AI Cuts Craft Beer Fermentation Time by 28% in Yokogawa-Craft Bank Test
Craft Bank Co., a Kyoto, Japan-based brewer of craft beers, and Yokogawa Electric Corp., have completed a proof of concept (PoC) test using autonomous control AI to the fermentation process for Bank IPA (India Pale Ale), which was recognized with a silver medal at the Japan Great Beer Awards in 2023.
The AI tech used was Factorial Kernel Dynamic Policy Programming (FKDPP), a reinforcement learning-based AI algorithm from Yokogawa.
By manually implementing the temperature setting schedule created by the AI, brewers were able to shorten the fermentation process time from 336 hours to 240 hours, a 28% reduction. Both companies have determined that the temperature setting schedule generated by the autonomous control AI is effective in shortening the duration of the manufacturing process.
Before testing Yokogawa’s AI on its fermentation process, Craft Bank kept temperatures at a constant level during the fermentation period. Each day the brewmaster would manually measure the sugar content and conduct sensory evaluation of aroma and taste and check for the presence of uncharacteristic flavors.
For the PoC, a simulator was created that replicated the beer production process. Using information provided by the brewmaster, who took into consideration all the conditions that act as stress factors on the yeast, the autonomous control AI developed a temperature setting schedule for the fermentation tank within the simulator.
The brewmaster reviewed the appropriateness of this plan and then followed it to manually set the temperature. Through sensory evaluation during the fermentation process, it was confirmed that all quality criteria were met. By setting the temperature according to the AI-based plan, the fermentation process time was reduced from 336 hours to 240 hours, a 28% reduction.
Hiroaki Kanokogi, head of Yokogawa’s Digital Strategy Division and president of Yokogawa Digital Corporation, said, “I believe that autonomous control AI can be applied to areas where difficult trade-offs need to be solved by manufacturers or where humans do not have the answers.”
Based on the success of this PoC, Craft Bank plans to explore new brewing techniques using AI that are unique to Craft Bank.
Daichi Haboshi, president, CEO and brewing manager at Craft Bank, commented, “As a brewer who is responsible for everything from preparation to fermentation on site every day, this initiative was very meaningful. Previously, fermentation tests were physically performed each time, so it took about a month. This time, by repeating simulations using data automatically collected by a sensor, we were able to virtually verify fermentation many times and then conduct hypothesis-based tests on the actual equipment. This test shows how the expertise of our brewmasters in functions such as sugar content measurement, temperature control and sensory evaluation of the aroma can be complemented by the power of AI for an unprecedented balance between quality and efficiency.”
