A pressing issue
A while ago we updated you that our custom-made, 6-metric-ton press had been fabricated and was ready for the journey over land and sea. Skipping ahead to the end of this update, we’re happy to report that the press is now safely in place in our Farthest Star brewery in Medfield, Mass. The longer version includes the reason we needed such a giant piece of machinery in the first place as well as the saga of the journey itself.
The press after delivery to the brewery, before fully unpacking.
In sake brewing the grain (rice) stays in the fermenting liquid the whole time (this is different from beer). When sake is done fermenting, it is a thick slurry called moromi. We will pump the moromi into the press, filling between every plate. The plates are under pressure, which will squeeze out the finished clear sake and leave behind the solids called kasu. (Let’s forget about kasu for now. We’ll revisit that topic at another time.)
Our hydraulic filter press was specifically designed with sake in mind. There is less distance between the plates than a standard press. This allows sake to push through less sediment and spend less time in the press. The result is a higher quality sake. Unfortunately, less distance between the plates = more plates; more plates = a bigger press.
Our press was packed by the manufacturer and transported 7000 miles overseas to the Port of New York. It was pristine upon arrival and loaded for ground transport, but here’s where things get a little bumpy. The ground transport company made some mistakes in securing our press, jostling it all the way from New York to the Boston area. When it arrived at our rigging company, O.B. Hill in Natick, for storage, it had taken a beating.
O.B. Hill was a great partner on this, advising on photo documentation and proper unloading protocols. They referred us to a reputable local machine shop for repairs, which have since been completed. O.B. Hill stored our press for a few months, then they carefully moved it into our space.
Now that the press is in place, we’re thinking ahead to actually using it. We purchased a gantry crane to help us lift the plates in and out of the press for cleaning and adjustments for different size batches of sake. Up next cleaning--so much cleaning--and wiring by our electrician.
