CMF Beer Recovery from Yeast

Recover resources. Increase profitability.

In times of rising raw material and energy costs, breweries are under increasing pressure to utilize every liter of beer as efficiently as possible. An often overlooked area of savings is the loss of valuable beer in the yeast streams, which typically accounts for 2-3% of the total production volume.

The solution: M&L CMF – beer recovery using ceramic cross-flow membrane filtration.

Our technology allows you to recover high-quality beer, reduce waste, improve your environmental footprint, and generate additional revenue by reusing the yeast as a valuable by-product.

Your Benefits at a Glance

• High recovery rate: Up to 97% of beer content in yeast can be reclaimed
• Top-quality filtrate: Sensory stable, clear, and ready for reprocessing
• Fast ROI: Amortization within 1–2 years, depending on brewery size
• Reduced water & chemical consumption thanks to efficient cleaning
• Minimal personnel requirements through automated operation
• Future-proof & sustainable: Yeast becomes a marketable by-product

Your benefits are measurable – and immediate.

Discover how modern CMF technology turns waste streams into valuable resources.

How Beer Recovery with M&L CMF Technology works

1. Yeast Collection & Buffering
Excess yeast is drawn from fermentation or maturation tanks and collected in a batch tank. There, it is homogenized and then directed to the beer recovery unit.

2. Cross-Flow Membrane Filtration (CMF)
Filtration takes place in batch mode using robust ceramic membranes that are both chemically and mechanically resistant (pore size: 0.2 μm). The yeast is concentrated to up to 20% dry matter, while the recovered beer – the permeate – is collected in a separate tank.

3. Use of Recovered Beer
The filtered beer is clear, microbiologically stable, and can be directly reused in the process or dosed into the main filtration stream. No thermal treatment is required – saving energy and increasing process safety.

4. Yeast Utilization & Economic Efficiency
The concentrated yeast can be dried and sold to the feed or pharmaceutical industries – creating an additional economic benefit.

Why Choose M&L CMF? 

• Significant savings on energy and resources
• Ceramic membranes for long service life and hygienic safety
• Sterilizable with hot water up to 90 °C – no steam required
• Germ-free filtrate without additional treatment steps
• Modular system – easily expandable and integrable into existing setups
• Minimal maintenance, maximum operational reliability

With M&L CMF,  you turn waste into value.A smart step toward greater efficiency, sustainability, and profit per liter.