Bob Brewer, Anchor’s resident expert on beer & brewing, takes a behind-the-scenes look at the craft brewing process and the terminology used in the Anchor brewhouse.

The filtration room at the Anchor Brewery.

The plate and frame filter.

D.E. is short for “diatomaceous earth,” which we use as a beer filtering agent. D.E. occurs naturally as a mined substance comprised of the fossilized silica shells of ancient diatoms, a type of hard shelled algae, which is found in marine sediments. Best known for its use in swimming pool filters, D.E. is also used for a wide variety of other industrial purposes.

We use D.E. in combination with paper filters because of its ability to remove fine particles from beer without affecting the color, flavor, or body.

A peek inside the D.E. holding vessel, showing the D.E. as it is being metered into the beer, just prior to being run through the plate and frame.