Waukesha | Founded: 1934
Employees: 85
hydro-thermal.com
Hydro-Thermal has a 90-year history as a manufacturer of industrial process heating solutions. Its products blend steam into fluids to reach exact temperatures and are used in a range of industries. The company’s Beacon Futuristic Brewing project launched in 2018 to offer a disruptive solution to brew beer more effectively, efficiently and reliably. It is a state-of-the-art brewhouse that uses Industry 4.0, AI and machine learning technologies.
What was the point where you knew you would launch Beacon Futuristic Brewing and what was the biggest hesitancy or concern you needed to overcome?
Jim Zaiser, president and CEO: “The brewing industry is steeped in tradition, so very little has progressed in the process of making beer for 5,000 years since its origin in southern Babylonia. There is huge reluctancy to change. Instead, we are applying the most advanced processing solutions that revolutionize the industry. When presenting to potential customers the response was always, ‘Show me, don’t tell me.’ After eight years of development, we acted. ‘Enough! We will demonstrate the first unit in our own lab so we can optimize every element to perfection.’”
What are the next key steps in the development of the product?
“We have built the beta version of the brewhouse identical to production expectations and commissioned it for trials to demonstrate its effectiveness, adapted a sophisticated control system and worked through the kinks inherent of a new invention. Five of the seven processes are now running; we are developing our partnerships in technology, and we expect to have finished wort ready for a fermenter in first quarter 2024. Thereafter, we will publish solidified results by documenting our scenarios, methods and scientific data proving its value and repeatability to the industry in whitepapers and reports for public release.”
What would you consider your breakthrough so far?
“A realization that innovation will have a large impact on the brewing industry with significant energy savings, large efficiency gains to reduce ingredient usage, a footprint less than half, reduced water use and equipment that returns a brewmaster back to their passion of making great beer. Secondly, a robust patent in multiple countries has been issued.”
What’s the number one thing needed to sustain a culture of innovation and growth?
“Alignment throughout the company, from the vision to the culture of the employees through financial backing to continuous improvement committed to optimize every solution until the dream is reality.”
