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Technology

Technology and production process

Within its decades-long existence in the domestic and foreign markets, from 1924 until today, “Prilepska Pivarnica – Prilep Brewery” maintains its mission of continuous investment in its production processes. “Prilepska Pivarnica – Prilep Brewery” intensively follows the trend of implementing the most modern technologies in producing beer and non-alcoholic beverages.

In focus on the technological process for beer production, “Prilepska Pivarnica – Prilep Brewery proudly markets its two brands: “Zlaten Dab” and “Krali Marko.”

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Mild and pleasantly bitter hops

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Cold membrane filtration

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Beer of high quality

What would satisfy the curiosity of true beer connoisseurs.

Beer is an alcoholic beverage produced by the alcoholic boiling (fermentation) of wort, made from barley malt, unsweetened cereals, hops, and water. This golden-yellow drink has the characteristic taste of hops, which is mild and pleasantly bitter. It is characterized by a vibrant and stable sparkle, from which comes it’s refreshing note. The sweethearts should know that it contains a certain percentage of volume alcohol (4.5 +/- 0.5%), which limits its consumption for the young population.

Company growth and development, among other things, is today based on the use of the most modern equipment of the most renowned names in the world industry for producing beer equipment. Equipment from Zimmann, GEA, Pall, and Centec is used in brewing beer. The beer refill line uses equipment from the world’s largest established companies, such as GEA and Krones. In the technological process of water preparation, equipment from the famous company for producing water equipment Veolia Group is used.

The beer production occurs in the brewery, fermentation, aging, and filtration department. The so-called mash tanks are essential in the overall production process in which enzymatic degradation is carried out, i.e., hardening of the high molecular components. Bistrenik is where the crumb separates from the sweet to obtain pure sweetness. There are also boiling tanks where ready-made sweetness is obtained with the necessary aroma and bitterness. Virpool (Whirlpool) is the place where the sweetness is further released from insoluble substances. The production equipment consists of cylindrical-conical tanks where fermentation is carried out and fresh beer is produced and leisure tanks for additional fermentation that yields mature beer. “Prilepska Pivarnica – Prilep Brewery” uses brewer’s yeast which is propagated independently in laboratory and industrial conditions.

Mash tanks are essential in the overall production process where extracting solubile materials from the grains with water and enzymatically converting them into a form the yeast can use.Lauter tun is a vessel for separating the wort from solids of the mash. There are also boiling tanks designed  for boiling the beer  wort with hops to reach maximal extract from hops into wort and is obtained with the necessary aroma and bitterness.Whirlpool is specialized tank used in breweries to separate the hop and trub material before fermentation . The production equipment consists of cylindrical-conical tanks where fermentation is carried out and fresh beer is produced and storage tanks for additional fermentation that yields mature beer. “Prilepska Pivarnica – Prilep Brewery” uses brewer’s yeast which is propagated independently in laboratory and industrial conditions.

“Prilep Pivarnica – Prilep Brewery” has one of Europe’s most modern filtration technologies in which no auxiliary process materials (sugar) are used to pollute the environment further. It bears the epithet “Eco-friendly,” a membrane filtration in which all clearing phases occur at low temperatures. This filtration is combined with separation, the primary step of which is high-turn centrifugation, after which the partially separated beer extends the filtration process through the membrane blocks. They are constructed of membranes filled with numerous selectively permeable so-called “spaghetti.” The porosity of this spaghetti, measured in nm (nanometers), allows for the retention of more giant yeast cells. The final product is a shiny clear beer with 0.04-0.1 EBC units. Before the end, the filtered beer passes through the CBSS unit, where it is stabilized. This unit consists of three columns, with cassettes, each filled with PVPP (polyvinylpolypyrrolidone) material, vertically placed one above the other in its queue. Beer in control passes through each of them, creating a chemical reaction of binding polyphenolic compounds, which are carriers of resistance and tingling taste and are therefore removed in a specific ratio. Filtered beer is collected in aggregate BBT( Bright Beer Tank), in which the beer is physically stabilized, calmed down, and then becomes ready for refilling. The annual capacity of “Prilepska Pivarnica – Prilep Brewery” is 582,000 HL beer

In addition to producing beer, the company also makes soft drinks, marketing “Gazoza” as its brand from the range of soft beverages. “Prilepska Pivarnica – Prilep Brewery” is an authorized “Pepsi Cola International” filler through Pepsi Cola, Pepsi Lime, Pepsi Max, Mirinda Orange, Mirinda Lemon, and 7up.

“Prilepska Pivarnica – Prilep Brewery” produces the following types of packaging:

– Soft drinks: 0.25L in glass; 0.33L can; 0.5L in PET; 1.25L in PET; 1.5L in PET; 1.75L in PET.

– Beer: 0.33L of glass and can; 0.5L of glass and can; 1.5L in PET; beer in barrels of 25L and 30L.

Implementing appropriate dynamics that meet the high demand in the domestic and foreign markets is particularly important in the production process. Following the needs of its customers, the company manages to respond with proper capacity even in the most prominent seasonal-festive peaks within the annual requirements. The PET beer production line has a capacity of 11 000 bottles per hour. The PET soft beverages line has a capacity of 10.000-14.000 bottles per hour. The glass bottle line has a capacity of 30.000 bottles per hour. The can production line has a capacity of 20.000-23.000 cans per hour.

The organizational structure within the technological process and the implementation of state-of-the-art technologies result in outstanding dynamics and capacity of the production lines. But the crown of success that “Prilepska Pivarnica – Prilep Brewery” proudly cherishes towards its customers is His Majesty, Quality and Safety. We also provide all necessary resources for implementing and managing a food safety system through identifying, assessing, and controlling risks. At the same time, throughout the company, we share practices related to food safety through the introduction of a food safety system. All this is confirmed through continuous checks by reputable certification companies such as SGS of Switzerland and AIBI of the United States.

Inviolable and uncompromising quality and food safety remain our mission!