While pasteurization was once considered little more than a necessary evil in the craft-beer space, attitudes and approaches to it have evolved as the industry has matured.
No longer is heat-treatment simply the nuclear option for killing unwanted microbes. A deeper understanding of its impact on beer—and an increased focus on beverages beyond beer—makes pasteurizers a useful tool in the brewery, enabling more operational flexibility alongside peace of mind.
In a perfect world, we would serve all beer brite-tank fresh (over the tasting-room bar; poured by a smiling, knowledgeable server; in a style-appropriate glass; and at the perfect temperature and carbonation level). Yet the world is cruel, and the environment unforgiving. Beer is robust—it wouldn’t have enjoyed such popularity through history if it went bad the same way as milk or juice—but flavor degrades with time, nonetheless.