Program Book - Master Brewers Association of the Americas

Poster Session: Finishing
Moderator: Ramon Garcia-Tatis, Cerveceria Nacional Dominicana,
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Ramon Garcia-Tatis received degrees in electrical and mechanical
engineering from Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra.
He completed his postgraduate studies at the Darden Graduate
School of Business, Virginia University, and the J. L. Kellogg
Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University,
both in the United States. In the brewing industry he has received
training from Miller Brewing Company, Heineken Group, Bavaria
Saint Pauli, and Weihenstephan Technisch Universitat. His past
experiences include college teacher, consultant for diverse companies,
and more than 30 years in the León Jimenes Group of the Dominican
Republic as senior vice president of operations and, currently, as
vice president of the Administration Board of Cervecería Nacional
Dominicana and senior vice president and director of supply chain.
Ramon has organized and participated in several congresses and
seminars in Europe, South and Central America, and the Caribbean,
as well as México, Canada, and the United States. Ramon is a
member of the MBAA and has served as chair of MBAA District
Caribbean, an Education Committee member, and, currently, as a
member of the Technical Committee and vice chair of the Technical
Committee of District Caribbean. He is also a member of the ASBC,
Asociación Española de Fabricantes de Cerveza, EBC, and the
Caribbean Breweries Association (CBA), in which he was chair and
member of the board. He also has served as chair and vice chair
of the Technical Committee in the Asociación Latinoamericana de
Fabricantes de Cerveza.
P-141
Cross-flow membrane filtration for producing neutral malt
base
BRUCE BLANCHARD (1)
(1) Niro Inc., Hudson, WI
Cross-flow membrane filtration has gained wide acceptance as both a
technically sound and commercially feasible approach to molecularlevel
separations across a wide variety of food, dairy, and beverage
processing applications in addition to the broader, traditional water
treatment market. Newer U.S. regulations around the alcohol source
of ready-to-drink, flavored malt beverages (FMB) has prompted the
search for cost-effective techniques for producing a clear, neutral
malt base for later formulation into FMBs in large commercial
quantities. Cross-flow membrane filtration offers several technical
and commercial advantages, including compact and modular design,
relatively lower operating costs, and lower environmental impact.
The cross-flow membrane filtration technique will be compared and
contrasted with other production methods from both a technical and
commercial perspective.
Bruce D. Blanchard holds B.S. Ch.E., and MBA degrees and
has more than 20 years experience in developing and employing
cross-flow membrane filtration technology in the sanitary process
industries. He is employed in technical sales for Niro Incorporated
in their Liquid Processing and Filtration division located in Hudson,
WI.
P-142
Diatomaceous earth: Nature’s nanotechnology
NICK COOTE (1)
(1) World Minerals
Filtration with diatomaceous earth is well established, and the
process rightfully takes it place as both the most cost-effective
and the most tried and trusted technology for the filtration of
many liquids, beer included. The scientific principles behind its
performance are to this day little understood. Ever since its first
application for beer filtration in the first part of the 20th century,
the search has been on for “something better” and perhaps a less
mysterious alternative. But to this day, few rival processes have
presented themselves with the same degree of flexibility, reliability,
low carbon footprint of operation and cost-effectiveness. The
regular and highly structured microporosity of diatomaceous earth
has only now started to be better understood and its functionality
is under wider investigation, in areas such as electronic microchip
technology and for its optical properties in coatings. Its worldwide
abundance and unique structure has assured its place in our
technologically complex future. The reasons for the flexibility in its
use as a filter aid and the inexhaustible nature of diatomaceous earth
are detailed in this paper, explaining why it remains the number one
solution for filtration, even after nearly 100 years of service. The
mechanisms of particle entrapment using diatomaceous earth and
how they differ from alternative methods are detailed. A summary
is given of the worldwide deposits and continued availability of
diatomaceous earth for the foreseeable future. The conclusion is
that diatomaceous earth remains a sustainable resource ideally
suited for its application as a filter aid, both now and well into the
future.
Dr. Nick Coote is a filtration application scientist at World Minerals,
the manufacturer of Celite and Harborlite diatomaceous earth and
perlite products. Based in Paris, France, he was born in London.
He graduated from Leeds University, England, with a degree in
biochemistry and went on to complete a Ph.D. thesis on the effect
of fermentation conditions on beer flavor at the University of Bath,
England, in association with Brewing Research International.
Following research and development work into the fermentation of
cheese whey to alcohol with Express Dairy Foods and his subsequent
involvement in the construction of a distillery in Ireland at the site
of Carbery Milk Products, he joined Tate & Lyle in London as the
development manager for separation systems for the sugar industry.
Dr. Coote joined World Minerals in Paris in 1987 as technical services
manager for the European group and subsequently took the post of
perlite product manager for World Minerals Inc. before assuming his
current role.
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