Adelbert's Has Something Brewing in Austin, TX
January, 2020
After years as a passionate home brewer, Scott Hovey was inspired to turn his hobby into a career while attending his first Craft Brewer’s Conference in 2008. In 2010, he completed the Malting and Brewing Science Course of the Master Brewers Association of the Americas. In 2011, Scott left behind an engineering career of more than 25 years and opened Adelbert’s Brewery in Austin, TX, after searching for a fulfilling career change in his forties. Today, the award-winning microbrewery produces around 2,000 barrels a year and aims to serve the constantly growing and changing beverage market with the best beer possible.
Adelbert’s Brewery was named in tribute to founder Scott Hovey’s brother George Adelbert “Del” Hovey. According to the brewery, “Del always took time to enjoy a beer with family and friends, recounting his travels from around the world.” This idea was carried forward into the brewing business when Scott decided to open Adelbert’s in 2011. The brewery’s main beers are all named after stories that Scott’s brother would tell, and they hope that many others get to sit around, share one of Adelbert’s beers, and tell stories of their own. They brew the spirit of adventure and comradery embodied by Scott’s brother into every beer.
Automation in the brewing process is largely what allowed Adelbert’s Brewery to expand as quickly as it did. According to Scott, someone gave him the idea one day as a suggestion made almost in passing. The suggestion made him realize that a lot of the brewing process that involves repetitive tasks could be automated. Scott turned to industrial suppliers online to find the right parts for the job, and the search brought him to FactoryMation for the “simplest” controls with the best value he could find. Once learning how simple it was to program the SG2 Programmable Logic Relays he ordered from FactoryMation, Scott expanded on his original design but continued to rely on the SG2s due to their simplicity and reliability.
Automation is present in almost every step of Adelbert’s brewing process. It begins with their multi-temperature decoction mash, which turns starches from ground-up grains into sugar. The system then pumps the contents of the mash tuns into lauter tuns to wash off the wort (or sugar water). The kettle then boils it with hops. Finally, it moves into the whirlpool to separate the proteins and hops before entering the fermenter. Scott uses SG2s, AC Drives, and many other components from FactoryMation to control the automation of the temperature control, valves, and motors. “My brew day will auto-start at 4 A.M.,” he explains. “Then I show up at 8 and it’s already done four hours of brew for me.” To ensure the greatest level of control, the panels are designed to allow the operator to swap between manual control of the individual valves and having the SG2s automatically dictate which valves are open. “I really like the SG2s,” Scott makes clear. “They’re simple and easy to use.”
As for doing business with FactoryMation, Adelbert’s founder says it is “very good. [The shopping experience] is straight-forward.” FactoryMation is proud to be a part of Adelbert’s Brewery’s growth. Stories such as this continue to inspire FactoryMation to work hard at being the best choice for industrial control products. FactoryMation strives to deliver world-class products, outstanding service, and superior prices that equate to the best value in the industry. This unbeatable value allows customers to be even more successful in their respective industries.
FactoryMation Products Used
Company Overview
Adelbert’s Brewery was named in tribute to founder Scott Hovey’s brother George Adelbert “Del” Hovey. According to the brewery, “Del always took time to enjoy a beer with family and friends, recounting his travels from around the world.” This idea was carried forward into the brewing business when Scott decided to open Adelbert’s in 2011. The brewery’s main beers are all named after stories that Scott’s brother would tell, and they hope that many others get to sit around, share one of Adelbert’s beers, and tell stories of their own. They brew the spirit of adventure and comradery embodied by Scott’s brother into every beer.
Application Challenge
Automation in the brewing process is largely what allowed Adelbert’s Brewery to expand as quickly as it did. According to Scott, someone gave him the idea one day as a suggestion made almost in passing. The suggestion made him realize that a lot of the brewing process that involves repetitive tasks could be automated. Scott turned to industrial suppliers online to find the right parts for the job, and the search brought him to FactoryMation for the “simplest” controls with the best value he could find. Once learning how simple it was to program the SG2 Programmable Logic Relays he ordered from FactoryMation, Scott expanded on his original design but continued to rely on the SG2s due to their simplicity and reliability.
FM Experience
Automation is present in almost every step of Adelbert’s brewing process. It begins with their multi-temperature decoction mash, which turns starches from ground-up grains into sugar. The system then pumps the contents of the mash tuns into lauter tuns to wash off the wort (or sugar water). The kettle then boils it with hops. Finally, it moves into the whirlpool to separate the proteins and hops before entering the fermenter. Scott uses SG2s, AC Drives, and many other components from FactoryMation to control the automation of the temperature control, valves, and motors. “My brew day will auto-start at 4 A.M.,” he explains. “Then I show up at 8 and it’s already done four hours of brew for me.” To ensure the greatest level of control, the panels are designed to allow the operator to swap between manual control of the individual valves and having the SG2s automatically dictate which valves are open. “I really like the SG2s,” Scott makes clear. “They’re simple and easy to use.”
As for doing business with FactoryMation, Adelbert’s founder says it is “very good. [The shopping experience] is straight-forward.” FactoryMation is proud to be a part of Adelbert’s Brewery’s growth. Stories such as this continue to inspire FactoryMation to work hard at being the best choice for industrial control products. FactoryMation strives to deliver world-class products, outstanding service, and superior prices that equate to the best value in the industry. This unbeatable value allows customers to be even more successful in their respective industries.
FactoryMation Products Used
- • FMX Circuit Protection
- • FMX Motor Controls
- • FMX Signal Lights
- • FMX “Tough Drive” AC Drives
- • WEG Pushbuttons
- • TECO Programmable Logic Relays
- • Eldon Enclosures
- • AECO Sensors