Fell Brewery: Brewing greener with PLAATO
“The insight that’s come from PLAATO Pro, we have seen a major reduction in the amount of CO2 that we are using.”
How Fell Brewery is reducing CO2 with PLAATO
Fell Brewery is a leader in sustainable brewing practices in the UK, putting the environment at the core of their business. We sat down with Tim Bloomer, Founder, and Sustainability Director, to learn about the key drivers of CO2 emissions in their brewery and how they use PLAATO as one tool to reach their ambitious goal of reducing operational carbon emissions by 50% by 2027. By zeroing in on operational efficiency, minimizing waste, and supporting employee wellbeing with a four-day workweek, they’re showing what’s possible for greener brewing.
Fell Brewery is working with leading sustainability consultancy Small World Consulting which has conducted a comprehensive carbon footprint analysis and helped Fell Brewery to identify key drivers of CO2 in their production.
“We’ve reduced the primary fermentation time by about 12 to 24 hours per batch“
Moving to a four-day work week
Located in the countryside in Cumbria, the brewery faces high CO2 emissions from employee commutes due to limited public transportation options. By adopting PLAATO, which lets them monitor fermentations remotely, Fell Brewery has successfully transitioned to a four-day workweek, cutting down on commuting trips and significantly reducing their carbon footprint. This change not only reduces emissions but also promotes employee well-being, allowing for a better work-life balance.
“We’re having beer on primary fermentation now for as little as four days.”
Maximizing tank capacity with real-time monitoring
As they work toward lowering CO2 emissions, Fell Brewery is also keen on refining production practices and driving continuous improvements. PLAATO provides real-time insights into the entire fermentation process, enabling the team to track key fermentation events, such as correctly timing the diacetyl rest which they are now on average doing 12 hours earlier, and pinpointing the exact end of fermentation. As Tim puts it:
“We’re confident we’ve reduced the primary fermentation time by about 12 to 24 hours per batch. We’re having beer on primary fermentation now for as little as four days.”
By detecting any anomalies at the start of fermentation, PLAATO enables the team to step in quickly if a batch shows signs of sluggishness, ultimately minimizing tank residency time. This means Fell Brewery can produce more beer with their existing tanks, cut down on energy usage for cooling, and stay on track for sustainability.
Preparing for future growth with optimized tank usage
With a year of anticipated sales growth on the horizon, Fell Brewery is increasingly focused on maximizing the use of its current tanks. Better, more consistent data allows the team to fine-tune the efficiency of their processes, from pack times to overall tank capacity. As Tim shares:
”New tanks have gone down our list of priorities for capital expenditure. There is no denying that PLAATO has had a very significant impact on that. Our data shows us that the tank residency time has been reduced by around one day per batch on average, on the back of using PLAATO.”
“Our data shows us that the tank residency time has been reduced by around one day per batch on average”
Reduce waste in the brewing cycle
Tim highlights that one of the major initiatives they are running is to increase the yield they get from their grain, as grain is the largest CO2 emissions driver in their brewery. Reducing manual sampling through the use of PLAATO, he estimates to save around 1% of ingredients. Tim mentions:
“There’s a big carbon saving to be had from reduced sampling, but that biggest saving, in our opinion, is in the form of reduced ingredients.”
Implementing CO2 Recovery
The industry’s best practice is to purchase bottled carbon dioxide, often sourced from byproducts of the petroleum industry, leading to a heavy impact of around 5% on the total CO2 footprint at Fell Brewery. The brewery staff at Fell already uses PLAATO to reduce the need for CO2:
“The insight that’s come from the probes, we have seen a major reduction in the amount of CO2 that we are using.”
Fell Brewery’s journey shows how sustainable choices can create positive change – for the environment, the community, and the business itself. By blending innovation with sustainability, they’re setting a new standard for what brewing can achieve. PLAATO is excited to support their journey towards more sustainable brewing practices, and look forward to following them in the years ahead!
