Mt. Rushmore Brewing Company Taps Ally Energy for Operational Technology and Controls Upgrades
Automated Processes and Remote Operational Capabilities Save Brewery Time, Labor Costs, and Lost Product
When Mount Rushmore Brewing needed their controls updated, they called on the expertise of longtime provider Ally Energy Solutions. Ally’s Operational Technology Group helped the brewery modernize its existing systems and automate its processes. The project improves efficiency across all systems and saves the company labor and utility costs and the potential costs associated with lost product due to unrecognized system failures. The addition of configurable automation allows the brewery to make operational changes according to the moment’s needs, while the historical data that the system records can help the brewmasters perfect their processes to deliver a superior product every single time.
Ally’s Experts Provide Layered Support on the Ground and in the Cloud
Ally’s role in operational technology upgrades doesn’t end when the physical implementation is completed. Cloud-based data management allows Ally to provide remote support in perpetuity.
With automated process re-configuration, the check of a box allows system modifications according to a facility’s changing needs and evolving business.
“In the five years I’ve worked with Ally Energy, I haven’t found a technical problem they can’t solve or a need they can’t meet. In that time, they’ve worked with me on two different breweries to design, install, and integrate—in some cases from scratch—site-specific, semi-automated brewing controls. Additionally, they’ve taken the time to explain in lay terms how and why everything fits together, enabling us to troubleshoot 90% of the issues that arise in the brewery ourselves. And when we do come up against that last 10%, they have always responded promptly and professionally when we need help.
In brewing, intention always butts up against instrumentation. Ally translates what we want as brewers into the tools we need to see our vision through.”
–Tom Robbins, Head of Brewing & Operations, Mt. Rushmore Brewing Co.
Project Details
- Expansion and Reconfiguration of Grain Bin and Disc Conveyor System
- I-Pad Enabled Magelis GUI
- Remote Boiler Control
- Chiller Alarm
- Heat Recovery
System Benefits
- Reconfigured grain bin meets the current needs of a growing operation and is easily adaptable for future modifications.
- Process controls operate through an I-Pad controlled Magelis GUI and allow brewers to reconfigure tank functionality through a simple check box system.
- Remote boiler control makes pre-heating a task that can now be performed anywhere, saving labor costs associated with in-person management.
- The chiller alarm immediately alerts brewers in the event of a shut-down saving the potential costs related to ruined product.
- The heat recovery system captures the heat generated by wort boiling and uses it to pre-heat the water for the next batch.
- System insights are available instantly and remotely to both the brewers and the Ally team, allowing us to help troubleshoot any issues.
