The German manufacturer of brewery equipment, Steinecker Maschinenfabrik, and the Luxembourg beer brewer, Bofferding Brasserie Nationale, joined to commercialise the brewing technique, Merlin process, which reduces evaporation in wort boiling to 3-4% from the usual 8-10%. The two companies have won an EU European Business Award for the Environment for this major process in beer production.

The companies said that the use of moderate boiling conditions would save 55% of the energy required for boiling wort, as water consumption, cleaning agents and wastewater are reduced. The main achievement is that the quality of beer is improved. They said this technique has an “enormous potential world-wide”.

10 October, 2002