First Reliable And Efficient Compressed-Ammonia Refrigerator

In 1876, Carl von Linde developed an ammonia-compression refrigeration machine after earlier work with methyl ether systems. Cooling Post describes the 1876 ammonia compressor as smaller, cheaper, easier to maintain, and more durable than Linde’s earlier machine, and notes that it remained in use at Dreher’s brewery until 1908. Linde’s ammonia refrigeration work became a decisive technology for industrial brewing. Reliable mechanical cooling reduced dependence on natural ice and seasonal brewing conditions, making year-round bottom-fermented lager production more practical and helping lager and pilsner brewing expand on an industrial scale.