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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].

A Crash Course on High-Quality CBD Extraction

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Increased research on the potential benefits of cannabidiols (CBD and THC) extracted from cannabis plants has led to growing popularity in CBD and THC oils. These high-value extracts require careful extraction methods to go from cannabis plant to oil. Here are a few of the most common CBD and THC extraction methods.

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CBD vs. THC- What’s the Difference?

THC and CBD are the two main cannabinoids extracted from cannabis plants. Marijuana has a higher percentage of THC while hemp has a higher percentage of CBD. Put simply, THC has the psychoactive properties associated with getting “high” while CBD is said to have more calming, medicinal properties.

Common Extraction Methods

Solvent Extraction

This simple extraction method works by using ethanol as a solvent to remove extracts from cannabis plant trimmings. It usually looks something like this:

  1. Ethanol is added to trimmings and mixed for a couple of minutes to allow the ethanol to dissolve extracts from the plant materials.
  2. The ethanol is strained from the trimmings.
  3. The ethanol/extract mixture is slowly heated until all ethanol evaporates and only the plant extracts remain.

Solvent Extraction Pros:

  • Inexpensive- This method doesn’t require any fancy machinery.
  • Simple- This method is pretty straightforward and can even be done at home.

Solvent Extraction Cons:

  • Dangerous- Ethanol is extremely flammable.
  • Could Damage CBD/ THC- Ethanol could potentially denature the CBD or THC if overheated or overmixed.

CO2 Extraction

The CO2 Extraction method uses supercritical carbon dioxide to pull phytochemicals from cannabis plants. Supercritical materials are not quite a liquid but not quite a gas and possess the properties of both. This state is ideal for plant extraction because supercritical CO2 can move through materials like gas and dissolve materials like a liquid.

CO2  extraction typically follows these steps:

  1. The CO2 is prepared in a compression chamber. First, CO2  gas is turned into a liquid; this is done by dropping the temperature to under -69°F and increasing the pressure to over 75 psi. Next, the the temperature and pressure are both raised until the liquid becomes supercritical.
  2. The supercritical CO2 passes through cannabis trimmings in an extraction chamber where it dissolves and collects extracts from the plants.
  3. The CO2 / extract solution then enters a lower-pressure separator chamber. The lower pressure causes the CO2  and plant extracts to separate. The CO2 returns to the CO2 chamber and the cannabis oil is drained from the separator.

CO2  Extraction Pros:

  • Safe when done by professionals- CO2 is used in countless food products and is perfectly safe for consumption
  • Yields high-quality CBD- machines leave very little room for error

CO2  Extraction Cons:

  • Very expensive- setup costs start at approximately $40,000
  • Not for novice chemists- it’s best to leave this method to the professionals

Ice Water Extraction

Ice water extraction creates a powdery resin extract often referred to as “hash” or “bubble hash.” There are several variations to this method, but they all follow these general steps:

  1. Finely-chopped plant trimmings are mixed with either ice or dry ice.  This step is supposed to help separate extracts from the plant material.
  2. Water is added to the ice and trimmings and the entire mixture is strained through a mesh bag. (Often, the mixture is strained multiple times through progressively smaller-micron mesh bags until the purest-possible extracts are obtained)
  3. The extracts settle at  the bottom of the strained mixture. The excess water is drained from the top and the extracts are left to dry until they become powdery.

Ice Water Extraction Pros:

  • Inexpensive- Again, no fancy machinery needed!
  • High Yield- If done correctly, this method produces a relatively large amount of plant extract.

Ice Water Extraction Cons:

  • Not always practical- This method can be labor intensive and time consuming.

Temperature Control During Extraction

Regardless of the method used, careful temperature is control is an important element of high-quality yield in CBD and THC extraction. Extreme temperatures damage cannabinoids. Additionally, many processes need specific, extreme temperatures to be effective; if ideal temperatures are not maintained, the extraction process could completely flop. North Slope Chillers’ extraction chillers offer precise temperature control at sub-zero temperatures. Give us a call at
(866) 826-2993 and we’d be happy to tell you more about our products.

Dairy and Milk Coolers

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Process cooling has a place in many industries, and is no stranger in the world of dairy production. What role do dairy and milk coolers have in getting milk ready for consumption?

Process Cooling in the Dairy Industry

The dairy industry is massive, with $38.1 billion of milk produced in the United States alone in 2017. As a part of that industry, pasteurization is critical to producing milk for consumer use. Pasteurization kills and removes harmful bacteria from milk liquids. Process cooling controls temperatures during and following pasteurization procedures.

Bacteria

E. coli

As it leaves the animal, milk is inhabited by harmful pathogens, and is generally unsafe to consume. According to Milk Facts, some of these bacteria include:

  • E. coli: One of the most infamous bacteria, E. coli in most of its strains is harmless and used by the human digestive system. However, E. coli strain O157:H7 is a different matter. This particular strain produces toxins that can make humans sick, even leading to death in some cases. Thankfully, pasteurization kills the O157:H7 strain.
  • Listeria monocytogenes: This bacteria can infect nearly anyone and is regularly found in unpasteurized milk. Symptoms found in humans that have contracted Listeriosis range from fever and muscle aches to stillbirths and death. Though pasteurization kills Listeria, it can grow in refrigerated temperatures if the milk becomes recontaminated.
  • Salmonella: If you’ve ever had food poisoning, you probably have Salmonella to thank. While not usually life threatening, Salmonella can cause intestinal issues resulting in vomiting and diarrhea. It is not uncommon to find strains of this bacteria in raw milk, but they are not found in properly pasteurized milk.

HTST vs UHT

Having killed off these harmful bacteria, pasteurized milk is globally considered safe to consume. However, different countries have different ways of pasteurizing.

pasteurization

Milk in the United States and Canada is pasteurized via High-Temperature, Short-Time (HTST) The milk is heated to a lower temperature (about 165°F) than milk in Europe. The milk is kept at this temperature for about 15 seconds before process cooling kicks in and the temperature is gradually reduced to refrigeration levels. As a result, milk has a shorter shelf life and needs to be refrigerated for maximum storage. Most often, dairy coolers or milk coolers are used to stabilize temperatures.

European dairy producers require much higher temperatures, utilizing a pasteurization process called Ultra-High Temperature (UHT). The temperature of milk is heated much higher than milk processed in the United States, to about 191°F. Unlike HTST, milk is only heated that high for a few seconds. This method allows for milk to be stored without refrigeration and giving it a longer shelf life. The downside is that the milk has a different taste, with some calling it a “cooked” flavor.

Keep it cool

Regardless of pasteurization preference, milk needs to be cooled after being pasteurized so as not to burn the milk into something unfit for consumer tastes. Milk coolers from North Slope Chillers offer temperature control solutions that dairy producers need to lower temperatures after pasteurization and ready milk for market or further processing. Contact North Slope Chillers for the best milk coolers in the dairy industry at (866) 826-2993 or by email at [email protected].

Deionized Water in Process Cooling

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What’s so bad about ions?

Well, for everyday use…there is nothing bad about ions. They are in the water you use every single day. But for industrial purposes, these ions act as impurities that can interfere with and even damage sensitive equipment. Using deionized water instead of tap water is crucial in many industries.

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North Slope Chillers Industrial Chiller Sizes

What Is Deionized Water?

Deionized (DI) water is extremely purified water in which all total dissolved solids and ions (charged molecules) are removed.  Before water is deionized, it is filtered (sometimes through a reverse osmosis machine) in order to remove organic matter and other contaminants. Next, the water is run through a process called ion exchange.

North Slope Chillers infographic showing the ion exchange process of creating deionized water

The water is passed through 2 charged porous electrodes, 1 positive, 1 negative. The positive electrode attracts and removes all negatively charged ions from the water and replaces them with hydroxide (OH-). The negative electrode attracts and removes all positively charged ions from the water and replaces them with hydrogen (H+). The hydroxide and hydrogen then combine and form pure water molecules. The result of this process is completely purified water.

Deionized Water vs. Distilled Water

Distilled water has been boiled, turned into water vapor, condensed, and collected. Solids and impurities are left behind and purified water remains. Distilled water has many positive uses but is not as pure as DI water.

The process of creating DI water is faster, more cost-effective and uses less energy than the distillation process.  Due to this added convenience, it is easier to produce greater amounts of purified water than distilled.

What Is Deionized Water Used For?

North Slope Chillers infographic describing deionized water and its industrial uses

DI water has many industrial and manufacturing applications in process cooling since it doesn’t leave behind mineral deposits and is free of corrosive salts. Its high purity levels means it is used in ulta-sterile industries, such as pharmaceuticals, to mix medicines and cleanse lab equipment. It also has a very low electrical conductivity, which is ideal for use around electrical equipment. DI water is used to flush impurities and waste material away from sensitive equipment like circuit boards, micro electrics, and Electrical Discharge Machinery (EDM).

Deionized Water In Process Cooling

For industrial machinery that generates a lot of heat and requires the sensitivity of deionized water, specialized chillers are essential.  Deionized water chillers pump DI water in and around equipment solving both problems at once.

Deionized chillers from North Slope Chillers preserves your equipment and saves your operation time and money. Contact us to find the right deionized chilling 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]