Introduction
Greenflex is constantly researching new products and possibilities. This is why we started investigating other markets that could use our netting. Thanks to our network, we came into contact with the beer brewing industry. By understanding how the art of brewing works, we started to realize our process nets could be implemented during several stages of the brewing process.
Recently, we had meetings with BarthHaas, a leading global supplier of hop products and beer brewing innovations. They used our alternative hop bag for a dry hopping test in their campus brewery in Nuremberg.
“Using a net in a keg is the best method for us to test different hops in the same base beer. The method is simple, the handling easy, no off-flavors, perfect.”
The brewing process
We mapped out the brewing process during our research and explored with several brewers from Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands where and how to implement our hop bags. With success, our netting can indeed improve the brewing process. The nets can be used to add hop pellets in four different stages: the boiling process, the whirlpool process, the fermenting process, or the maturation process. Additionally, you can use it for herbal infusions or applications with wood chips. Gert De Rouck, manager pilot brewery at KU Leuven, did a test on our nets as well. During the testing phase, several advantages came to light.
"We have tested the Greenflex net at our KU Leuven pilot brewery and were astonished by its flexibility. The net can be used throughout the whole brewing process. Moreover, even during flushing from one process through another; put the net with the aromatic compound in a tank, flush it with beer to create dynamic extraction and save time during production."
Applications of beer netting
For dry hopping, the Franconian concept brewery usually either utilizes a piece of special equipment called “Rocket” for a dynamic process, or they add the hops directly into the fermentation tank. But in these test series, the BarthHaas brewers dry-hopped the same base beer in several kegs, each with a different hop variety using the Greenflex net. The goal was to test the flavor and quality of the hops in beer. They filled the net with hop pellets for this specific approach, hung it into the keg, purged the keg interior with CO2, and filled it up with the base beer. The hop net then steeped for about two days before the beer was ready for sensory evaluation. “Using a net in a keg is the best method for us to test different hops in the same base beer. The method is simple, the handling easy, no off-flavors, perfect.”, says Marius Hartmann, brewer at the BarthHaas Campus Brewery.
You can easily add your hop flowers and herbs to the wort during the boiling process using our process net. Because of their lightweight, they are easy to use. The small meshes make sure no residue can escape. Our nets are available in rolls of up to 50 meters. This means the brewer can choose the desired capacity of the net.
Additionally, the nets are available in pre-cut pieces. A strong seal ensures that the nets will not tear during the brewing process. This means that all small parts of the hop flowers/herbs/… are contained in the net, and there is no spoilage of the wort.
For small brews, the hop extractor can be replaced by our process nets. Easily use pre-cut pieces to extract the hop from your brew. This is ideal for artisanal brewing and quality control of the hops. “Another application is to put the net with the aromatic compound in a tank, flush it with beer to create dynamic extraction and save time during production” says Gert De Rouck, manager of the pilot brewery at KU Leuven.
Our nets are ideal for adding herbs, oak, and other aromatic flavors during the brewing process. Thanks to the small meshes in our nets, the herbs cannot seep through. Thanks to their strength, there is little chance of tears in the net.
Use our netting during the transfer process of your beer. Our nets can easily be used in the flow process to add flavoring during the dynamic extraction. This is interesting when brewing seasonal beer by allowing partial extraction flows.
Implement our hop bags during static extraction. Fill our net with your desired hops or flavoring ingredients and add them to your wort.
In short
Our beer nets can be implemented during several stages in the brewing process. Simplify your brewing tools using our hop netting. They are the ideal replacement for hop bags, hop baskets, or your hop extractor. Flexibility is key when using our hop bags. Their easy-to-use design, light character, and small meshes improve the brewing process efficiently.
The possibilities are endless, and we can offer pre-cut pieces, rolls, and even sterilized netting. Interested in how we can help? Feel free to contact us or visit our product page.
Sustainable beer netting
Our R&D game is strong. Greenflex has been researching new ways to make its products greener and more sustainable. That is why we started experimenting with biodegradable yarns. Our yarn’s fibers originate from renewable organic sources. During the production of the yarn, an environmentally responsible production process is maintained.
The fibers enable the yarn to be fully compostable and biodegradable, making sure the net can fully return to nature. On top of being environmentally friendly, the yarn outperforms other yarns when it comes down to tensile strength. Interested? Request more info below!
Are you interested in all the other sustainable packaging Greenflex has to offer? Check out our sustainable packaging product page!
