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The suitability of process gas burner technology from Lanemark Combustion Engineering Ltd. for the brewing sector is being fully demonstrated at a rapidly growing micro-brewery on the south coast.  The Long Man Brewery in East Sussex, which takes its name from the celebrated chalk figure nearby, utilises a Lanemark TX30 burner system to meet key requirements, as Director of Brewing, Jamie Simm explains –

 

“Although we only started brewing in 2012, we are proud of the rapid growth that we have achieved,” he says.  “In turn, this has called for equipment that is both highly efficient and reliable – objectives that are fully met by the Lanemark burner system which, in effect, we see as ‘mission critical’.”

 

The rural location of Long Man Brewery pointed towards propane for the gas supply which, following assessment by Jamie and his colleagues, indicated significant cost efficiencies compared to alternative energy sources.  The burner is mounted on the outside of a 20 barrel copper that is central to all brewing at the site and fires through the wall into a helical coil heat exchanger.  “An external fan is connected to the end of the tube run that pulls the heat through the system and which, via alterations to its speed, enables us to achieve the control that we need,” continues Jamie Simm.

 

 

As the brewery has grown, the Long Man Brewery has looked to undertake two brews per day, when required, so the speed of heat-up has also become a particularly important factor.  “The system raises the temperature of the wort to 100°C where it is held in a rolling boil to an accuracy of +/- 1°C,” continues Jamie Simm.  “Importantly, we can achieve this temperature target in just one hour from cold to create an even distribution of heat that eliminates the risk of scorching.”  He points out that the operation of the Lanemark system also contributes to the brewery meeting hazard awareness requirements as defined by HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points).

 

“Our design enables Long Man Brewery simply to enter a series of temperature set points via the adjacent control panel,” says Adrian Langford, Lanemark’s General Manager.  “The specification of the helical coil as the heat exchanger is also significant as it helps to optimise the capacity of the copper to meet the desired brewing volumes because it minimises intrusion into the vessel.”

 

The Long Man Brewery is clear about the factors that underpin the dramatic growth that it has achieved – the brewery not only supplies into Sussex and Kent, but also now sees customers along the south coast and even, via supply agreements with major, national brewing names, to all corners of the country.  It proudly points to a number of awards that it has achieved for its cask, keg and bottled beers.

 

“This is all in the context of our firm belief in using only sustainable methods – not least through our farm location and our own bore-hole – alongside a commitment to the best, most reliable equipment,” continues Jamie Simm.  “The Lanemark burner system which was specified and installed for us via Johnson Brewing Design meets this latter need perfectly.”

 

With the added support of Lanemark BurnerCare, which provides operational confidence via a combination of regular maintenance, spares supplies and rapid engineer response if needed, Long Man Brewery’s belief in the suitability of the Lanemark system is well-founded.

 

“If the burner stops then we stop, so we have to be sure of its ongoing, reliable performance,” adds Jamie Simm, who points out that nobody wants to see beer being wasted.  “We are committed to continuing our pattern of growth so the use of the optimum equipment is vital – and we can confidently say that the burner system from Lanemark Combustion Engineering helps to give us peace of mind for the future in a vital area of our brewing production.”

www.lanemark.com

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