Hops
Hops
Mechotech designs and manufactures turnkey distillation plants for hop flowers (cones). The product tree lists Hops (Flowers / Cones) under Leaves Oils Distillation Plants, so this page covers recovery of the volatile hop oil by distillation. Mechotech’s legacy page for the same raw material describes an extraction plant for hop oils, resins and bioactives for brewing, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and cosmetic use; the solvent route for xanthohumol is a separate page.
Mechotech’s hops plant is configured around the raw material and the target oil. It is built in SS 316L with integrated condensers and oil–water separation, PLC-based automation and full documentation, and is delivered as a commissioned turnkey system. The distillation mode and operating parameters are established during process development and pilot validation. Hop cones are delicate, resin-bearing flowers, so the line is built around gentle handling and loose charging of the still. This page covers the volatile hop oil recovered by distillation; the resin-bound xanthohumol route is a separate product.
Technical Specifications
| Product | Hops Distillation Plant |
|---|---|
| Raw Material | Hop flowers / cones |
| Botanical Name | Humulus lupulus (per the Sureka Life Sciences catalogue entry for Hops Leaves Distillation) |
| Plant Part / Feed Form | Flowers / cones (exact feed form confirmed with the client) |
| Marker Compound | α-Humulene (per the Sureka Life Sciences catalogue entry) |
| Product Category | Leaves Oils Distillation Plants |
| Extraction Method | Steam, hydro, vacuum or pressure distillation — selected for the volatility and heat-sensitivity of the target oil |
| Product-contact Material | SS 316L |
| Condensation | Multi-tube condenser with chilled-water circulation |
| Oil–Water Separation | Stainless-steel Florentine flask |
| Finishing | Polish filtration; drying over anhydrous sodium sulphate or by vacuum |
| Automation | PLC-based |
| Plant Capacity | Configured to requirement |
| Utility Requirements | Steam, chilled/cooling water, compressed air and power (project-specific) |
| Compliance | GMP hygienic design; full documentation for qualification |
| Final Product Form | Hop essential oil; aromatic hydrosol as co-product |
Plant Capacities
| Plant Scale | Raw Material Throughput | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|
| Pilot | Configured to your feedstock and trial plan | Product development, parameter validation |
| Semi-Commercial | Configured between pilot and commercial scale | Scale-up trials, contract manufacturing |
| Commercial | Configured to raw-material supply and confirmed buyer volume | Commercial production |
Capacity is configured to raw-material supply, confirmed buyer volume and investment timeline; a pilot plant is recommended to validate parameters before scaling.
Manufacturing Process
Raw Material Preparation
Hop flowers (cones) are cleaned and charged loosely and gently so that steam passes evenly through the cone bed; the feed form (whole or pelletised cones) and charge density are set during process development.
Charging & Distillation
The prepared Hops charge is loaded into the SS 316L still and distilled by steam, hydro, vacuum or pressure distillation, selected during process development for the volatility and heat-sensitivity of the target oil.
Condensation
Vapours pass through a multi-tube condenser with chilled-water circulation, condensing the oil and hydrosol.
Oil–Water Separation
Condensate is separated in a stainless-steel Florentine flask; the oil is collected and the hydrosol is drawn off and can be recovered as a co-product.
Polishing & Drying
The crude oil is polish-filtered and dried over anhydrous sodium sulphate or by vacuum to remove residual moisture.
Quality Control
Each batch is sampled for GC-MS profile and physical parameters — specific gravity, refractive index, optical rotation — against the client’s specification.
Major Plant Equipment
- Hop cone cleaning and sorting system
- SS 316L distillation still / extractor
- Multi-tube condenser with chilled-water circulation
- Stainless-steel Florentine flask (oil–water separator)
- Polish filtration system
- Drying unit (anhydrous sodium sulphate or vacuum)
- CIP system
- PLC-based automation and instrumentation
Plant Output
From Plant to Product
Hops Leaves Distillation
This botanical is also in the product range of Sureka Life Sciences, our sister concern in botanical ingredients.
Applications
- Brewing and beverage flavouring
- Sleep-support and stress-relief aromatherapy blends
- Pain and muscle-tension relief products
- Skin-care and hair-care formulations
- Pharmaceutical and nutraceutical formulations
- Cosmetic and personal care applications
Key Features
SS 316L Construction
Product-contact surfaces are SS 316L for corrosion resistance and product purity, with CIP capability between batches.
Efficient Condensation
Multi-tube condensers with chilled-water circulation condense the volatile oil and hydrosol and limit loss of volatile top-notes.
Cone-Charge Distillation
The still is configured for a loosely packed hop cone charge, with the distillation mode chosen for the volatility and heat-sensitivity of the hop oil.
Hydrosol Recovery
Integrated oil–water separation allows the aromatic hydrosol to be drawn off and recovered as a co-product.
Scalable Capacity
Plants are configured to requirement from pilot scale upward, with modular expansion.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Mechotech supply the complete machinery for Hops?
What specification can the Hops plant achieve?
What production capacities are available for the Hops plant?
Which part of Hops is processed in the distillation plant?
How is Hops oil produced in the plant?
How does this page relate to the hops extraction route?
Which related plants does the catalogue list with Hops?
What does hop oil contain and what is it used for?
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