Dedicated to uncompromising quality, Jim imports premium malted barleys from England and Germany. And he uses only fresh whole-flower hops which give a cleaner taste than pelletized hops. Naturally carbonated, many Caldera beers are also plate and frame filtered for a bright, clear product unmatched by other Northwest breweries. Caldera beers have won numerous national and international awards, including gold and platinum, because Jim insists on doing things right.
It’s why Jim worked closely with Avista years ago to save money on energy efficient equipment upgrades at his original brewery and why he was eager to speak with us again, as he was moving and expanding his business.
Brewing beer requires a lot of hot water. And Jim’s expanded facility required a whole lot more, which is why he decided to collaborate again with Avista on energy solutions.
“At the old location, we were basically doing 5,000 barrels a year and completely maxed out,” Jim recounted. In contrast, he expected his new building would do 60,000 barrels a year.
Avista helped Jim’s growing business with $21,000 in incentives on energy-saving equipment, which he was able to reinvest in the purchase of what’s loosely called a “hot liquor tank,” a 1250-gallon storage tank that uses efficient natural gas to heat water for brewing, and a new heat exchanger, which works hand-in-hand with the hot liquor tank by recapturing heat from processing to make more hot water.
The new brewing equipment helped Jim save 30% on heating water for production—one of his biggest costs. Avista’s incentives saved Jim enough money to purchase an additional fermentation tank to further increase production capacity, too.
Because brewing beer involves live yeasts, to keep batches pure, the tanks and other equipment must be continually and thoroughly cleaned (including constant acid washes). That’s why Avista also offered Jim a rebate on a new 98% efficient natural gas water heater.
We supplied a rebate on a new high-efficiency natural gas convection fan oven for Jim’s restaurant, too. The new convection oven not only uses less energy, it bakes 10 racks of bread and other foods all at once, which speeds up service to customers. It also greatly increases kitchen labor efficiency, compared to using a standard two-rack oven.
I’d to love to help you save energy and money like Jim. Contact me directly get started.
