Tradition meets today’s precision

Advanced measurement technology as a key factor in spirits production

Real time inline % Vol. ABV measurement

For a faster, more efficient spirits production

Precise mass flow for accurate yield prediction

Data‑driven insights for improved process efficiency

Secure and MI-005 compliant alcohol transfer

Highly accurate measurement directly during the transfer

Distillation has shaped the world of spirits for generations. Whether in the production of whiskey, vodka, or other high‑quality beverages, the method has been refined over centuries. Yet even this long‑established process is evolving. Higher energy prices, stricter quality standards, and the growing emphasis on sustainable manufacturing practices are prompting producers to rethink how distillation is carried out.
Modern distillation benefits significantly from precise, reliable measurement data. Tracking parameters such as temperature, pressure, density, and alcohol concentration with high accuracy enables you to tighten existing production tolerances to a feasible minimum. The result: more consistent batches, improved product quality, and increased yields. At the same time, better insight into process performance enables smarter energy management, helping reduce CO2 emissions without sacrificing excellence.

With this in mind, KROHNE’s Global Industry Division supports you with customised measurement technologies designed to meet these modern demands. Specialists from our dedicated Food & Beverage Division are at your disposal to meet your process challenges, worldwide. Being an instrumentation supplier for this industry for over 20 years, we have gained industry- and application-specific know-how that we have incorporated into our devices and solutions.

Your Benefits

Your production processes are as unique as your products. KROHNE offers measurement technologies that are tailored to your specific requirements and processes. By drawing on traditional distillation know‑how and complementing it with KROHNE’s advanced measurement technologies, you can secure consistent results, and move toward more efficient and sustainable production—an essential advantage in today’s spirits market.

Several special features help to optimise your production:

Closed loop % Vol. ABV measurement

Integrating the KROHNE OPTIMASS into your production process eliminates the need for manually measuring alcohol concentration. Taking samples from your fermentation vessel and analysing them in a laboratory only provides delayed, spot-check results.

Rather than interrupting your process, the KROHNE Coriolis flowmeter measures % Vol. ABV inline and in real time. In practice, OPTIMASS measurement results closely match laboratory values, enabling continuous monitoring, faster decision-making and improved process efficiency.

Mass and density measurement for accurate yield prediction

Mass balancing with the KROHNE OPTIMASS measures what goes into the production process versus the final product, striving for efficiency and process transparency.

Using a KROHNE Coriolis mass flowmeter allows you to predict the theoretical yield of the final product from the fermentation material. Combining the measured mass and density with laboratory values enables the calculation of the theoretical maximum yield. Comparing this value with the actual output reveals efficiency losses and creates opportunities for targeted process optimisation.

Certified custody transfer for alcohol loading

After the production of alcohol, finished products are often transferred to vessels, trucks or IBCs in accordance with strict custody transfer requirements, particularly if production and bottling facilities are located at different sites. Without advanced measurement technology, trucks must be weighed on approved scales, a costly and time‑consuming task.

With the MI-005 certified OPTIMASS Coriolis mass flowmeter, alcohol products can be loaded and measured in real time, fully compliant with fiscal and national custody transfer regulations.

EGM™

Our Coriolis flowmeters with EGM™ (entrained gas management) maintain operation and high repeatability of measurements – despite the presence of fibres, solids or air entrainment in the slurry or any other kind of mash.
Mass flow and direct density measurement of aerated products is already possible in the mixed stage.

Steam measurement

KROHNE’s Vortex flowmeters enable precise measurement of steam energy in kJ. This allows you to use exactly the amount of steam required, avoiding both over- and under-consumption. The result is a more efficient, sustainable process with significantly reduced operating costs.

Coriolis mass flowmeter

KROHNE’s Coriolis mass flowmeters provide highly accurate measurement of gases, liquids, and mixed media, making them ideal for demanding applications in spirits production. They deliver direct mass flow, density, and temperature data while remaining unaffected by pressure, viscosity or flow profile conditions.

Mass, volume flow and temperature measurement of liquids and gases, density and concentration measurement
Reliable measurement of solids and fibres in liquid and gas form
Secure wireless access via Bluetooth®
Two-phase flow detection and diagnostics
Continuous measurement with 0...100% gas entrainment
Homogeneous air entrainment of up to 170% overrun

Find out more about the KROHNE OPTIMASS family.