Author: Portland Kettle Works

Portland Kettle Works (PKW) is the premiere American manufacturer of stainless-steel beer brewing equipment. We leverage our experience as brewery & taproom owners to reduce your startup & expansion risks, and help ensure your success. PKW has been in business since October of 2011.
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Portland Kettle Works Adds Automation Controls To Craft Brewing Systems

HMI Control Panel from Portland Kettle Works

New HMI (Human Machine Interface) Options Improve Efficiency, Consistency for Craft Brewers

Portland Kettle Works™ is one of the leading American manufacturers of state-of-the-art stainless steel brewing equipment. We manufacture equipment for craft breweries, wineries, kombucha breweries, coffee extractors and other brewing applications. We now offer our optional new HMI (Human Machine Interface) automation control panels for our brewhouses. These new automated control systems replace the traditional brewery controls of mechanical buttons, knobs and switches with “glass cockpit” style LCD touch screen automation controls to improve brewer’s control and batch-to-batch repeatability over their brewing process.

HMI Improves Control and Batch-To-Batch Repeatability

“We’ve been studying how to best implement HMI for our brewing systems for some time now,” says Thad Fisco, President and Founder of Portland Kettle Works. It’s not enough to just be trendy; we demand that it be as absolutely as reliable and effective as all of our system components. We took the time to do it right.”

HMI automation offers brewery operators a number of advantages over traditional manual brewery controls:

  • Increased brewing process precision
  • Better control over brewing process
  • Better batch-to-batch repeatability
  • Lower batch production costs
  • Save recipes
  • Automated controls for better brewhouse safety

Using HMI automation can improve brewery operations and the beer they brew.

More Precise Control

With HMI automation brewers can control their brewing with much greater precision than with mechanical controls. Times and temperatures can be precisely set and accurately monitored to ensure optimum brewing performance. Even better, process settings and recipes can be recorded and saved so that batch-to-batch brewing variability can be virtually eliminated.

Reliable, Repeatable Performance

“One of the most significant aspects of using PKW HMI automation controls is repeatability,” continues Fisco. “Brewhouses equipped with HMI automation controls can record and remember the precise times and temperatures of each step in the brewing process. This lets brewers save their recipes and repeat them time after time; recipes can even be copied by breweries with multiple locations or exchanged with other brewers.”

Plus, from a business standpoint, backing up recipes using HMI eliminates concerns that if a brewmaster leaves unexpectedly for any reason all of the brewery’s best recipes may leave with him or her.

Suitable for Retrofit on Currently Installed Systems

“High on our list of development priorities was to ensure that our newest HMI automation control panels could be retrofitted onto existing Portland Kettle Works breweries,” continues Fisco. “This allows our brewers to perform a brewhouse “tune-up” and gain all the benefits of using HMI automation controls without having to upgrade their breweries to all new equipment.”

In addition to upgrading PKW equipment installations, PKW engineers may even be able to adapt HMI automation controls to brewing equipment manufactured by other equipment manufacturers.

Special Upgrade Offer

To introduce the amazing capabilities of PKW’s new HMI automation control panels to current brewery owners and prospective new brewers, PKW is making an amazing offer: between July 1 and December 31, 2020* upgrade any new brewery system purchased from PKW from manual controls to HMI automation controls FOR FREE! This can save brewers as much as $25,000!!

For more information on PKW HMI just click here for the details.

*This offer subject to modification or withdrawal without notice.

Portland Kettle Works™ was founded in 2011 to build the highest quality stainless steel brewing and beverage equipment applications. Since then we have built and installed over 300 breweries worldwide. Our craft brewers are among the best of the best and they have the gold, silver and bronze medals to prove it. If you’re serious about craft brewing as a business, contact us and we can help you, too. And if you’re located in Mexico or Latin America, click here to visit our Spanish language site.

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Portland Kettle Works Launches Germ-Fogger™ Disinfecting System

New High Efficiency Dual-Head System Rapidly Sanitizes Any and All Surfaces At Record Speeds To Fight Covid-19.

Portland Kettle Works, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of stainless steel craft brewing equipment, has introduced the Germ-Fogger™, an American-made disinfecting-fogger with NEW vortecular™ technology designed to efficiently sanitize surfaces to the highest US Center for Disease Control application standards. It’s unique dual-head design makes it the most productive disinfecting agent sprayer currently available.

In this era of COVID-19, the ability to rapidly and efficiently disinfect a wide variety of buildings and outdoor venues has become a critical part of maintaining work spaces that are safe and secure for employees and the public. Even as the economy re-opens the need for mass disinfection will remain huge. The Germ-Fogger makes this disinfection process easier and more cost-effective.

COVID-19 Crisis Leads To Business Expansion Opportunity

“Germ-Fogger™ is not our first rodeo.” states Thad Fisco, President of Portland Kettle Works, a world-leading manufacturer of high tech stainless craft brewing and beverage systems. “Since 2010 we’ve sold and installed 100’s of state of the art craft breweries all around the world. When the COVID-19 crisis hit it severely impacted our primary market of craft brewers. Experts in equipment manufacturing, we began looking for an efficient way to quickly decontaminate breweries, bars and tap rooms. We spoke with friends in disinfectant, facilities maintenance, and contract cleaning businesses. We studied concepts, and CDC recommendations on proper disinfection techniques. We experimented with innovative design concepts and the Germ-Fogger was born!”

“Our initial plan was to just offer Germ-Fogger™ to support our existing craft brewery and beverage clients. However, it quickly became clear how far and wide the COVID-19 crisis has spread. The urgent wider need for decontamination, combined with the impressive performance of the Germ-Fogger has led us to commit to re-purposing a significant portion of our business operations to help bring this crisis under control.”

Designed To be Easy-to-Use, Strong and Durable

“One of our principal design goals for the Germ-Fogger™ was to make an easy to use industrial grade product designed for fast disinfecting agent delivery, easy maintenance and long use life,” continues Fisco. “We did this by using the same high strength aircraft grade aluminum, stainless steel and brass components we use in our brewery equipment.  Mounted on a rolling cart, except for hoses the Germ-Fogger has no plastic parts yet it is compact, lightweight, easy to maneuver and strong enough to stand up to many years of heavy commercial use.”

Germ-Fogger™ is ideal for precision bulk disinfection of all categories of commercial, industrial and government facilities including:

  • Floors
  • Countertops
  • Walls
  • Restrooms
  • Locker rooms
  • Aircraft cabins
  • School buses
  • Train cars
  • Restaurants
  • Bars
  • Daycare facilities
  • Schools
  • Offices
  • And all other high-touch areas…

Two Heads Are Better Than One

The Germ-Fogger’s patent-pending design incorporates a number of features to make it the best disinfecting agent delivery system available today. One of its most innovative features is its ability to supply one or two disinfecting wands off a single disinfecting agent tank. The Germ-Fogger comes standard with one disinfecting wand. Easily user-installed, the second wand can be ordered at the same time or added later. With two wands the Germ-Fogger can disinfect over 52,000 sq. ft. per hour – that’s well over one acre (43,600 sq. ft.) and about 90% of a standard football field including the end zones (57,600 ft. sq.)!

Other Germ-Fogger™ Features

The Germ-Fogger’s design also incorporates a number of additional features to make it the best disinfecting agent delivery system available today.

  • High Quality Construction – The Germ-Fogger is built from machined aluminum, stainless steel and brass parts, all easily serviceable. In normal use it will provide you with years of trouble free service.
  • Ergonomic Atomizing Wand Design – the palm fitting grips of the Germ-Fogger atomizing wands are comfortable to hold and a gentle squeeze on the trigger unleashes the fogging spray.
  • High Capacity – the Germ-Fogger’s disinfecting agent tank holds five full gallons (18.9L) of disinfecting agent allowing it to cover up to 52,000 sq. ft. on a single filling. And with dual head use this can be covered in less than an hour!
  • Quick Change – the Germ-Fogger’s disinfecting agent tank uses stainless steel quick disconnecting fittings. This allows you to swap tanks in a matter of seconds and continue spraying with minimal down time. Extra tanks can be pre-filled and kept ready for rapid use.
  • Safely Extended Spray Tip – the Germ-Fogger’s precision brass spray tip is almost 10” from the operator’s hand to minimize operator exposure to disinfecting agents. And the spray tip is connected with a quick disconnect fitting for rapid exchange.
  • Easy to Use – once you’ve aimed the sprayer a gentle squeeze on the ergonomic pistol grip trigger is all it takes to start the spray.
  • Right- or Left-handed Operation – The Germ-Fogger™ spraying wand is completely ambidextrous.

More Information

To make complete information about the Germ-Fogger more readily available Portland Kettle Works has created a dedicated website. More information is available at https://www.germ-fogger.com/.  Germ-Fogger is in pilot production now, scheduled to begin production shipping June 1, 2020, and is currently available for pre-ordering at the website.

Portland Kettle Works was founded in 2011 to build the highest quality stainless steel brewing and beverage equipment applications. Since then we have built and installed over 300 breweries worldwide. Our craft brewers are among the best of the best and they have the gold, silver and bronze medals to prove it. If you’re serious about craft brewing as a business, contact us and we can help you, too. And if you’re located in Mexico or Latin America, click here to visit our Spanish language site.

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Portland Kettle Works Launches Website Dedicated to Used Brewing Equipment

UBE 40BBL Hero

New Website Will Feature Gently Used Brewhouses, Tanks, Distillery Equipment, Wine Making Equipment And More, All At Great Prices!

Used-Brewing-Equipment.com performs expert services for the craft beer and beverage industry following expansion, closures, acquisitions, repossessions, and lockouts. UBE performs services needed as business requirements change including:

  • Buy
  • Sell
  • Appraise
  • Remove
  • Refurbish
  • Transfer
  • Decommission
  • Recommission
  • Scrap

Direct and Consignment Equipment Sales

In addition to business services we also sell used equipment assets on a direct sale and consignment basis. We serve all types of brewery, winery, beverage, food processing, and packaging businesses including:

  • Craft Beer
  • Coffee
  • Distilled Spirits
  • Kombucha,
  • CBD
  • Wine
  • Dairy
  • Phrama
  • and More!

Whatever your used brewery equipment needs, Used-Brewing-Equipment is here to help you succeed in the fastest, most cost-effective, least stressful way.

More Information

Portland Kettle Works has created a separate website, Used-Brewing-Equipment.com, dedicated to recycling beverage and brewery equipment.

Click here to visit Used-Brewing-Equipment.com

Used Brewing Equipment from Portland Kettle Works
Used Beverage and Brewing Equipment from Portland Kettle Works

Portland Kettle Works was founded in 2011 to build the highest quality stainless steel brewing and beverage equipment applications. Since then we have built and installed over 300 breweries worldwide. Our craft brewers are among the best of the best and they have the gold, silver and bronze medals to prove it. If you’re serious about craft brewing as a business, contact us and we can help you, too. And if you’re located in Mexico or Latin America, click here to visit our Spanish language site.

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Washington Beer Awards 2019: 6 PKW Clients Claim 16 Awards

Washington Beer Awards 2019

Portland Kettle Works would like to congratulation our friends & clients from the following 6 Washington breweries who took home an amazing collection of 16 awards at this year’s Washington Beer Awards:

Big Block Brewing
Counterbalance Brewing
Jellyfish Brewing
Lowercase Brewing
Pacific Brewing & Malting
Well 80 Brewing

Washington Beer Awards’ website defines the competition’s mission as follows:

“…a craft beer competition designed specifically to support Washington’s professional brewers. This competition will provide an opportunity for all of Washington’s craft brewers to compete in a blind format. It will allow recognition of brewing excellence in Washington and provide constructive feedback supporting future competition entry decisions.”

The Washington Beer Awards’ website goes on to summarize the results for the 2019 competition as follows:

“This year 1,467 entries [by 193 Washington breweries] were evaluated over the weekend of June 1st by a team of 78 judges.  All of the beers submitted must have been both brewed and made commercially available in the state of Washington.  The entries were evaluated in a blind format using the Brewers Association Style Guidelines by panels of trained beer judges who awarded Gold, Silver, and Bronze placements for each category grouping.”

Portland Kettle Works is proud to be associated with these amazing Washington breweries as they raise the bar for the next generation of great craft beer!  Here is the list of these winners and their awards:

  1. Jellyfish Brewing, Hydra Pils, Gold, German-Style Pilsners
  2. Lowercase Brewing, American Light Lager, Gold, Light American-Style Lagers
  3. Lowercase Brewing, Mexican Lager, Gold, Other American-Style Lagers
  4. Lowercase Brewing, Eisbock, Gold, Other Strong Lagers
  5. Well 80 Brewing, Folle Pulle!, Silver, South German-Style Hefeweizens
  6. Pacific Brewing & Malting, 1897 Lager, Silver, American-Style Cream Ales
  7. Lowercase Brewing, ESB, Gold, English-Style Bitters
  8. Pacific Brewing & Malting, Grit City Porter, Silver, Robust Porters
  9. Pacific Brewing & Malting, Mama Bear Milk Stout, Silver, Sweet/Cream Stouts
  10. Big Block Brewing, Flathead Red, Silver, American Amber Ales
  11. Big Block Brewing, Big Block Brown, Gold, American-Style Brown and Black Ales
  12. Lowercase Brewing, Witbier, Gold, Belgian-Style Witbiers
  13. Counterbalance Brewing, Belgian Golden Strong Ale, Silver, Belgian-Style Pale Strong Ales
  14. Lowercase Brewing & Homebrewer Cory Geerdts, Dorkmunder, Gold, Pro-Am
  15. Lowercase Brewing & Floating Bridge Brewing, Forbidden Rice Lager, Silver, Collaboration Beers
  16. Lowercase Brewing, Best in Class, Mid-Sized Brewery of the Year

How to Start a Brewery:
Advice from successful breweries

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How to Start a Brewery, Part 11: Vizsla, From Homebrewer to Professional

Raymond Miller, Brewmaster of Vizsla Brewing Made the Move From Homebrewer to Professional

“If people don’t know you exist, you won’t be in business long. “

Award-Winning Brewmaster Shares His Thoughts on Moving from Homebrewer to Professional in Havre Montana

Raymond Miller was a homebrewer before he and his wife, Maria Naranjo moved to Havre Montana in 2015.  In 2018, the couple realized their dream by graduating from homebrewer to professional when they opened Vizsla Brewing in the local Holiday Village Mall.  Havre is a small town of fewer than 10,000 people that is also home to three breweries, all within the same two-mile stretch of Highway 2, the town’s main drag.  With the competition so close, quality is even more important.  The brewery’s website homepage proudly states that “Vizsla Brewing uses only American-made stainless steel equipment to brew”, as well as “we have three 5 bbl stainless steel fermenters on site to give the yeast the cleanest and most sanitary environment available to work.”

Their emphasis on quality paid off when Vizsla Brewing was recently awarded “Brewery of the Year” at Montana Brew Fest 2019.  Maria attended the event and posted the following on Vizsla Brewing’s Facebook page on June 9, 2019:

Read the entire interview...

How to Start a Brewery:
Advice from successful breweries

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How to Start a Brewery, Part 10: Lowercase, From Homebrewer to Professional Brewer

PKW Fermenters with head brewer John Marti who helped Lowercase move from homebrewer to professional brewer

“Given another shot, I’d totally do it over… just perhaps a bit differently. “

Brewery Owner Shares His Learnings Moving from Homebrewer to Professional Brewer in Seattle WA

Chris Smith has grown from homebrewer to professional brewer and, in the process, expanded from brewing 5 gallons of beer at a time to 500.  His brewery, Lowercase Brewing, opened its doors in January of 2014, and is located in the South Park area of Seattle Washington.  Since then, he has also opened a taproom in Georgetown.  Lowercase’s passion is brewing simple, approachable beers.  Chris has been quoted as saying:  “We got our start making beer in our basement, and seeing what our friends thought of it. After a little trial and error, the beer started tasting pretty good.”  Recently, Chris took the time to share his thoughts with Portland Kettle Works regarding his journey from homebrewer to professional brewer.

Read the entire interview...

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Portland Kettle Works was founded in 2011 in Portland, Oregon USA. We build high-quality stainless steel beverage and brewing equipment. We have built and installed over 300 state of the art craft breweries worldwide. As a result, our craft brewing clients are among the best of the best. They regularly win beer tasting competitions and they have the gold, silver and bronze medals to prove it. We’ve expanded into winemaking so, if you’re serious about winemaking, contact us so we can help you, too. And, if you’re located in Mexico or Latin America, click here to visit our Spanish language site.

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How to Start a Brewery, Part 9: Bent Barley, A Veteran Brewery

Bent Barley Veteran-Owned Brewery Manway Cover

“We made a point of hiring beertender and service staff who were craft beer lovers first”

Bent Barley Co-Owner and Co-Brewer Shares His Experiences Starting a Successful Veteran Brewery

Bent Barley Brewing in Aurora Colorado was started by two friends and coworkers, Mark Job and Paul Dampier, who share a love of homebrewing and enjoying great beers with friends.  As a majority veteran brewery, Bent Barley is committed to utilizing American brewing equipment and ingredients, and providing support to their local community and businesses.  Mark recently took time to talk with Portland Kettle Works, describing the connection between his military career and his brewing career in the following manner:

“During a 20-year United States Air Force career I was stationed all over the world. That led to an appreciation of classic beer styles, the importance of authenticity to those styles, and also a willingness to experiment with new styles and brewing processes. ”

Read the entire interview…

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Portland Kettle Works was founded in 2011 in Portland, Oregon USA. We build high-quality stainless steel beverage and brewing equipment. We have built and installed over 375 state of the art craft breweries worldwide. As a result, our craft brewing clients are among the best of the best. They regularly win beer tasting competitions and they have the gold, silver and bronze medals to prove it. We’ve expanded into winemaking so, if you’re serious about winemaking, contact us so we can help you, too. And, if you’re located in Mexico or Latin America, click here to visit our Spanish language site.

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How to Start a Brewery, Part 7: Cerveceria La Bru, a Mexico Brewery

Brewmaster Ernesto Herrera Operating La Bru's PKW Brewhouse

“Unemployment combined with a great love for craft beer are a magic combination of factors”

Cerveceria La Bru Owner Shares His Experiences Starting a Successful Mexico Brewery

Cerveceria La Bru is a craft brewery started in Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico in 2006 by three Mexican brewmasters who wanted to introduce craft beer to their country.  Their specific emphasis was on the great traditional styles of Old Europe.  Cerveceria La Brü’s approach was in preserving the old brewing methods:  no chemicals, no preservatives, no filtering, and no pasteurization. Today, their Mexico brewery continues to handcraft these traditional beers but with the addition of many local and traditional Mexican ingredients such as blue corn and wild vanilla. Portland Kettle Works recently spoke with Cerveceria La Bru’s Owner, Matthew Hikory, who shared his thoughts on how all this came to be.

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Page: How to Start a Brewery, Part 7: Cerveceria La Bru, a Mexico Brewery

Portland Kettle Works was founded in 2011 in Portland, Oregon USA. We build high-quality stainless steel beverage and brewing equipment. We have built and installed over 375 state of the art craft breweries worldwide. As a result, our craft brewing clients are among the best of the best. They regularly win beer tasting competitions and they have the gold, silver and bronze medals to prove it. We’ve expanded into winemaking so, if you’re serious about winemaking, contact us so we can help you, too. And, if you’re located in Mexico or Latin America, click here to visit our Spanish language site.

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How to Start a Brewery, Part 6: Southerleigh Fine Food and Brewery

Southerleigh Fine Food and Brewery Historic Building

“You’ll find a way to succeed.  You just have to fight for it.“

Head Brewer Shares His Experiences Starting Southerleigh Fine Food & Brewery in San Antonio, Texas

Southerleigh Fine Food and Brewery opened in 2014 in what was originally Pearl Brewing Company’s brewhouse, built in 1894 and a San Antonio landmark ever since.  The restaurant portion of this brewery-restaurant is helmed by San Antonio Chef Jeff Balfour, who brings a modern take on Texas cross-cultural cuisine.  Head Brewer Les Locke, who discovered homebrewing in the Marines while stationed in Hawaii at the age of 19, recently shared the following thoughts with Portland Kettle Works regarding his experience at Southerleigh.

A recent Yelp review captures the customer experience at Southerleigh: “The interior is well decorated and rustic looking with all of their brewing equipment exposed on the 2nd floor. The smell of the place is right in your face, seafood and a hint of hops.” Stop in for a bite and a brew.

Read the entire interview…

Portland Kettle Works was founded in 2011 in Portland, Oregon USA. We build high-quality stainless steel beverage and brewing equipment. We have built and installed over 300 state of the art craft breweries worldwide. As a result, our craft brewing clients are among the best of the best. They regularly win beer tasting competitions and they have the gold, silver and bronze medals to prove it. We’ve expanded into winemaking so, if you’re serious about winemaking, contact us so we can help you, too. And, if you’re located in Mexico or Latin America, click here to visit our Spanish language site.

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Center Street Brewing: Their Brewery Opening, “It’s a Dream Come True”

Center Street Grand Opening with Logo

At PKW, we received the following email from Center Street Brewing about their recent brewery opening and just had to share the good news!

Joe,
We opened our doors this past weekend and were met with a packed house both days! 40 to 50 people waiting to get in, and a packed house in the tap room. We are super proud of our team, and Portland Kettle Works is an integral part of that! We absolutely love the brewing equipment and it has out-performed our expectations! Thanks to everyone at PKW! From our team here at Center Street Brewing Company, to all of the team at Portland Kettle Works and The LABrewatory.

Below is a link to an article that was front cover (top fold) of today’s local newspaper [The Record-Journal]. Couldn’t help but to throw in a PKW thanks!

Local News Article: Center Street Opens Its Doors in Wallingford CT

Cheers!
Pete Ford,
Co-Owner, Head Brewer, Greeter of Beer Drinkers, and Bathroom Cleaner
Center Street Brewing Company

Center Street Shipment at PKW

At PKW, we loaded Center Street’s brewery system on a truck one rainy day last December, 4 months before their brewery opening, for it’s cross-country trek from Portland OR to Wallingham CT

Portland Kettle Works was founded in 2011 in Portland, Oregon USA. We build high-quality stainless steel beverage and brewing equipment. We have built and installed over 375 state-of-the-art craft breweries worldwide. As a result, our craft brewing clients are among the best of the best. They regularly win beer tasting competitions and they have the gold, silver and bronze medals to prove it. We’ve expanded into winemaking so, if you’re serious about winemaking, contact us so we can help you, too. And, if you’re located in Mexico or Latin America, click here to visit our Spanish language site.