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North Slope Chillers

Industrial Water Chiller Systems

Fermentation

Whirlpooling

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What Is Whirlpooling?

Whirlpooling. Dangerous when floating a river, but critical when brewing beer. To put it simply, whirlpooling separates the good stuff in your brew from the waste that can be thrown away. 

Because whirlpooling is such an important part of the brewing process, simply stirring just isn’t going to cut it. Let’s dive into the brew, shall we?

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whirlpooling
Image from Homebrewersassociation.org

Wort And Trub

Before you can ferment your brew, you have to separate the brewed wort from the trub. 

For those who don’t speak beer, here’s a quick glossary: 

Wort:

Wort is “the sweet, amber liquid extracted from malted barley that the yeast will later ferment into beer.” According to Howtobrew.com, whirlpooling helps prepare the wort for fermentation by “gathering most of the break and hops into the center of the pot to better enable the siphon to draw off clear wort from the side.”

Trub:

Beerandbrewing.com identifies trub as “a collective term covering sediments formed in the brewing process during wort boiling—called hot break—and upon cooling the wort before primary fermentation boiling—called cold break—as well as during cold storage of fermented beer, which is called cold trub.” In any form, trub is usually discarded by brewers as a waste-product. 

Whirlpooling is the process of steeping hops in a way that preserves oils essential for wort flavor while separating out the trub. 

Let It Whirl

The swirling motion of the brew prevents most of the hop oils from boiling away. You can whirlpool your brew by using a spoon to stir or anything that will get the water moving. 

The main benefits of whirlpooling are preserving flavoring oils from boiling off and collecting trub to be disposed of. Experts in whirlpooling will do so in a way that shapes the trub into a cone at the bottom of the boiling pot: 

Whirlpooling

Once you’ve moved the wort brew to the fermentation chamber, you can throw away the trub. Some homebrewers use trub as a fertilizer for their lawns and gardens. Others use it as a drain filter due to the trub’s straining properties. 

Temperature Control

Throughout the brewing process, ensuring your brew doesn’t get too hot or cold is critical. North Slope Chillers offers fermentation chillers and Keg Coolers to help keep your brew at the desired temperature during each stage. For more information about how North Slope Chillers can help you brew the finest craft beer you’ve ever made, call (866) 826-2993 or email [email protected]. 

Chilling Beer

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Keep it Cold

Successful craft breweries have one thing in common: they stay in control of their creation. What’s the best way to keep beer cold?

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Beer: Stay in Command

Flavor, color and texture are all dependent on how beer is made. Temperature control during the brewing process directly impacts each of those three elements. It’s always been that way, and always will be.

Using Ice and Snow

Ever since mankind discovered how to make beer, keeping it chilled has been critical to allowing the fermentation process to work its magic. Fermentation generates heat, so beer makers have had to pay strict attention to temperature control. In the past, most beer producers stored beer in cellars to keep it protected from external heat, while using water and ice to reduce fermentation heat. 

Monk makes beer
A monk brewing beer

Beer chilling methods have changed over time. During the reign of Roman Emperor Nero, distilled water was invented, allowing for colder drinks to be served. In medieval times, ice houses dug into the ground were all the rage in Europe and Asia. Snow was also a commodity used in keeping beer and wine cold. Once the New World was discovered, Spain imposed a tax on snow imported from Mexico that lasted 300 years due to its value in cooling.

In the early colonization of North America, ice caves were essential to keeping beer at a stable temperature. Brewers would layer huge blocks of ice along cave walls, creating a freezer that lowered the air temperature of the cave. It’s said that the success of breweries in Wisconsin was only possible due to the nearby lakes that freeze over during the winter, providing breweries with a massive supply of ice to help with fermenting and storing. To this day, you can still tour the ice caves that used to house barrels of Miller beer. 

Beer Spoils

george washington
A recipe for beer written by George Washington

When beer isn’t chilled correctly, it often spoils. George Washington had a recipe he used to reclaim spoiled beer due to the difficulty of maintaining a stable temperature. Beer production in Germany from the 16th century to the 19th century was banned during the hot summer months. Overheated beer provides “ideal habitats for noxious airborne bacteria to proliferate and caused yeasts to produce undesirable fermentation flavors.” With few exceptions, most spoiled beer is deemed unusable and simply thrown out. 

The First Chiller

Mechanized temperature control wasn’t a thing until 1873, when German engineer Carl von Linde invented the first chiller machine. According to the Oxford Companion to Beer, von Linde saw a need for artificial refrigeration and found a solution using the basic principles of thermodynamics. 

Because cold is merely the absence of heat, to make things cold, one must withdraw heat. Compressing a medium generates heat; subsequently decompressing or evaporating it quickly absorbs heat from its environment. Devices based on this principle are now generally known as vapor-compression refrigeration systems; apply this to a fermenting or lagering vessel, and it becomes a beer-cooling system. 

-Oxford Companion to Beer
Carl von Linde, 1868

Dubbing his creation the “ammonia cold machine” due to the use of ammonia as a refrigerant, von Linde’s invention changed the world forever, allowing breweries to ditch the ice caves and produce beer year round. Today, von Linde’s ammonia cold machine has evolved into modern equipment. Commercial beer chillers allow yeast strains to be kept at their optimum temperature and reduce risk of overheating. They also provide beer with a stable storage temperature that works in nearly any environment. 

Keg Coolers

keg cooler

North Slope Chillers offers the best beer chilling equipment on the market. Our Keg Coolers bring peace of mind to large breweries and home brewers alike. With a white vinyl finish to repel heat from sunlight and insulated layering, Keg Coolers draw heat away from the container to ensure beer stays at a set temperature. Portable and easy to use, Keg Coolers are essential for every brewer. 

Temperature control in beer making is just as important in 2019 as it was in 3000 B.C. By using North Slope Chillers Keg Coolers, craft brewers can carry on the age-old tradition of using the best temperature control solution available. 

Cooling from North Slope Chillers

North Slope Chillers offers easy to install, portable chillers that won’t disrupt your current setup. If you would like to know more about our product offerings, give us a call at (866) 826-2993 .

Types of Fermentation

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A Scientific Art

The chemical process of fermentation is relatively consistent no matter what is being fermented: starches are converted into sugars, sugars are consumed by yeast, and at certain temperatures yeast will create alcohol and carbon dioxide. While the science of fermentation may be the same, the art of fermentation creates a bouquet of flavors, aromas, colors, and alcohol levels. The art and science of fermentation uses a language all of its own.

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Selection of alcoholic drinks, brewed and distilled
North Slope Chillers infographic of a fermentation glossary with common fermentation terms and their meanings

Types of Fermented Drinks

Beer

There are 2 main families of beer: ales and lagers.  The type of yeast culture and the fermentation temperature affects whether a beer becomes an ale or a lager. Ales are fermented at higher temperatures and lagers are fermented at cooler temperatures.  Flavors and aromas are cultivated by a variety of starches that are malted, mashed, and then fermented within their respective temperature ranges. Those specific temperature ranges preserve the colors, flavors, and aromas enjoyed in a well-brewed beer.

Wine

Grapes provide the sugar supply for the fermentation process of wine-making.  White wines are fermented at cooler temperatures while red wines are fermented at warmer temperatures. These temperature ranges preserve, color, acidity, tannin levels, and the flavors expected of each family of wines.

Sake

Calling sake “rice wine” is a bit of a misnomer. The rice grains used to ferment sake are more like the starches in beer making, and must be converted from starch to sugar before being fermented. The sugars that feed wine yeast naturally exist in the grapes. Sake fermentation should occur at lower temperatures to slow the fermentation process.

Spirits

For clear fermented drinks, distillation must be used.  The fermented mash is boiled and the flavor infused alcohols evaporate before the water, and are condensed in another vessel.

Kombucha

Kombucha is a fermented drink of SCOBY, tea, sugar, and yeast. Other ingredients such as ginger and fruit can be added to change flavors, acids, and aromas. Maintaining warm fermentation temperatures keeps acid levels steady, reduces mold growth, and encourages yeast activity.

Yeast’s Happy Place

For all these fermented drinks, fermentation is triggered by a happy, comfortable environment for yeast to grow. Temperature is the most important component in this environment and must be carefully maintained.

Put total temperature control at your fingertips for every drink you ferment. Fermentation chillers and Fluxwraps from North Slope Chillers keep your fermentation environment happy and healthy.

Contact us to find the right fermentation temperature solution for your needs at (866) 826-2993 or by email at [email protected].

Wine Temperatures: Fermentation and Storage

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Living On Cloud “Wine”


Grapes take quite a journey from vine to wine. Depending on the type of wine, that journey can be a lengthy one. A lot of different factors influence the quality of a finished wine, and temperature control is the key to ensuring wine finishes that journey.

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Wine glasses on table with barrels in the background

Fermentation Temperature Control

Fermentation is an exothermic, or heat-producing, process. As yeast breaks down sugars into carbon dioxide and alcohol, temperatures inside your fermenter will continue to rise. As temperatures climb, the fermentation process speeds up and the result is a run-away chemical train that disrupts flavors, aromas, colors, and alcohol content.

“The Goldilocks Zone”

Like the storybook character, fermentation yeasts are happiest when conditions are just right, not too hot and not too cold. If fermentation temperatures are too high, wines can develop a “cooked” flavor, emit unpleasant aromas, and leave your desired alcohol level behind. If fermentation temperatures are too cold yeast can go dormant, alcohol production will stop, and bacteria or mold can can begin to grow.

North Slope Chillers infographic showing fermentation temperatures for white and red wine

Red Wines

According to top yeast producer Wyeast Laboratories, red wines should ferment between 70° and 85° F. This temperature range not only ensures the yeast finishes the fermentation process but also protects all of the elements that comprise a high-quality red wine. These temperatures are ideal to extract the desired color and tannins from the grapes.

Tannins are bitter or astringent compounds that are found in many plants including grapes, and the oak used in wine aging barrels. Tannins produce that drying mouth feel when you drink red wine. Temperature control ensures that tannin levels are carefully managed, and the resulting astringent feel in your mouth can be pleasant and not harsh.

White Wines

According to Wyeast, white wines should be fermented at a lower temperature than reds, between 45° and 60°F. This cooler temperature range means a slower fermentation process that preserves the qualities one looks for in a white wine. These temperatures keep acidity levels under control, protect temperamental aromas, and produces the desired mouth-feel and fruity flavors associated with white wine.

Wine Aging and Storage Temperatures

North Slope Chillers infographic showing aging and storage temperatures for red and white wine

Once fermentation is complete, wine enters the storing and aging stage. Again, according to the experts at Wyeast, the ideal temperature for red wines is around 68° F. White wines should be aged and stored at 60°F. Storing wines at their correct temperatures preserves the flavors you worked so hard to cultivate.  

When storing wine, the aging barrels and containers should stay put as much as possible so as to not stir up sediment and adversely affect the texture. Process cooling solutions can bring the temperature control straight to the barrel and keep the wine resting.

Temperature Control Methods

There are a wide variety of temperature control methods used in wine making: from water and ice baths, to insulation jackets, and expensively air conditioning entire rooms just to keep yeast in the “goldilocks zone.” These methods require a lot of attention and maintenance and lack efficiency.  

North Slope Chillers Wine Temperature Solutions

Wyeast laboratories lists fluid channel blankets as “the most effective and efficient method of temperature control.” North Slope Chillers’ Fluxwrap fluid channel blankets apply direct and even temperature control throughout the entire fermentation process. For larger wine operations, fermentation chillers are the ideal method for keeping fermentation chambers and storage barrels in their ideal range. Portable glycol chillers from North Slope Chillers are an efficient and economic way to protect your wines through fermentation, aging, and storage.

Contact us to find the right wine temperature control solution for your needs:

Call (866) 826-2993 or email [email protected]

Fermentation Temperatures

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Unleash the Yeast!

Yeast is a living, breathing microorganism, and without it, beer would not exist. Like any other living organism, yeast needs to be fed and cared for in order for it to thrive.

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Pouring bag of yeast into glass container

Happy Yeast = Healthy Brew

The most important factor in yeast management is temperature. Cold temperatures can keep yeast stable and dormant for a period of time.  Warm temperatures wake yeast up and provide it with an environment in which it can activate.  If temperatures rise too high, the yeast will die.

The Fermentation Process

North Slope Chillers infographic showing the fermentation process, yeast + sugar = carbon dioxide and ethyl alcohol

In the ideal temperature range and in the presence of sugars, yeast breaks down the glucose (C6H12O6) into ethyl alcohol or ethanol (CH3CH2OH) and carbon dioxide (CO2). There are many factors involved in the fermentation process that have an overall effect on the appearance, aroma, and flavor of the finished brew:

  • Yeast strain
  • Sugar type (from the wort)
  • Sugar amount
  • Fermentation length
  • Fermentation temperature

What happens when yeast ferments at incorrect temperatures?

The fermentation process naturally generates its own heat. When yeast gets too hot while fermenting it can produce a higher level of fruity esters and heavier fusel alcohols. This can adversely affect the finished flavor and alcohol levels of your brew.

Yeast Laboratories

There are many yeast laboratories that cultivate, store, and supply dry and liquid yeast strains to craft and home brewers all over the world. Some of the top labs include:

  • White Labs
  • Wyeast
  • Fermentum Mobile
  • The Yeast Bay
  • Saccharolicious
  • RBY Laboratories
  • Imperial Organic Yeast
  • Jasper Yeast
  • East Coast Yeast
  • Bootleg Biology
  • RVA Yeast Labs
  • Giga Yeast
  • Omega Yeast
  • Fermentis
  • Mangrove Jack’s

Most yeast strains can be used in multiple brews, so be sure to carefully research the lab and the temperature requirements of each yeast strain you order to make sure your set-up is prepared.

Fermentation Temperature Charts

Fermentation temperatures for different yeast strains can vary by dozens of degrees, so it is crucial to plan your cooling needs ahead of time. The charts below illustrate the wide array of temperature needs for White Labs yeast strains.

North Slope Chillers chart showing ale and lager yeast fermentation temperatures for White Labs yeast strains
North Slope Chillers chart showing specialty/belgian and spirits yeast fermentation temperatures for White Labs yeast strains
North Slope Chillers chart showing wild , kombucha, wine, mead, and cider yeast fermentation temperatures for White Labs yeast strains

Keeping it Cool

Craft and home brewers have used many temperature control methods like water baths, evaporative process cooling, and fermenting in cooler basements. However, all methods have vulnerabilities, requiring constant attention and maintenance. Using a fermentation chiller is the most efficient way to keep yeast strains at their optimal temperatures.

North Slope Chillers portable chillers keep your brew at exact temperatures with very little effort.

Chat with a chilling expert to find the best chiller or chilling accessory for your needs at (866) 826-2993 or by email at [email protected].