M4206 - Manufacture of alcoholic beverages

Operational Details
Breweries manufacture beer through a fermentation process. Hops, malt, water, and other additives, are mixed together and placed into a bacterial culture added to start the fermentation. After a prescribed amount of time, the liquid is drained off, tested for quality and alcohol content, bottled and stored for shipment. The process, beyond pouring ingredients into processing vats, is highly automated, using conveyor systems that not only sterilize and fill the bottles, but label them as well.

The manufacturing of wines and liquor includes a distillation process. Mash or pulp is prepared from cereal grains, potatoes, water, and other additives to produce the desired product. The batch is allowed to ferment and then the alcohol is evaporated or distilled, using a heating process. The alcohol is condensed back into liquid form, placed in wooden or stainless steel casks or barrels, and aged for a pre-determined length of time. After the alcohol has been aged, it may be blended. At this point, water is added to cut the strength of the alcohol and some blends can contain several different years of aged alcohol. Liquors made by this process include: whiskey, vodka, gin and rum.

Wine is processed using a fermentation process as well. However, unlike beer, it requires aging before it can be used. Grapes are primarily used in wine production, apples, loganberries, cherries, etc. may also be used. In producing wine, additives are added to the stock, and a culture is added to begin the fermentation process. After initial fermentation ,the liquid is drained off, poured into casks or barrels and aged. However, the liquid may be strained several times during the aging process and blending may be done, including fortifying the wine by adding hard liquor to produce brandy, etc.

Breweries and liquor manufacturers often use their own maintenance personnel to repair and maintain process piping, conveyor and material handling and bottle assembly line equipment.

SIC Codes
000000524 - Mfg. alcoholic beverages