MECHANISM FOR MIXING AND HOMOGENIZATION IN BEER FERMENTATION

Beer fermentations carried out in a cylindrical pilot plant fermenter were used to study mixing characteristics and the mechanisms of homoge nization during beer fermentation. The evolution of different paramete rs (pH, dry weight, sugars and ethanol concentration) were monitored a t different heights within the fermenter, which was inoculated in its upper part. The degree of mixture or homogeneity, was correlated throu ghout the fermentation process, with the mixing power, defined in term s of CO2 production rate, In the final model obtained, the influence o f solids evolution on the mixing bulk was also taken into account.