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Brewing Better Together

How BarthHaas Helped Mikkeller Brewpub Transform Their Pale Ale

At BarthHaas, we believe that the best results in brewing come from collaboration. When Mikkeller Brewpub London approached us with a vision to optimize their brewing process while maintaining the bold, distinctive flavors they’re known for, we were thrilled to join forces. Together, we created Megamax, a pale ale that not only embodies exceptional quality but also sets a new benchmark for brewing efficiency, sustainability, and cost savings. This is more than a case study — it’s a testament to what’s possible when breweries and our hop experts collaborate to achieve innovation.

The Challenge: Traditional Methods, Modern Limitations

Mikkeller Brewpub is renowned for its creativity and dedication to quality, but like many breweries, they were facing challenges with their traditional brewing methods. Their standard pale ale recipe, while successful, presented inefficiencies that held back production potential:

  • Significant Wort Losses: Up to 70 liters of wort were lost in each batch.
  • Limited Yield: The finished beer yield averaged 615 liters per batch.
  • Higher Costs: Hop addition costs reached £650 per batch.
  • Slower Turnover: Dry hopping with traditional T90 pellets required longer tank times, delaying production schedules.

They came to BarthHaas looking for a solution that would allow them to produce more beer with fewer resources, reduce waste, and cut costs — all without compromising the exceptional flavor their customers expect.

The Solution: Advanced Hop Products for Advanced Brewing

At BarthHaas, we specialize in developing innovative hop solutions that help brewers get more out of every batch. For Mikkeller, we identified three of our most advanced hop products — LupoMAX®, Incognito®, and Spectrum — as the key to unlocking their brewing potential.

What We Introduced:

  • LupoMAX®: A concentrated lupulin pellet designed to deliver consistent hop flavors with reduced losses during brewing.
  • Incognito®: A liquid hop product that provides intense flavor and aroma in the whirlpool stage with zero beer loss.
  • Spectrum: A liquid dry hop solution that delivers the full spectrum of hop flavor and aroma while eliminating hop creep and beer losses.

These products were carefully incorporated into the Megamax recipe to maximize efficiency, yield, and sustainability, all while maintaining the high-quality flavor Mikkeller is known for.

 

A Side-by-Side Comparison

Here’s how the brewing process for Mikkeller’s original pale ale compares to the new, optimized Megamax process:

Aspect Original Pale Ale Process Megamax Process

Mash Hop Addition

1.5kg T90 pellets

1.5kg Cascade BBC pellets

Whirlpool Addition

3-3.5kg T90 pellets

2kg Citra Lupomax + 0.5kg Citra Incognito

Dry Hop Addition

20kg T90 pellets

1kg Eclipse Spectrum + 5kg Citra Lupomax + 5kg Galaxy T90

Wort Loses

50-70 Litres

30-50 Litres

Final Beer Yield

615 Litres

675 Litres

Hop Addition Cost

£650

£575

Cost per Pint

£7.20 - £7.50

£6.80 - £6.90

Additional Beer Produced

-

60 Litres

The Results: A Win for Everyone

The results of our collaboration with Mikkeller speak for themselves:

  • Increased Efficiency: We helped reduce wort losses by 40%, increasing wort volume in the fermenter by 6.6% (800 liters compared to 750 liters).
  • Higher Yield: The finished beer volume grew by 9.75%, with an additional 60 liters of beer produced per batch.
  • Cost Savings: Hop addition costs dropped by £75 per batch, and the production cost per pint decreased by approximately £0.30.
  • Improved Sustainability: By reducing waste and shipping/storage needs, we helped Mikkeller align their brewing practices with their sustainability goals.
  • Increased Revenue Potential: With more beer to sell, Mikkeller now has more opportunities to grow their business.


What Collaboration Can Achieve

At BarthHaas, we don’t just sell hops — we partner with breweries to help them achieve their goals. The success of Megamax is a perfect example of what’s possible when we combine our expertise with a brewer’s vision.
For us, this collaboration wasn’t just about improving a single beer; it was about building a relationship that allows Mikkeller to grow, innovate, and thrive. We worked closely with their team to understand their challenges and tailor our solutions to meet their needs. The result? A better beer, a more efficient process, and a stronger partnership.

How We Can Help Your Brewery

Every brewery is unique, and we pride ourselves on finding solutions that fit your specific needs. Whether you’re looking to improve your yield, save costs, reduce waste, or enhance your beer’s flavor consistency, BarthHaas has the tools, expertise, and passion to help you succeed.
Let’s explore how we can work together to transform your brewing process. Reach out to us today to start the conversation!

Email: enquiries@barthhaasx.com
Visit: www.barthhaasx.com

Together, we can craft a new standard for brewing efficiency, sustainability, and quality.

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