When you think of a craft distillery, you probably imagine weathered wood floors, copper stills gleaming under warm light and the hands of a passionate distiller working by feel, tradition and instinct. What you probably don’t picture is automation — computer systems, sensors and control panels orchestrating part of the production. But what if embracing a touch of automation didn’t mean losing your craft?
In fact, integrating automation into your distillery can enhance your artistry, increase safety and bring consistent quality to your spirits — without compromising the soul of your operation.
Demystifying Distillery Automation
At its core, process automation is about better control, consistency and insight into your operations. I think of it as a digital assistant capable of monitoring, controlling and recording aspects of the distillation process, thus freeing you to focus on the craft.
Key components of an automated system include:
- SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition): provides real-time visibility and control
- HMI (Human-Machine Interface): user-friendly screens that show plant performance
- PLC (Programmable Logic Controller): manages sequences like valve operations and recipe logic
- Historian: collects and stores data for long-term analysis and batch comparisons
Together, these tools help you reduce manual labor, ensure safety, and retain critical data to improve consistency.
Why Automation Fits Every Size
One of the biggest myths in the industry is that automation is only for large-scale operations. There’s no size requirement — automation can be modular. You don’t have to invest in a full-blown distributed control system from day one. Start small: solve a pain point, improve a key area or simply start recording useful data.
You might begin with just one temperature sensor tied to a PLC to prevent overheating or automate fermentation monitoring. Over time, you can add modules to expand functionality as your needs grow and your budget allows.
Safety: The Unsung Hero of Automation
I almost titled this article “That Cup of Coffee Doesn’t Have to Kill You.” The point? Even in small distilleries, equipment hazards are real.
Automation can enhance machine safety (protecting operators from equipment), personnel safety (creating a safer workplace) and process safety (ensuring operations shut down safely if something goes wrong). From steam shutoffs triggered by high pressure to automatic fermentation controls, automation helps maintain peace of mind in a high-stakes environment.
Data Acquisition: Unlocking the ‘Golden Batch’
Every distiller has had that one magical batch, but could you repeat it exactly? By turning analog indicators into digital transmitters, you can record temperatures, flow rates and pressures with time-stamped precision. With a historical database, you can track multiple variables and identify the trends that led to your best output, which I like to call the “Golden Batch.”
This data doesn’t just aid consistency — it fuels innovation. Want to tweak your mash bill or experiment with new fermentation profiles? Now you have the baseline data to guide those creative decisions.
Craft Meets Control
Automation isn’t the enemy of craft. It’s a tool, one that can empower today’s distillers to stay competitive, maintain safety and create a legacy of quality. Understand your processes better with data acquisition and improve them with automation — all to enhance your craft.
About the author:
Dr. Alan Green is a subject matter expert in process automation at Haskell with more than 20 years of experience in process automation and engineering, including over a decade working with world-renowned distilleries such as Tullamore DEW and Glenfiddich. He holds a PhD in electrical and electronic engineering. Contact Alan and other Haskell professionals to discuss your needs.
This article originally appeared in Artisan Spirit, a magazine for craft distillers and their fans.
