholization and dearomatization makes it easy, cost-effective and more environmentally friendly to bring consumers what they want: great-tasting 0.0% beer, wine and cider from concentrates. Software upgrades for beverage dealcoholization (0.5% or 0.05% ABV) and beverage dearomatization (hard seltzer neutral base) are add-ons to core Alfa Laval Revos concentration technology.

Optimal product quality using less water

A leading aroma retention and removal technology, the Revos concentration system uses high operating pressure (120 bar), thereby reducing the level of diafiltration water required for dealcoholization or dearomatization. The system can dealcoholize, produce a hard seltzer base, or do both simultaneously.

• Dealcoholization for superior aroma retention in dealcoholized beers
• Dearomatization for a high-purity, ethanol-water base for hard seltzers

The secret? The tight membrane pore structure that separates ethanol from the aroma compounds. This improves product quality and reduces operating costs. The standard Revos concentration system is configured for batch processing,but can also be configured for continuous processing.

Reaching sustainability goals

Transporting beer concentrate or dealcoholized beer concentrate instead of standard high-gravity beer, for instance, reduces the number of tanker journeys by about 65%. It also lowers the associated carbon dioxide emissions as well as labour and fuel costs. Besides improving supply chain sustainability, dealcoholization and dearomatization using the Revos concentration system allows beverages to be produced using less diafiltration water because the high pressures maintain membrane flux in the Revos concentration system.

Advantages of the Revos concentration system

The key takeaways for the Revos concentration system with dealcoholization and dearomatization include:

• Minimized dilution requirements – Higher operating pressures reduce the need for dilution required for other membrane processes.
• Faster production – Dealcoholization takes less time because minimal water is added. This speeds production while reducing energy and water costs.
• Higher yields – Greater productivity when producing ethanol bases with more than 20% alcohol by volume (ABV) since higher operating pressures increase the concentration limit that often requires the addition of water at the end of the process.

Dealcoholization benefits

Dealcoholization delivers superior flavour and aroma retention. Aroma retention in a Revos process for non-alcoholic and alcohol-free beer and beverages is exceptional (see graph above). Compared to thermal processes, Revos delivers:

• exceptional retention of higher alcohols in < 0.5% and < 0.05% products
• improved retention of esters at the 0.5% and 0.05% levels
• an exceptional level of aromas at the 0.5% level
• better aroma retention compared to thermal methods at the 0.0% level

Dearomatization benefits

Producing a neutral malt base requires the effective removal of aroma compounds. Thanks to its higher operating pressure, the Alfa Laval Revos concentration system effectively removes aroma compounds with minimal dilution, using much less water than other membrane technologies while maintaining reasonable membrane flux. Dearomatization:

• Removes high levels of aroma compounds from fermented base liquids, including acetaldehyde, isoamyl acetate, isoamyl and isobutyl alcohol
• Improves the removal of ethyl acetate and n-propanol
• Results in a high purity ethanol-water base for hard seltzers

Let the Revos concentration system help you earn more revenue from non-alcoholic and alcohol-free beverages while saving money with beer and beverage concentrates. Count on the Alfa Laval Revos concentration system for cost-effective concentration, dealcoholization and dearomatization of beer and alcoholic beverages.