About - Hop Kiln Energy Sourcing (Rühstaller Brewery)
Spring 2019 - ABT 212
Out of nearly 1000 breweries in California, Rühstaller Beer is the only one that brews with home-grown hops. This means that while most breweries purchase their hops already processed, Rühstaller grows, harvests, and dries their hops onsite. Optimal quality is obtained when the hops are kiln dried at 120°F with constant air flow. Traditionally, these kilns have been heated by propane, but with abundant sunshine, wind, and agricultural waste available at the processing facility, a renewable source could be viable. Of these, a solar thermal pre-heating system was identified as the best fit.