Changes & Improvements: Our New Centrifuge

Here at Great Divide, we are never completely satisfied with our beers. Satisfaction doesn’t lead to greatness, and making great beer is what we are all about. In our constant pursuit of greatness, we are always looking at how we can improve our systems, change a process, alter ingredients, or utilize new equipment to continue to get the best beer possible from our brewery to your hands.

Sometimes the changes we make aren’t always noticeable, but we recently made a change that we want you to notice, and some of you already have. We have recently begun using a centrifuge as an alternative filtration method for our beer, and there are many reasons why we are excited about this, and why you should be too:

First of all, using a centrifuge is going to result in better tasting beer. Relying on g-force to do the work, a centrifuge spins the beer at a high RPM, naturally separating out the heavier hop and yeast particles that remain after fermentation. This process is much gentler on the beer than typical filtration, which uses aids like DE (diatomaceous earth) to help strip out all particulates from the beer. While many beer drinkers are accustomed to equating clarity with quality, that degree of filtration is not actually necessary. Centrifugation allows the smaller hop particles and essential oils to stay in the beer, contributing to improved hop aromas and a fuller mouthfeel.

So now we have improved the flavor profile of our beer, but what about consistency and stability? If you have picked up a six-pack of Titan or DPA recently, you may have noticed a slightly hazier appearance, or even tiny bits of particulate at the bottom of the beer. Both of these are common side effects of centrifugation, and in no way negatively affect the quality or flavor of the beer. In fact, beer is closer to its “natural” form in this state, and a better representation of what the brewery intended it to taste like. Using a centrifuge also dramatically decreases the risk of oxygen pickup that you get from filtration, resulting in improved head-retention and a longer shelf life for your beer.

Another massive draw for us in the decision to switch to centrifugation was the environmental impact. By cutting down our need for DE, we are greatly reducing our waste stream and landfill imprint. We are always willing to make changes to continue improving the quality of our beer, but the added environmental reasoning of this decision made it an easy sell. We think that you have just as much of a right as anyone to know what is going on with your beer, and we don’t want anyone getting scared off by a slightly different appearance to their favorite brew. Education is key, and we’re here to answer your questions. Great Minds Drink Alike, after all.