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Successful beer brewing supported by ifm

29/09/2023

The process of beer brewing has evolved over centuries into what we know today. Brewed without the aid of technical equipment in the distant past, it would be difficul to imagine a world without this popular drink - and ifm is part of today’s production process.

The history of beer goes back a long way. Archaeological evidence suggests that beer was already brewed around the 6th millennium BC by emerging civilisations such as ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. Back then, brewing was a profession to receive social recognition. In pre-industrial times, brewers were usually women.

In our days, many things have changed. What was once a marginal brewing culture has now become a global industry consisting of several multinational companies and many thousands of small producers, ranging from brewpubs to regional breweries. One such brewery is the "Schlossbrauerei Stein" in the Stein an der Traun district of the Upper Bavarian town of Traunreut in the Chiemgau region.

The founding history of this brewery goes back to 1489 when a brewery on the castle grounds was first mentioned in a document. In the following centuries and the changing castle owners, a completely walled and shingle-covered brewery with its own hop garden was built, so that in 1855, the castle brewery even rose to become the most important brewery in all of Upper Bavaria. Gradually, the current brewery took shape. It is still located on the castle grounds today.

In addition to beer brewing, the brewery currently also offers the opportunity to visit the brewery in its medieval setting . The usual ingredients of water, hops, malt and yeast, mixed with the help of various technical devices, also play a decisive role in the production of Steiner beers.

ifm colleague Sebastian Vial was able to see this for himself during a guided tour on which he also spotted the ifm compressed air meter SD5000. This sensor is used to regulate the compressed air so that the yeast will not enter the beer tanks with too much pressure and the beer quality will not be affected. If the production was successful, the beer will be stored for four to six weeks in the castle's rock cellar at a natural and constant cold temperature to bring its taste to perfection. Hence, the compressed air sensor plays a significant role in the production process at Schlossbrauerei Stein.

Picture 1: ifm compressed air meter SD5000, Picture 2: Yeast cultivation controlled by SD5000.