Processes and systems for recovering products from a corn fermentation mash. In one example, a process for recovering products from a corn fermentation mash can include separating ethanol from a fermentation mash to produce a whole stillage. The fermentation mash can be derived from a ground corn product milled from a plurality of corn pieces. The plurality of corn pieces can include whole corn kernels, fragmented corn kernels, size-reduced corn kernels, milled corn kernels, or a mixture thereof. Greater than 25 wt % of the ground corn product can have a particle size of greater than 105 μm and greater than 80 wt % of the ground corn product can have a particle size of 425 μm or less, as measured according to AOAC 965.22-1966. The process can also include separating the whole stillage to produce a fiber rich portion and a filtrate.

A fermentation system having a vessel defining a chamber for holding liquids and including a lower aperture. An insulating jacket is disposed around the vessel. A cooling fluid is disposed between the insulating jacket and the vessel. The cooling fluid is in fluid communication with a fluid pump. A refrigerant line is wrapped around the vessel and is configured to cool the fluid and the vessel, resulting in cooling of liquids disposed in the chamber. A beverage line operably couples the lower aperture with a dispensing spigot. The beverage line is wrapped around the vessel and is at least partially submerged in the fluid. A sediment drain line is disposed below the lower aperture and configured to drain sediment that accumulates on a bottom of the vessel.

A fungal alpha-amylase is provided from Aspergillus fumigatus (AfAmyl). AfAmyl has an optimal pH of 3.5 and is operable at 30-75 degrees C., allowing the enzyme to be used in combination with a glucoamylase and an isoamylase in a saccharification reaction. This obviates the necessity of running a saccharification reaction as a batch process, where the pH and temperature must be readjusted for optimal use of the alpha-amylase or glucoamylase. AfAmyl also catalyzes the saccharification of starch substrates to an oligosaccharide composition significantly enriched in DP2 and (DPI+DP2) compared to the products of saccharification catalyzed by an alpha-amylase from Aspergillus kawachii. This facilitates the utilization of the oligosaccharide composition by a fermenting organism in a simultaneous saccharification and fermentation process, for example.

A method for preparing beer or cider concentrate including alcohol and volatile components of beer or cider flavor, and beer or cider prepared therefrom. The method includes a two step concentration method in which the first step involves a high efficiency nanofiltration that results in a highly concentrated retentate and an aqueous permeate fraction comprising alcohol and volatile flavor components. The second step involves removing water from said permeate fraction to obtain a highly concentrated alcohol solution also having volatile flavor components. The highly concentrated alcohol solution is then combined with the retentate from the first step into a final high alcohol and flavor beer or cider concentrate.

Methods, compositions, and systems for steeping, propagation and fermentation, particularly large-scale operations for production of starch and ethanol and fermentation product streams are provided. Addition of mycotoxin mitigating enzymes or microorganisms expressing mycotoxin mitigating enzymes to steeping, propagation, and/or fermentation tanks, and/or to post-fermentation product streams, mitigates mycotoxin levels in fermentation co-products obtained from mycotoxin contaminated feedstocks.

Methods, compositions, and systems for steeping, propagation and fermentation, particularly large-scale operations for production of starch and ethanol and fermentation product streams are provided. Addition of mycotoxin mitigating enzymes or microorganisms expressing mycotoxin mitigating enzymes to steeping, propagation, and/or fermentation tanks, and/or to post-fermentation product streams, mitigates mycotoxin levels in fermentation co-products obtained from mycotoxin contaminated feedstocks.

A beverage making apparatus includes a fermentation tank assembly including a fermentation tank having an opening formed therein, a fermentation tank cover covering the opening, and a heat exchange element arranged in contact with the fermentation tank. The beverage making apparatus also includes a first channel including a first end that is connected to the fermentation tank assembly; and a second end connected to: a second channel connected to a water tank, and a third channel connected to a dispenser of the beverage making apparatus.

Provided is a beverage maker. The beverage maker includes a pair of fermenters, each of which has an internal space, a pair of fermenter lids configured to shield the internal spaces of the pair of fermenters, a pair of beverage containers that are selectively accommodated in the internal spaces of the pair of fermenters, a temperature regulator configured to independently regulate internal temperatures of the pair of fermenters, ingredient feeders in which ingredient containers configured to contain beverages are selectively mounted and which are disposed outside the pair of fermenters, respectively, a main channel via each of the ingredient feeders, a pair of branch channels branched from the main channel and respectively connected to the pair of beverage containers, and a beverage dispenser connected to the pair of branch channels.

A beverage maker includes a fermentation tank in which an internal space for fermentation is formed, a temperature controller configured to control a temperature of the fermentation tank and including an evaporator and a heater, and an insulation portion surrounding a portion of an outer circumferential surface of the fermentation tank. The fermentation tank may include a first chamber, in which the evaporator is disposed, and a second chamber configured to be in contact with the heater and coupled to the first chamber, and the insulation portion may be located between the first chamber and the evaporator.

A fluid handling apparatus for ejecting fluid into a tank and draining fluid from the tank comprises: a fluid duct for draining/supplying fluid from/to the tank, the fluid duct configured for fluid communication with a tank opening at a tank bottom; a fluid inlet pipe for supplying fluid to the tank, the fluid inlet pipe extending at least partly through the fluid duct and configured to extend through the tank opening into the tank; a rotary fluid ejection device in fluid communication with the fluid inlet pipe; and a rotary drive shaft extending at least partly inside the fluid inlet pipe, the rotary drive shaft being rotatably connected to the rotary fluid ejection device. Also disclosed is a fluid tank system comprising a tank and a fluid handling apparatus, and a method for mixing beer or wort with solid hops material in a tank by a fluid handling apparatus.