7BBL 10BBL 15BBL Brewhouse with Direct Fire Heating

Capacity: 5BBL 7BBL 15BBL or customized
Heating method: Electric / steam / gas fired
Efficiency: 1-2 Brews per day

&Direct Firing refers to one of the techniques that is used to heat the kettle and boil wort in a brewery. As its name implies, direct firing involves using an open flame under the kettle to heat it up. Historically this was done with coal fires, but today oil or natural gas burners are used. These burners are generally housed in a cast-iron combustion chamber under the kettle that distributes heat across the bottom of the kettle. Sometimes several smaller flames are distributed across the bottom of the kettle to even out the heating. Although direct firing can also be used to heat up mash tuns, this is extremely rare because the mash can easily stick and scorch at hot spots.

&Direct fired kettles are found in smaller breweries, with kettles that hold a maximum of 330 hl (281 US bbl), because they are an inefficient way of heating up a very large amount of liquid. There are, however, some advantages associated with the use of direct fire. It is a quick method of heating and can produce a vigorous boil. Brewers can also adjust the flame intensity throughout the boil to achieve rapid temperature changes.

&Today, most brewery kettles utilize steam jackets or internal or external steam boilers. These allow for a more even distribution of heat. Direct firing, on the other hand, concentrates the heat at the bottom of the kettle. This results in the caramelization of wort sugars inside the kettle, which can be troublesome to clean. This caramelization will also add caramel flavor notes and color to beer. Although this is desirable in certain styles, it can create a challenge in brewing more delicate styles of beers, such as pilsners. When brewing very pale beers in direct-fired kettles, brewers heat the wort very carefully and keep it in constant motion to avoid a caramelized character.