Data-driven Brewing Replaces Guesswork
The upgraded system supports recipe entry and storage, visualisation of water dosing during mashing, and automated prompts for key additions during the boil. Critical process parameters are logged, creating a growing dataset which supports consistency and continuous improvement. Temperature control during fermentation, often spanning several days, is now fully automated, including a controlled step-down chilling process at the end of fermentation to protect yeast health. When it comes time to rack, brewers know exactly how much beer is available, allowing the correct number of casks to be cleaned and prepared in advance.
Remote connectivity configured by the Orm’ s Brewhouse team allows WAGO engineers to provide support and troubleshooting without the need for site visits. This is a major advantage for a rural brewery.
Chris Stanley concludes:‘ Efficiency isn’ t just about saving time or ingredients— it’ s what allows a small brewery like ours to grow. With WAGO’ s automation in place, we finally have the visibility and control we need to trust the process from start to finish. It gives us more concentration time to get the recipe right, to stop processes at the right moment, so that when we get the brew in the fermenter, it’ s the best that it can be.’
Crucially, the modern control platform provides a foundation for future optimisation.
The brewery already operates a large on-site solar installation, and has written code to enable surplus solar generation to be diverted into heating the HLT. Electricity worth around £ 0.08 per kWh when exported from solar sources can instead offset heat that would otherwise cost around £ 0.24 per kWh to buy from the brewery’ s energy supplier. This capability is only possible because the open control system has been designed from the outset to enable extension over time.
A Long-term Partner in Automation
The solution for Orm’ s Brewhouse worked so well in part because of the modularity of the equipment available from WAGO and others. But it was just as much to do with the nature of the collaboration between customer and supplier.
WAGO’ s open approach allowed the WAGO PLC and control architecture to be engineered around the brewery’ s real process, ensuring accuracy, repeatability and long-term flexibility. As a vendoragnostic automation provider, WAGO seamlessly integrated IO-Link sensors from third-party suppliers alongside existing equipment, protecting the brewery’ s prior
investment while enabling modern, data-driven brewery automation. The modular, scalable architecture devised by WAGO ensures that the system can evolve as production volumes grow, recipes change, and the brewery implements new methods for optimising energy generation and consumption.
Underpinning all this technology, however, is a relationship: WAGO’ s application engineering team worked directly with the brewers, combining their deep automation expertise with Purves’ and Stanley’ s hands-on understanding of the brewing process, to produce a robust, future-ready system that the brewing team can trust.
As John Mackey, Head of Automation Sales at WAGO UK & Ireland, says,‘ For WAGO, what makes this a moment of success is seeing the focussed application of automation to help the company deliver on its goal of creating a really high-quality beer. Together we have married the craft and artisan element of the brewing process with modern automation for data harvesting and quality control, which is ultimately what is going to enable Orm’ s Brewhouse to develop as a business.’
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The Result: Energy Efficiency, Sustainability and a Future-Ready Platform
Since the upgrade, Orm’ s Brewhouse has gained a far higher level of confidence in its brewing process. Improved temperature control has significantly increased consistency, automation has reduced waste and manual intervention, and brew days are shorter and less stressful.
Energy efficiency has also improved. Automated pump shutdowns, timed HLT heating and better process visibility have reduced unnecessary runtime, lowering both energy consumption and operating costs.
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