Ramsbury Brewery

	1. Bags of Malt After treatment at the maltsters the resulting malt is bagged in 25Kg bags. Pale optic malt is the type we use to gain most of the extract for the brew. Different malts are used to impart special flavours, colours etc. Crystal Malt , Chocolate Malt, Torrified Wheat, Wheat Malt Roasted Barley are all used in different recipies to give different characteristics to the beer.
2. Brewing Equipment The equipment shown here produces all the different beers that Ramsbury sell. A measured amount of malt is mixed with hot water from the hot liquor tank 71’ C , the resulting concoction has the consistency of porridge. This is allowed to settle in the mash tun for an hour. After the time has elapsed the liquor (wort) is run off into the copper. This process usually takes over an hour. The copper with all the wort inside starts to boil. At this time hops are added, these additions at this stage gives the beer a bitter flavour. After a period of time more hops are added. The final addition of hops are added after about 70 minutes, this gives the beer aroma. When complete the beer is transferred to the fermentation vessels via the heat exchanger. This cools the beer from 95’C to 17’C. The resulting hot water is then used for the next brew therefore saving electricity
	3. FV Fermenting Vessels The brewery has 5 fermentation vats, each capable of holding 1800 litres. This allows us to brew five times a week assuming that it takes approximately one week from beginning to end of the beer production process. After the wort is run into these vessels, the yeast is added and mixed in. Over the next few days the yeast starts to work on the sugars turning them to alcohol.
4. Fermenting Beer When the correct specific gravity is reached which translates into %ABV then the yeast is skimmed from the surface of the beer and cooling water is pumped around the fermenter to bring the temperature down to 11'C. During fermentation which normally takes thee to four days, heat is generated by the process, starting at 18'C and rising to 24'C. Also carbon dioxide is given off which is vented to the atmosphere. After cooling, the beer is pumped to conditioning tanks where it will stay slightly pressurised by carbon dioxide to stop deterioration and kept at 11'C until it is required. It is then that it is put into 9 gallon stainless steel firkins (casks) ready for dispatch.
	5. Delivery of finished beer Deliveries are made direct to the customer within a 40 mile radius by our own delivery van. Wholesalers cater for customers farther afield. We also do brewery swaps with like minded micro-breweries therefore allowing our beer to be tried by many more customers.
6. Destination As with all products sales are the major feature for any buisness. Each person has different likes and preferences …and to this end Ramsbury offer a range of beers which any discerning drinker will be more than satisfied. Various sizes of container 72 pint 36 pint 18 pint are available which would suit any size function, from large parties down to the more intimate get together. Bottles are relatively new to us but it allows us to have far more sales outlets. All our range of beers can be purchased direct from the brewery.
Brewing terms : Mash – Mixture of malt and water Mash Tun – Vessel to hold the above Hot Liquor – Brewing water Wont – Liquid containing sugars run off from mash tun Copper – Vessel for boiling brew Brl – (Brewers) Brewers brl = 36 gallons.