An apparatus and method for removing carbon dioxide gas from beer. The apparatus includes a preheater, a degas column, a degas condenser, an optional degas condensate receiver, an optional degas condensate pump, and a bottoms pump. The apparatus is arranged to receive a feed from a beer source into the preheater and output the heated beer in the degas column. Much of the vapor in the degas column is condensed to a liquid phase by the degas condenser, and residual vapor is directed to-an existing carbon dioxide scrubber. The liquid phase is then reintroduced to the degas column via the degas condensate receiver and degas condensate pump. The degassed beer is pumped from the bottom of the degas column, through the beer preheater, and finally on to the existing distillation system.

The disclosure relates to a system and method for preflash processing used in dry mill ethanol facilities, including routing beer to a baffled flash tank, in which the beer is processed and then separated into a vapor stream and liquid beer. Preheating the beer via preflash processing efficiently recovers energy within the system, thereby reducing the need for additional energy input.

A system and method for expanding the production capacity of an existing ethanol production facility including: a source of fermented mash (beer); a first beer column configured for receiving beer input from the source and for producing overhead comprising alcohol vapor and water vapor; and a first rectifier receiving an alcohol and water mixture from said first beer column. The system includes a second beer column, first and second condensers receiving overhead from the beer columns and a second rectifier receiving condensed overhead from the second condenser and bottoms from the first rectifier. A processing component receives bottoms from the first and second beer columns and steam condensate. The method includes the steps of retrofitting an existing ethanol production facility with a second beer column, first and second condensers and a second rectifier.

A device for reducing the alcohol content of wines and other alcoholic beverages, comprising a distillation column (71) of the liquid to be treated, a first sensor (31) for measuring the temperature of the liquid, a heating resistance (41) for heating the liquid, a second sensor (55) for measuring the temperature of the vapors in the column (71) and an outlet pipe (60) of the vapors, which is connected to a condenser (18) and then reaches a collection container (24), inside of which the vacuum is provided by means of a setting solenoid valve (20) and a vacuum pump (21), which are connected to a pressure sensor (19); an electronic control circuit (16) detects the measurements made by the temperature sensors (31, 55) and by the pressure sensor (19) and adjusts the power of the heating resistance (41) and the opening of the setting solenoid valve (20).

A crystalline pigment or colorant composition having high color intensity and/or low sugar content, and methods and processes of preparation. The composition may comprise purified fruit and/or vegetable color juices.

The present invention pertains in general to a system and method for the separation alpha-acids and other desirable compounds from post-process fermentation solids which are otherwise subject to discard after being used for a fermentation process such as the brewing of beer. The system and method, although described surrounding use with alpha-acids as associated with a beer brewing process, can be used in the extraction of soluble compounds from solids generically.

A crystalline pigment or colorant composition having high color intensity and/or low sugar content, and methods and processes of preparation. The composition may comprise purified fruit and/or vegetable color juices.

A method for removing contaminants such as pesticides and fungicides from cannabinoid extracts. Cannabinoid extracts containing contaminants may be dissolved in a water and ethanol solution, and then cooled to allow water-soluble contaminants to settle out of the mixture. The water and ethanol may then be removed via evaporation or distillation, leaving purified cannabinoids without contaminants. Contaminant removal may be incorporated into a method for producing a blended extract of cannabinoids and terpenes, which extracts terpenes using supercritical CO2, and extracts a cannabinoid concentrate from the residual material using a cold ethanol flush followed by distillation and then by contaminant removal; the CO2-extracted terpenes are then added back to the purified cannabinoid concentrate in a final blending step. Blending terpenes at the end of extraction may enhance the flavor and effectiveness of the purified cannabinoid concentrate.

The present invention provides for passive V0C recovery in the fermentation process that does not affect or minimally affects the conditions within the fermentor vessel and does not affect or minimally affects the conditions within the headspace of the fermentor vessel itself while using the production of CO.sub.2 emitted during the fermenting process as the source of driving energy to move a portion of the gaseous/vaporous material in the headspace of the fermentor through an appropriately sized conduit to a chilled surface condensing device to condense the V0Cs (principally ethanol) for recovery and to exhaust the CO.sub.2 to the atmosphere or to recover the CO.sub.2 for other uses. The conduit from the headspace of the fermentor to the condenser is sized to provide a flow restriction in a selected range such that the headspace equilibria are not affected while allowing a portion of the gaseous/vaporous material in the headspace to move through the conduit in response to the generation of the CO.sub.2 during the fermentation process.

A method and system for distilling alcohol in an alcohol production process is disclosed. The method can include fermenting a mixture of water and milled grain to produce alcohol-laden beer, which can be distilled in a beer column maintained at a subatmospheric pressure to produce a vapor, primarily including alcohol, and whole stillage. Thin stillage is separated from the whole stillage. Water is evaporated from the separated thin stillage to produce first-concentrated thin stillage and at least a portion of first effect steam. Water from the first-concentrated thin stillage is evaporated with heat from the first effect steam to produce second-concentrated thin stillage and second effect steam. Water is evaporated from the second-concentrated thin stillage with heat from the second effect steam to third effect steam. At least a portion of the third effect steam is used to supply sufficient heat to the beer column for distilling the alcohol-laden beer.