Copper Dragon opened it's new brewing facility in September 2008 comprising..
- Automated bulk malt handling system
- Four-stage brewhouse
- Dedicated fermentation area incorporating C.I.P. (Clean in Place) and yeast handling
- Cask washing and filling
- Temperature controlled warehouse.
The Copper Dragon Brewing Process
1. Malt Handling
Malt is delivered in bulk, 20 tonnes at a time from a local maltster.
Conveyors and elevators take the malt from the wagon into silos where it is stored prior to use. Specialist malts (used for the likes of Copper Dragon Black Gold) eg: Crystal malt, chocolate malt and roast barley are delivered in 25 kgs sacks.
The malts for each brew are accurately weighed before passing through a 4 roller mill @ 2 tonnes/hr. The milled grain is then held in the grist case for the next stage of the process - "Mashing"
2. Mashing
Mashing involves mixing the milled grain with hot water via a Steels' Masher into the conversion vessel.
Liquor treatment salts are added to the mash to 'Burtonise' the liquor (brewers terminology for water).
The mash is kept stirred at a temperature of 65degC for 90 mins during which time enzymes present in the grain converting starch into sugar.
The mash is then heated to 75degC before being transferred to the lauter tun for the next stage of the process - "Lautering"
3. Lautering
During lautering, the sugar produced in the conversion vessel (known at this stage as wort) is separated from the grain. The lauter tun vessel has a false base with tiny holes in it which allow the wort to filter through whilst retaining the grain behind.
Wort is recirculated back into the lauter tun until it is bright and free from solids, only then is it transferred to the wort kettle. Hot water is then used to sparge the grain bed and remove the residues of sugar left in the grain.
The filtered wort is now ready for the next stage -"Boiling", whilst the spent grains are used for animal feed.
4. Boiling
The wort is boiled for 90mins using high pressure steam in the wort kettle.
Boiling has many effects including sterilising & stabilising the wort, and isomerising the hops (added at this stage to give the beer it's bitterness).
Just prior to the end of the boil - 'Irish Moss' is added which further helps stabilisation.
The boiled wort is then transferred to the whirlpool for the final brewhouse stage - "Wort Clarification"
5. Wort Clarification
The whirlpool is so called because wort is introduced tangentially at high velocity. This forces any residual solids produced during boiling to settle in the base of the vessel. After a stand time of 30mins, the clarified wort is ready to move to the next stage - "Fermentation"
6. Fermentation
En route to the fermentation area, the wort is cooled using a plate heat exchanger and oxygenated, this process promotes the yeast to convert the sugar in the wort into alcohol.
Fermentation is monitored by checking the specific gravity of the fermenting wort and electronic temperature control systems ensure consistent flavours in the beer every time.
At the end of fermentation the 'beer' is cooled and the yeast drops to the bottom of the fermenting vessel from where it is cropped for use in future brews.