Brewing Technology at Good Robot

Jun. 17

For years, we produced beer, seltzer, cider and more in an 800-square-foot garage on Robie Street. In 2023, we launched The Beverage Factory, a 15,000-square-foot factory capable of contract brewing and co-packing a variety of CPG beverages, like wine, energy drinks and non-alcoholic cider.

Our new facility has some impressive equipment. Here’s a quick rundown of some of our trailblazing tech.

The Mash Filter: Enhancing Efficiency and Quality

One of our standout technologies is the mash filter, a game-changer in brewing efficiency and raw material utilization. This equipment is used by international brands like Heineken, Beck's, Guinness and Carlsberg.

Unlike traditional mash tuns, which rely on lautering to extract sugars from grains (think of steeping a tea bag to extract flavour), the mash filter grinds the grain to a finer consistency akin to coffee grounds (think of an espresso machine, using pressure and temperature to extract flavour). This process allows us to achieve significantly higher extraction efficiencies, typically ranging from 90% to 95% (versus industry benchmarks of ~78%). This means less waste (water and malt) and more consistent product quality batch after batch. It is estimated that water savings alone are 30%.

The mash filter uses pressure and temperature to maximise wort extraction in beer.

The Hop Egg: Preserving Freshness and Flavour

Another innovation at Good Robot is the hop egg. This vessel creates a sterile, low-oxygen environment ideal for dry hopping and other flavour additions. In traditional brewing, hops are steeped during whirlpooling (again, like a tea bag). With the hop egg, a hop slurry is created, similar to a smoothie, which maximises the amount of flavour we can get from the hops while increasing shelf life.

Tunnel Pasteuriser: Killing Microbes

A tunnel pasteurizer ensures product safety and shelf stability through precise temperature control. This advanced equipment extends the product's shelf life by reducing microbial activity while preserving flavour and quality.

Given that non-alcoholic products like non-alcoholic beer can foster deadly bacteria like E. Coli and listeria, tunnel pasteurisation not only stabilises beverages, but is also, in our opinion, a necessary health and safety measure in contract brewing.

Perfect Pitch: Consistent Fermentation

Our Aber Perfect Pitch and yeast propagator allow for consistent fermentation batch to batch, as well as faster fermentation (4-5 days average for ales).

Perfect Packaging: Reduced Oxygen, Improved Quality and Shelf Life

Our industry-leading counter-pressure (CFT-Microbrew-10/2) filler/seamer with low-dissolved-oxygen (DO) pick-up ensures better quality and shelf stability.

Likewise, our Alfa-Laval de-aerated water skid for reduces DO during blending, while our ionized air rinser uses charged particles to clean cans (instead of sanitised water).

Seammate and Filtec: Ensuring Perfectly Filled Cans

We employ the OneVision SeamMate, which uses vision systems to ensure no leaking cans (neither liquid leaking out, nor oxygen leaking in).

Our FILTEC (x-ray scanner) scans each can to 100% eliminate high- and low-fill cans.

Lab Services: Measuring Quality

We employ an Anton Paar Cbox DO and CO2 measurements during tank purging, carbonation and post-packaging to ensure consistency.

We can also measure IBU, FTU, colour, diacetyl, calories and more using a variety of equipment. This is important, especially with CFIA, NSLC, LCBO, ANBL and more cracking down on product attributes, like ABV.

Production Manager Kellye Robertson discusses innovative equipment at The Beverage Factory by Good Robot.

The Beverage Factory’s technologies are setting new benchmarks for beverage production in Atlantic Canada.

Joshua Counsil