When BrewFist, one of Italy’s most innovative craft breweries, set out to reimagine their flagship IPA Spaceman, they weren’t just looking for new ingredients, they were looking for meaningful gains in efficiency, yield, and flavor consistency. They found all three through a close partnership with BarthHaas. The result? Liquid Spaceman, a bold, fully hopped West Coast IPA brewed using 100% flowable hop products. And a case study in what’s possible when hop innovation meets brewing ambition.
Rethinking Efficiency with Purpose
At BarthHaas, we believe that advanced hop products, like liquid hop extract, are more than just a technical upgrade, they’re a tool for creative problem-solving. That’s why we worked closely with BrewFist’s brewmaster, Pietro Di Pilato, and his team to support the design, process, and execution of Liquid Spaceman from the ground up. Using a tailored combination of Flex®, Incognito®, Spectrum, and Lupomax®, the project aimed to:
- Improve brewhouse efficiency
- Reduce material losses and manual cleaning
- Maintain, and even improve, the signature flavor and aroma profile of Spaceman
The Process: Collaborating Toward Impact
This wasn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. BarthHaas Brewing Solutions specialists collaborated hands-on with BrewFist to evaluate the ideal dosing rates, hop formats, and process points for each product.
- Flex® and Incognito® enabled zero-loss kettle and whirlpool hopping.
- Spectrum, a flowable dry hop product, delivered a clean, stable, and refined aroma, with no beer loss and no post-dry-hop mess.
- Regular sensory testing confirmed: the beer's hop character remained fresh and expressive, even months after packaging.
The transformation wasn’t just in the beer, it was across the entire production flow.
The Measurable Gains
Metric | Spaceman | Liquid Spaceman | Change |
Extraction Efficiency | 520 hlx°P | 551 hlx°P | +5.6% |
Malt Usage | Standard | 3 tons saved/year | Lower cost, better yield |
Wort Loss | ~200L | 0L | Fully recovered |
Cleaning Time | 15 min | 30 sec | -93% |
Production Loss | 10% | 3.45% | +150L packaged beer |
Centrifuge Time | 2 hrs | 45 min | -62.5% |
Aroma Stability | Fades over time | Stable & fresh | Proven in sensory testing |
“Cleaning the kettle was a matter of seconds, not 15 minutes like before,” says Pietro. “And with 50% less turbidity, the overall beer was spot on. Since packaging, the aroma has stayed just as fresh as packaging day.”
These improvements didn’t require new equipment, just better tools and the know-how to use them.
Why BarthHaas?
At BarthHaas, we’ve spent decades not just developing advanced hop products, but supporting brewers in using them to their full potential. Our research, technical support, and brewing expertise are available to every partner we work with, whether it’s refining a best-seller or launching something completely new.
We don’t just talk about yield and quality, we help you unlock it. So when brewers think of liquid hop extracts, they think of BarthHaas. Because we’re not just a supplier, we’re a partner in the process.
Ready to Explore What’s Possible?
Watch Pietro’s full video testimonial to hear how Liquid Spaceman came to life.
