81-year-old Finex Separator™ continues to deliver reliable sugarcane and grain separation for Brazilian spirits manufacturer
For distilleries producing whiskey and other alcoholic spirits, effective grain separation is essential to achieving consistent quality their customers expect. By removing unwanted solids before fermentation, whiskey separation equipment helps create a higher quality product whilst reducing rework and product waste. For Brazilian producer BRDS, our separation equipment dating back 8 decades ago is helping to deliver these benefits.
BRDS – Ind. Com. de Alimentos e Bebidas Artesanais Ltda, is a small, family-owned business based on Ribeiro da Silva Farm. Founded in 2013, the company is primarily dedicated to the production and supply of sugarcane for industrial processing. Alongside cachaça, Brazil’s national spirit, BRDS also manufactures a range of other beverage products, including brown sugar and corn whiskey.
For whiskey manufacturing, malted grains and corn are crushed and steeped in hot water to extract fermentable sugars. This liquid is then screened to remove solids before undergoing fermentation, distillation and aging in American oak barrels.
The challenge of grain separation in whiskey production
Ineffective screening of solids from sugarcane juice can lead to issues with the fermentation process, reducing consistency between batches and impacting the flavors of the final spirit. It can also lead to higher levels of rework, increased downtime and greater labor requirements, reducing productivity and increasing production costs.
For BRDS, the sugary liquid was originally screened using manual sieves, a process that proved both challenging and labor-intensive. This method required significant operator involvement and often resulted in inconsistent separation, leading to production delays and frequent rework to ensure a consistent liquid suitable for fermentation, distillation and ageing.
Additionally, the ground grains had a tendency to clump together during processing, creating blockages in the sieve and reducing productivity. This not only increased labor requirements for cleaning the mesh, but also limited overall production efficiency, highlighting the need for a more reliable and effective screening solution.
The solution: Reliable whiskey processing equipment
As a small family-run business, BRDS opted for a cost-effective solution, purchasing a second-hand Finex Separator™ from a used equipment dealer dating back to 1945. Following a refurbishment, the vibratory separator was integrated into the company’s whiskey production process, where it quickly proved its value.
Today, despite being over 8 decades old, the equipment is used to process batches of up to 500 liters, delivering significant improvements in both efficiency and product quality. By effectively removing solids from the sugary liquid before fermentation, the screening solution ensures a high-quality product while eliminating the need for rework and reducing production downtime. This has enabled BRDS to achieve greater consistency across every batch.
What our customers say
Russell Finex’s equipment has proven to be exceptionally reliable, delivering consistent performance over many decades. Even after years of use, the machines continue to operate effectively. The newer generations of machines are certainly even more advanced and productive, a testament to the brand’s long-standing reputation.
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About Russell Finex
We are the only manufacturer in the world that makes our own screening and filtration equipment alongside ultrasonic mesh deblinding systems. We do this for virtually every industry around the world and, with over 90 years of experience, we’ve helped the process industry with measurable impact.
We partner with customers to help them enhance their production lines. By combining high-quality equipment, deep expertise, and the ability to customize solutions, we deliver results while acting responsibly and ethically toward both our customers and the environment.
Contact us today to learn how you can benefit from our sieving solutions.
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