Category: Brewery

From the Ground Up: Building a Brewery

Cyndi

Expertise Now Rescues Craft Brewers from Costly Headaches Later

brewing materials in a convention

 By: Cheryl Gray

Quality, precision and productivity are just some of the elements that factor in when deciding what brewery equipment to install.

  Whether for a start-up or an expanding operation, equipment is a major investment, and there are companies whose expertise is to help guide their brewery clients toward making that investment pay off.

  One of them is Craftmaster Stainless, a full-service stainless equipment provider that provides an expansive list of products for breweries, wineries and distilleries. The California-based company has clients across the United States and Canada. The company prides itself on the detail and finishing of every product its manufactures, as well as the customer service it provides before and after the sale.

  Mackenzie Sant is a sales and equipment specialist for Craftmaster Stainless. He says that learning about craft brewing from the ground up introduced him to the company’s products. The team behind Craftmaster Stainless, Sant explains, has multiple years in brewing, technical detail and customer service. That experience supports the company’s ability to translate a client’s equipment wish list into a customized experience. It is just one of the company’s assets that Sant believes puts Craftmaster Stainless ahead of its competitors.

  “We offer every piece of equipment someone needs to start a brewery. We want to be your one-stop shop. We won’t furnish your taproom or install your walk-in cooler, but we have all the equipment you need to upscale that popular homebrew batch or to upgrade from the ugly  brewhouse you have been brewing in for four years. We wish we could have in-person meetings with everyone shopping for a new brewery, but a phone call works wonders. Tell us your business plan, what styles of beer you want to brew and projected production numbers, and we can spec out the equipment you need. We work closely with other manufacturers and suppliers in the U.S. to source equipment that we don’t produce, from the start of the brew day milling the grain, to chilling and carbonating before pouring a crispy pint.”

  And just what does a newly-minted brewing operation need? Sant provides a checklist of essentials, beginning with a business plan and a building followed by must-have equipment, such as a mill/auger for crushing and transporting the grain to the mash tun, a mash tun/lauter tun for converting complex malt sugars into fermentable sugars and a kettle for “cooking” unfermented beer (wort), as well as for adding hops/adjuncts and pasteurizing the liquid to ensure a clean fermentation.

  Sant adds that additional essentials include a heat exchanger to cool the wort down to fermentation temperatures, pumps for cleaning or transferring liquids, unitanks/conical fermenters for the bulk of fermentation, brite tanks for conditioning, clarification and carbonation and, lastly, a glycol chiller for controlling fermentation and conditioning temperatures. The latter, Sant advises pairs well with a cellar control panel to control each tank.

  Regarding some of the most popular items on the product list for Craftmaster Stainless, Sant points to a number of items that highlight the company’s unique feel for what breweries need, including one piece of equipment that takes the tedium out of a very mundane but necessary chore.

  “I would say our keg washer is the most popular piece of equipment at the moment. I think I speak for most brewers when I say that keg washing is probably one of the most repetitive jobs in the industry. This machine makes that job easy. It is seriously your best ‘employee.’ Once again, our customer service is always there to help with any trouble shooting. We understand downtime is not profitable, so we are always available to help. I would say our brewhouses are popular as well. They look great and they get the job done. Our level of customization on our brewhouses will catch your eye. We do have a couple other products releasing this year that will steal the spotlight for a while.”

  The company’s new product launches include the Craftmaster Stainless Semi-Auto ‘Keggernaut’ Keg Washer and another new equipment item.

  “We just released our Three Gallon Hop Doser. The Hop Doser is a great attribute in our equipment line up. When introducing hops into the brewing process, you don’t want to introduce oxygen. This hop doser allows you to dry hop without oxygen ingress. It can be used for other adjuncts as well, so use your imagination. Keep an eye out for equipment to come. There is so much technology in the industry that isn’t being used, and we have big plans for the future, while staying competitive.”

  From Lincoln, Nebraska, is ABE Equipment Company, which designs and manufactures a variety of equipment for breweries. The company’s brewhouse equipment is custom-built, paying special attention to solving problem areas such as low ceilings, tight spaces, ventilation barriers and utility requirements. Ashlei Howell is the marketing manager for the firm’s parent company, Norland International.

  “Our sweet spot is the 1,000 BBL to 5,000 BBL per year brewery. Our products cater to much larger breweries, and much of our equipment can be used on a much smaller scale, but the niche we serve will be a bit on the higher production end.

  We pride ourselves on being able to offer a complete solution at a fair price. We handle everything from grain to glass. Everything is designed and assembled in Lincoln, Nebraska, and we employ over 130 hardworking Americans to make our suite of products. Our dedicated customer service technicians train our customers and make themselves available nearly anytime to answer questions.”

  When it comes to introducing new products to the market, Howell explains that ABE Equipment Company is focused on what will increase its clients’ bottom line.

  “Our newly released products have changed how breweries and distilleries package their product. The new CraftCan Go is a small footprint, one operator and a dual-purpose (atmospheric and counter pressure) canning machine. Breweries are packaging so much more than just beer in today’s environment.

  A canning line capable of making beer, coffee, seltzer, tea, and anything else that may be high or low in carbonation adds versatility to the brewery. It sets that particular machine apart from anything else on the market.

  The Patriot Fill Station allows companies to package virtually any beverage on a budget. It is a manual fill station allowing the user to package around eight bottles per minute. This machine can handle alcohol, syrups, oils and many more viscous or non-viscous liquids. With so many craft beverage companies coming to the market, having an affordable machine to get a product into a package at a reasonable price is a must for any beverage company wanting to stay ahead  of the game.”

  Howell offers input on some advanced equipment choices for breweries to consider.

  “There are numerous products a brewery can add to its lineup to optimize production, save time, cut costs and much more. A yeast brink allows breweries to reuse yeast and can easily be added to your equipment lineup. If harvested and stored correctly, you can sometimes yield up to 10 generations of yeast, spreading the cost across multiple brews. With rising grain costs, adding a bulk grain silo is becoming a more economical option for breweries. Buying in bulk saves time when brewing, but you can cut significant costs when ordering large amounts of grain at a time. The ROI on a silo is easier to prove now more than ever. There are also a variety of smaller, simpler items, such as brite tank monitors, CIP carts, and brewhouse automation options that help improve production within a brewery.”

  MISCO Refractometer and its 70-year history have earned a place in the specialty field of refractometry. Refractometers in the brewing industry are among the equipment needs experts say breweries should have on their checklist of items designed to ensure quality control. As the singular item that the company manufactures, MISCO offers a wide range of refractometer choices for different industries, but one specifically designed for brewing. The company says that its MISCO Digital Beer Refractometer deploys a patented design specific to wort and eliminates the need to use a refractometer correction factor when placing measurements into beer calculators.

  Another advanced equipment option for breweries is a set of sieve plates for the mill. According to experts like Sant, even a one percent efficiency loss in this area could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in a single year. Along with this, brewers may want to consider keg washers along with portable and inline flow meters. Sant recommends breweries make equipment choices with long-term gain in mind.

  “Can you save money in the beginning by cutting cost on your equipment? Absolutely. But what about labor cost, repair cost for failing equipment and bad batch efficiency? The list goes on. Spend less time worrying about the equipment and more time worrying about the beer you are creating. A popular beer podcast said that every 10 minutes you save brewing is a cold beer at the end of the day. Spend that extra time focusing on different aspects of the process.”

Proper Tank Selection Begins With Business and Production Goals

Cyndi
2 huge brewing machine

By: Gerald Dlubala

From start to finish, a well-equipped brewhouse or distillery is a complex linked chain of equipment, including specialized tanks and storage vessels, each important to the final product. But brewery and distillery experts agree that before finalizing any decisions on the purchase or upgrade of your tanks and tank accessories, it’s critical that the equipment manufacturers know your business and production goals, both now and in the future, so that they can recommend the proper vessels for your needs.

It’s in Their Name: Quality Tank Solutions

  To help sort through all of the possibilities, Jimmi Sukys, owner of Quality Tank Solutions (QTS), says that it’s critical to research and choose a manufacturer that carries an excellent reputation in your industry with the equipment they manufacture or import and with the knowledge and service capabilities for support of those products. Quality Tank Solutions brings over 50 years of expertise in the stainless-steel industry, providing sanitary liquid solutions to the brewing, food and beverage, dairy and pharmaceutical industries. QTS builds lifelong partnerships because of its willingness to work alongside each customer from start to finish and beyond. They offer everything a craft beverage producer needs in quality, right-sized equipment and accessories.

  “Before we even get to the tanks, a producer should know the production goals that match and support their business plan,” said Sukys. “From there, we can determine the size and quantity of necessary equipment, develop a plan for future growth and plan for the type and size of the facility that will support this plan. Of course, there are exceptions. For example, when a craft producer finds their perfect location, say, a great space for a taproom, we work backward using the available space. A quality manufacturer helps clients determine the optimal equipment size for their production space and provides the production capabilities of that recommended equipment.”

  “The first step is knowing the process or function required of the tank in question,” said Sukys. “A quality manufacturer should ask questions to be sure they design and offer a proper vessel for your needs. For example, is it a process tank, and if so, what will the process involve? What type of products will you be mixing, adding, heating or cooling, and to what extremes? The more details you provide to a manufacturer, the more value you get from your tank purchase.”

  Sukys said that knowing the size of batches is critical as well. Too small of a tank limits production. Conversely, going too big with a goal of doing double or triple batches or more can raise issues when wanting to do only a single batch. Most tanks are not designed to heat or cool less than maximum volume production batches efficiently. Smaller batches may not hold temperatures correctly or cause stratification. A manufacturer that understands these limitations can be beneficial in presenting options that work for the producer’s needs.

  “Stainless steel has become the standard choice of construction,” said Sukys. “Stainless steel tanks can withstand decades of use when properly maintained. The range of temperatures in stainless steel tanks is much greater than other material choices, allowing a craft producer to use them for a wider range of processes. Welded ports replace screw-on fittings, which may need more maintenance. Additionally, stainless steel offers superior sanitation capabilities and can withstand aggressive cleaning with different chemicals. Quality manufacturers provide maintenance schedules for any equipment they provide.”

  Sukys told Beverage Master Magazine that any other accessories and equipment needed, like boilers and chillers, will depend on what the beverage producer plans to offer. Budgets must also include more minor things that add up, like hoses, gaskets, extra clamps, and fittings. He recommends using a manufacturer that helps with recommendations on what is necessary for startup and what additional equipment is good to have on hand. It’s common for equipment manufacturers to have accessories available to the beverage producer.

“The most important aspect of all of this is to choose a quality manufacturer that keeps current on the evolvement of the beverage industry and has the capability and expertise to design equipment that allows you to produce better beverages consistently,” said Sukys. “A strong warranty and service department is critical for peace of mind and knowing that you have a partner to have your back if unforeseen things happen. And remember that as your business and production goals grow, so do your equipment needs. The industry is constantly evolving, and better design of tanks and auxiliary equipment can help save energy, raw materials and production time. Finally, American-made equipment always has a higher resale value than Asian imports. That can be important when it comes time to resell your smaller tanks to replace them with larger capacity models.”

  For questions, consultations, and more information on Quality Tank Solutions, visit www.qts4u.com.

Flexibility, Efficiency and Cost Effectiveness: Paul Mueller Company

  Since 1940, the Paul Mueller Company has provided experienced help and demonstrated expertise in the processing equipment industry. Their reputation as being not only a quality manufacturer of brewing-related vessels and equipment but also a true partner of craft beverage producers is demonstrated through their equipment and industry knowledge and their respectfulness of client schedules and available workspaces to provide seamless transitions and minimal disruptions or interruptions, whether you’re purchasing new systems or replacing outdated or undersized equipment.

  “The first thing we should look at, as far as necessary equipment and proper sizing, is the planned production, and then work back from there,” said Jon Sprenger, regional sales manager for the Paul Mueller Company. “We find the best way to do this is to consider what your business will look like and what production levels you expect to attain in five years. That number is critical because bottlenecks in brewing and production are generally about available cellar space rather than brewhouse issues. You can brew beer around the clock, but you’re at a dead end if you don’t have the cellar space.”

  Sprenger also said that equipment like tanks could depend on the heat source chosen for the production space. Steam and direct fire are the two most popular, with steam being the easiest way to brew. The boiler can be pricey upfront. Conversely, with direct fire, you’ll be paying regular monthly payments for natural gas on a utility payment plan. It depends on available capital and the owner’s perspective from a cost standpoint.

  Along with this, Sprenger adds that an owner has to consider if they want to distribute their products or remain true to being a craft taproom. How do you want to handle your packaging? A quality equipment manufacturer will use this information to develop a successful equipment plan that incorporates the entire business model, not just presently but also with an eye toward the future.

  “And we can achieve that in different ways,” said Sprenger. “Consuming beer is like eating food. You do it first with your eyes. So many times, older, trendier and historic spaces have become desired locations for breweries and taprooms. That’s okay, and we can fill an already acquired space, or we can look at a producer’s projections and recommend comfortable square footage estimates to fulfill those goals. Either way of building a system is acceptable and falls under the umbrella of what we can do. Most manufacturers, including us, offer layout services and work with the available contractors and architects to develop a successful system. Stainless steel is advantageous simply because of its longevity. It’s built to last with simple and easy maintenance and cleaning capability. When compared to oak, which is difficult in this day and age to brew beer in, it becomes an easy and economically sound decision to go with stainless products just based on ease of cleaning and maintenance, lifespan and consistency in product endpoint and taste.”

  Sprenger tells Beverage Master Magazine that Mueller offers everything for a complete brewing system that falls in between the raw ingredients and the end glass.

  “We understand that it’s a lot easier and less time-consuming for beverage producers to deal with as few vendors as possible, so we offer all the necessary related equipment and accessories that they’ll need to complete their brewing system. That being said, we also easily adapt or integrate our products into any existing equipment that a craft producer already has in place. All of our equipment is customizable and will comfortably fit where it is supposed to go using as little movement as possible. Our equipment and installation successes are great marketing tools as well. Like consumers, we love to see our tanks on display in taprooms because they are also on display to other industry professionals that visit, including other brewers.”

Saving Money, Increasing Efficiency With Mueller’s Serving Beer Tank

  “One thing we’re excited about, and brewers should be too, is our serving beer tanks,” said Sprenger. “They’re a great alternative to kegs, and they don’t require the cleaning or CO2 that kegs demand. Beer goes into a mylar or polymer, food-grade bag inside a pressurized tank using only compressed air. The serving beer tanks don’t require cleaning because the replaceable bag protects the stainless steel from ever contacting the enclosed product. The use of compressed air negates the use of CO2, and we all know about the cost and shortage issues there. They come in various sizes and are perfect for taprooms. The tanks are completely mobile, easily transported outside for parking lot events, off-site festivals or stacked above your bar or in cold rooms for an awesome visual experience. The uses and locations are endless, and our serving beer tanks provide ultimate flexibility, space savings and costs incurred with keg ownership. In addition, the serving beer tanks offer a self-cooling, streamlined process of serving beer directly from the tank that promotes longer shelf life and fresher beer. We do recognize the need for kegs for distribution and other uses, but our serving beer tanks give brewers a cost savings option to replace kegs where available.”

  Mueller’s serving beer tanks show well in a copper or stainless finish, are ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) code-rated and can easily push beer several hundred feet with no issues and serve multiple draft towers at once.

  For those looking for a complete system, Mueller offers their Beer Genius brewery system, a space-saving craft brewery package customized for your space and featuring their serving beer tanks, making everything from buy to brew easy and efficient with expert help and advice along the way.

  “We work with brewers through these types of things daily,” said Sprenger. “It’s critical to think through expected future growth. If you think you’ll need a size five tank, get a seven. The small extra cost will surely be less than the headache accompanied by a misjudgment in equipment sizing. Always consider your cellar tank needs, including brite and fermenter tanks, to accomplish your desired production goals. It’s always worth the effort.”

For questions, a consultation or more information on Paul Mueller or their serving beer tanks, go to www.paulmueller.com.

In the Market for Quality Parts and Accessories

  Many top tank and equipment manufacturers rely on parts and accessories from Gould Stainless Products. Gould Stainless Products sells everything you need except the tank and is a leading wholesale importer and distributor of stainless-steel sanitary tank accessories. Since 1991, Gould Stainless Products has filled the need for sanitary fittings, valves, pumps, tank manways and related accessories for the brewing, distilling and winemaking industries.

  Their extensive catalog is available online and by mail order. You can order a single, threaded joint, sight glass or replacement fitting up through stainless tubing lengths and replacement manways in various shapes, sizes and closure choices compatible with your existing system equipment.

   For more information and to view the extensive line of products that Gould Stainless Products offers, go to www.gouldstainless.com/home

Make Your Product Stand Out in a Crowded Marketplace

Cyndi
stacks of beer in a store
Barrel Chest Beer & Wine Store – Roanoke, VA

By: Scott MacKenzie, Founder and CEO of Gaslight Studios

Walk into the local supermarket or liquor store and its beer and wine sections all have one thing in common – a diverse array of macro, micro and craft beers all competing for the customers’ attention.

  With all this visual noise, how can you ensure that your beer will stand out in a crowded and highly competitive marketplace? While product quality and taste are important, it is not always  a guarantee for success. Often, success comes from a combination of factors that are led by an impactful visual identity that connects with your target audience.

  Developing a successful brand is not simply designing an eye-catching label or logo. It requires the development of a powerful narrative that authentically connects with and motivates your existing and potential customers. What is your brand story? What promise are you making? What are your key attributes and fundamental pillars? What is your brand personality? Are you refined and sophisticated? Are you bold, edgy and sarcastic? Are you heartfelt, understanding and caring? Maybe you are a combination of all these traits.

  Brands aren’t born iconic, but they do need to be strategically and meticulously crafted and launched with intention so as to allow for the opportunity to become widely recognized and well-established. With this in mind, the first step in developing your brand is understanding who you are, what you stand for and what values you wish to convey. As you solidify these fundamental tenets, you also need to dive head-first into the world of your customer base. Who are you selling to and what are their wants, needs, preferences and expectations?

  Does this all sound overwhelming?  Fortunately, it doesn’t need to be. Whether you’re preparing to launch your first craft beer brand, opening a brewpub or taproom, or have been in the beverage business for years and decided now is the time for a thoughtful re-branding, it’s imperative that you do your due diligence to guarantee that the brand you cultivate is the correct brand for the market. And how do you do that?

Understand the Sandbox You’re Playing In

  Knowledge is power. Gather all available data on your marketplace, customer base, competition and if you’re an existing brand, your own history of successes and failures. What is your consumer looking for? What are your competitors providing? What is the market demanding and missing? Conducting extensive discovery and market research will allow you to make more informed and better decisions as you craft your own brand.  Nothing happens in a vacuum and ignoring external factors as you cultivate your own image is a recipe for failure.

Beware the Lure of Trends

  Trends come and go, so while you can ride the trend train in some of your marketing efforts, it’s best to ignore that tempting, low-hanging fruit as you develop your core identity.  If what is popular in the moment is fundamentally tied into the foundation of your brand, the minute those trends go out of fashion, your brand will feel old and outdated. Brands that last feel timeless.

Strike the Right Balance – Be Different – Feel Familiar

  Your brand needs to stand out from the crowd, but it should also feel like it belongs. Be new and fresh and different, but not to the point that it feels completely out of place. Strong brands differentiate themselves from the competition but also evoke a sense of familiarity and connectedness.

Don’t Try and Be Everything to Everyone

  Know who you are and connect with your target customer base where they live through a sense of shared values and common sensibilities. While you want to cast the widest net possible to maximize potential sales, you also need to drive in the appropriate lane and take the right route to get where you want to go.  Sometimes, trying to create a ubiquitous brand that is everything to everyone makes you nothing to no one.

Verbalize and Agree Upon Your Company Goals

  It is essential that you and your branding team are on the same page. Work together to ensure a mutual understanding of your short and long-term company goals. Do you want to always be a local or regional brand? Do you have lofty goals of national and international sales? Do you want to maintain an existing customer base while opening new markets? While this may not necessarily influence your brand narrative, it’s important to fully understand the factors that require consideration.

Set Brand Boundaries

  To guarantee that the brand remains consistent over time, it is important to develop strong brand guidelines that will ensure proper representation of the brand through the various channels of execution over the life of the brand, such as advertising, public relations, digital, signage, etc. If these brand boundaries are not firmly established, the brand can easily veer off course as you implement new campaigns and diversify your product offerings.

Remember

  Crafting a new brand takes the same level of care and attention to detail as making an award-winning double IPA. It also requires slight adjustments throughout the development process to ensure that the end result is what you want and need. So, assemble the right team, get crafting and never underestimate the power of a good tagline.

Embracing the Creative Niche of Craft Beer Cocktails

Cyndi
barrista placing cherry on a cocktail

By: Alyssa L. Ochs

The basic concept of the cocktail revolves around mixing ingredients with traditional spirits, such as vodka, gin, whiskey and rum. However, craft beer can blend surprisingly well into cocktails, too – if you only have an open mind and give it a chance!

  Mixing beer with other ingredients is nothing new, but it has never caught on popularly in the brewing industry. This drink strategy is still attempted mainly by at-home mixologists looking to entertain guests at parties. But as an increasing number of breweries are now branching out to offer wine and cocktails for non-beer drinkers, there are excellent opportunities to add craft beer cocktails to the menu for an even greater diversity of choice.

What’s In Craft Beer Cocktails?

  Although you can use any kind of beer to make a cocktail, certain beer styles lend themselves better than others to mixing in creative ways. It is very common to see light, easily palatable beers, such as lagers and blonde ales, in beer cocktails because they are not overpowering and can easily take on the flavors of other ingredients. Dark and rich beers, namely stouts and porters, work well with cocktail recipes because of their inherent sweetness and full-bodied nature that pairs well with chocolate, coffee, caramel, berries and vanilla.

Some adventurous mixologists have found success mixing bright and hoppy IPAs with other ingredients to tame down a bold beer and make it more versatile for different palates. With a bit of mixing practice, certain cocktails, such as the Long Island iced tea, can work exceptionally well with an IPA or hoppy pale ale. Aside from the traditional beers that you’ll find at breweries, hard ciders are becoming especially popular in cocktails because of the sweet and tart flavors that work well with fruity mixers.

  Some of the most common ingredients that you’ll find mixed with craft beer to make cocktails are non-alcoholic beverages, such as lemonade, orange juice, sparkling soda and ginger beer. To give beer cocktails an extra kick, mixologists can use hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce, or to make them sweet, they can add a bit of simple syrup or fruit-based liquor, which also increases the overall alcohol content. Garnishes make craft beer cocktails festive and fun, so, depending on the flavor profile, you can top them off with a lemon wedge, orange slice, cherry or salted glass rim.

Beer Cocktail Recipe Ideas

  Within the realm of spirit-based cocktails are the tried-and-true favorites, such as the Manhattan, gimlet or martini. Even though craft beer cocktails aren’t quite as famous, there are still traditional recipes that are easy to make and familiar to recognize.

  For example, a summer shandy recipe may mix wheat beer, lemonade, a splash of sparkling soda and lemon garnish. If you prefer beer over Champagne, try a beermosa, a beer-centric version of the mimosa that mixes a lager with orange juice and has an orange slice for the garnish. Yet one of the most common beer cocktails you will see on brewery menus is the michelada, a tamer take on a traditional bloody mary. A michelada mixes a light Mexican lager beer with clamato or tomato juice, lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, soy sauce, Tajín seasoning and a lime wedge for garnish.

  Beyond these classic recipes, brewery bartenders can use their imaginations and get creative with mixing their own beer. Beer cocktails are ideal drinks for brunch because they’re light, fun and don’t take themselves too seriously. At your favorite local brewery, would you try a porter mixed with cold-brew iced coffee and a bit of cream? Or perhaps you might kick your weekend off with a peach-inspired beer cocktail that mixes an IPA with vodka, peach nectar and lime juice? Of course, these are just a few examples, but the sky is the limit with how you can alter your beer to create interesting combinations that excite the tastebuds and entice beer fans to walk into your tasting room.

The Appeal of Craft Beer Cocktails

  When local craft beer scenes started emerging all over the country in the 2000s and 2010s, brewers focused on making traditional beers well, with some experimentation thrown in to keep things interesting. But these days, some beer aficionados will tell you that the craft beer market is oversaturated and that too many breweries are producing similar products for any one of them to stand out as unique and be successful.

  In many places, breweries have become social gathering places, food destinations and event spaces just as much as they are beer providers. Consumers are always looking for the next big thing from their local breweries, whether it is a rotating schedule of events, versatile venues that welcome kids and dogs or expanded menus that cater to diverse tastes.

  This evolution of modern breweries creates opportunities for craft beer cocktails to emerge and brewpubs to stand out in the competition. These cocktails have a unique appeal because they can be lighter and more balanced than a standard pint of beer. When you mix beer with other ingredients, the result is often a more complex body, enhanced carbonation, less acidity and altered sweetness or bitterness, depending on the desired style. Beer-inspired cocktails also challenge brewers and consumers to rethink everything they thought they knew about the taste of beer and celebrate the changing seasons.

Breweries Giving Beer Cocktails a Try

  However, you still won’t find a list of craft beer cocktails on most breweries’ menus today. The trend has yet to catch on significantly, as these drinks remain niche and are only offered by the occasional brewery bartender with a cocktail background. Yet this only makes breweries with an open mind and spirit of experimentation stand out in the industry even more.

  Located in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, Brew Lab 101 is a family-friendly brewery and cidery with an extensive cocktail list. In addition to serving spirit cocktails, Brew Lab 101 also serves beer and cider cocktails. Examples are the A La Chelada, a Mexican lager paired with bloody mary mix, and Dill with Pickle Beer, a blend of a lager or blonde ale with pickle juice and served with a big slice of pickle.

  Dry Dock Brewing of Aurora, Colorado, introduced its Docktails line of drinks based on classic cocktails. The brewery’s first releases in this series were a beer-based strawberry basil daiquiri, cucumber margarita and paloma. Another Colorado brewery, Living the Dream Brewing Company, has released beer cocktails in cans to tap into this market. Living the Dream has produced beers replicating classic cocktails that people know and love, such as the old fashioned, Moscow mule, margarita and mojito. The Durango, Colorado-based Ska Brewing has offered a barrel-aged whiskey sour and raspberry julep on its menu to combine both beer and spirits – the best of both worlds.

  Meanwhile, some breweries have also become interested in distilling spirits and dabbled in both industries at the same time. This unique craft beverage model lends itself well to craft cocktail mixing and individual experimentation. Maplewood Brewing & Distilling in Chicago, Illinois, is an excellent example of this model and has developed beer-inspired spirits, such as the Fat Pug American Malt Whiskey, inspired by the brewery’s popular oatmeal stout. Other Chicago breweries, including Burnt City Brewing and Casa Humilde, have been leaning into the michelada-inspired cocktail and hard soda trends to test the waters of alternative beverages and meet the demands of customers who want greater variety.

  Proper Brewing Company in Salt Lake City, Utah and Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown, New York are a couple of other breweries to keep an eye on if you are interested in what’s next for beer cocktails. In addition to breweries that produce their own in-house beer, trendy craft beer bars are also jumping on the beer cocktail trend. Vandaag in New York City, Jasper’s Corner Tap & Kitchen in San Francisco and The Tripel in Playa del Rey, California, are just a few examples of bars experimenting with beer mixology.

Integrating Beer Cocktails Into the Menu

  Indeed, some challenges are involved in creating beer cocktails and serving them at local breweries. To start, traditionalists may scoff at the very notion of mixing beer with anything else and reject the idea because it ruins the way beer was intended to be. Adding beer cocktails to a brewery’s menu showcases the mixology talents of the brewery team, but it can also require additional training for the staff. In these post-pandemic times, many breweries are still struggling to retain staff at all, and adding more work to their teams could put a considerable strain on more essential operations.

  Yet there are plenty of potential benefits to adding craft beer cocktails onto a brewery’s menu and seeing if this trend resonates with a loyal customer base. It may be worth offering discounted specials on beer cocktails on particular nights of the week to entice customers to try them. Seasonal-inspired beer cocktails featuring the flavors of pumpkin, apple and cranberry can be festive additions to a rotating menu lineup. Yet it’s essential to provide detailed descriptions of what is contained in each beer cocktail so that patrons understand exactly what they are and appreciate the flavor pairings. Mixing other ingredients with beer on tap is a great starting point for local breweries to try this trend, but there are also opportunities to branch out into pre-mixed, packaged beer cocktails for retail sale.

  It’s impossible to tell whether craft beer cocktails will catch on in the industry in a big way or whether pure, authentic beer will always be the preferred drink of choice in the end. But for now, it’s definitely a fun way to switch up your standard drink order at the local watering hole or get crafty with a few ingredients in your kitchen for a cozy night at home.

Gain Consistency & Advantages With the Right Packaging Machinery

Cyndi
man inspecting a machine

By: Gerald Dlubala

There are distinct advantages to packaging your craft beverages, with perhaps the most important aspect being that of reaching new customers and increasing your brand recognition. Packaging is a form of marketing, and by using your own filling and packaging machinery, a craft producer obtains autonomy over their brand and gets their product into the hands of consumers. But is owning your own equipment right for you?

Gaining Advantage: Pneumatic Scale Angelus

  “Purchasing canning machinery is a huge step,” said Mike Davis, product line and technology leader for Pneumatic Scale Angelus (PSA), part of BW Packaging Systems. PSA is a global industry leader with over 130 years of experience in craft packaging technology. “Because of the investment, you must partner with a machinery supplier that offers a system that complements your product mix, the formats you’re using and things like the necessary carbonation and temperature levels.”

  “It is an investment, but comparing the cost of purchasing versus working on a mobile canner or copackers schedule is just the start,” said Kyle Kelleher, seamer account executive. “Owning provides the canning operation when needed but adds additional advantages and opportunities, like expanded e-commerce and customer reach with more frequent and unique offerings. In addition, craft producers can themselves become copackers to help offset costs and keep the lines in use, or even partner with community organizations or local sports teams for fundraising or charitable collaborations.”

  “Most importantly, the brewer has total control over their beer, including variables like DO and carbonation levels, and package it at the optimal time rather than on someone else’s schedule,” said Connor McCaulley, account executive. “They can package smaller batches, test the market to find what sells and build networks and relationships with suppliers and distributors.”

The Right System for Your Needs

  “It really is important to start with the packaging function first when starting a brewery,” said Davis. “It provides the first impression consumers see on the shelves, and proper packaging will have your product consistently taste as good as it does in your taproom. In addition, craft beer is typically not pasteurized, so it’s critical to have a quality Cleaning-In-Place (CIP) system to keep all things clean that come in contact with your product.”

  PSA account executive Mark Saylor adds that adding any packaging equipment depends on the specific location’s variables. Producers should know the limitations of the available utility supply, the space required for the packaging machinery (mobile units or full stack) and the space allotments for additional supplies, finished goods and shipping needs.

  “At its most basic level, packaging is about your goals,” said McCaulley. “Is it to stay small and build upon small batch offerings? Is it distribution? Can the equipment and utility supply keep up or be upgraded to do so when needed? Can you expand raw material storage and finished goods areas? Do you have the personnel to devote to packaging without making yourself work 16-hour days? Does the machinery offer remote access capability? Compare overall designs. Applying the closure ASAP is important to ensure accuracy and consistency.”

  “And you need consistency,” said Saylor. “Product consistency can either build or lose customer base. Packaging systems must be versatile enough to adapt to the different tolerances in cans from different suppliers. Product mixes like beer, cider, kombucha and RTD (ready-to-drink) products present changeover needs, so look for systems like ours that offer minimal changeover times.”

  For smaller craft brewers, PSA offers their CB50 and CB100 inline canners with proprietary technology to perfectly fill up to 100 CPM (cans per minute) with little waste. Additional units like the CB50C trade open-air filling for counter-pressure filling to meet the demands for higher carbonation drinks. Heavier producers can use rotary beer canning systems to increase throughput without requiring an expanded footprint. Inline and rotary volumetric options offer packaging solutions at speeds from 15 to 100 CPM, meeting the need for small-batch or frequent-changeover production schedules.

  For additional information about Pneumatic Scale Angelus products and how they can jumpstart and improve your packaging function reach out to Gigi Lorence, global marketing director, at Gigi.Lorence@bwpackagingsystems.com.

Fillmore Packaging Solutions: Small-Scale Production Solutions

  After spending more than 20 years as a winemaker and craft brewer, Tony Saballa, owner of Fillmore Packaging in St Louis, started focusing on the mechanical side of craft beverage production. During that time, he found a continuing, unmet, small-scale packaging need for those beginning craft brewers trying to expand from the serious hobbyist ranks to craft beverage production.

  “There just wasn’t anything feasible and available at the time,” said Saballa. “A small craft brewer had to either import something costly from Germany or settle for used soda bottling equipment that was usually large and bulky.”

  That’s when Saballa started to build his own machinery, versatile and built for the micro and craft brewer to alleviate the more tedious manual filling work. He began making fillers for his needs and posting the process and results to his YouTube channel. With the corresponding boom in craft brewing, he became inundated with requests to build and sell his fillers. Fillmore Packaging was born, eventually branching out and now exporting all over the world.

  “Canning is still the most popular, but many craft brewery offerings are well-suited for glass containers,” said Saballa. “Small-scale producers need and want a versatile machine with quick changeovers, which is an advantage our fillers can provide. We supply two changes with the filler, with additional sizes available for purchase, so a brewer can customize the machine to their liking and offerings.”

  “Fillmore Packaging sells directly to the users, immediately cutting out the middleman and allowing the user to speak directly with us for support if needed,” said Saballa. “We provide quality, consistent filling systems and provide excellent support. We always pick up our phones.”

XpressFill Systems: Experience, Quality and Service

  Rod Silver handles marketing and sales for XpressFill Systems LLC, providing expert filling and packaging options for small to medium-sized craft beverage producers. XpressFill offers several filling machines for quality packaging of beer, wine, spirits, ready-to-drink options, vinegar, kombucha and more.

  “As with most production machinery, the right unit depends on your situation and needs,” said Silver. “Owners must weigh the costs, benefits and overall advantages and disadvantages of manual labor versus the automated machines counterparts. We encourage craft producers to perform a basic evaluation of labor costs to help them get a filler and determine what manual and semi-automatic options will work the best for them. The result of that evaluation is usually the sweet spot for filling and production because they’re reducing manual labor but not jumping into full automation, which can get very expensive and cost-prohibitive for craft producers, especially in the early stages of their growth.”

  Many breweries and distilleries are now crossing over, with breweries distilling their house spirits and distilleries coming out with signature brews. However, Silver warns that there is no one best type of machine that will consistently handle the packaging of both on a high-quality level.

  “You need the counter pressure filler to have the adequate shelf life for your beer, but it’s not the best choice for packaging spirits,” said Silver. “We help breweries when they need guidance on the best choice of equipment for their operations. We offer affordable and efficient filling machines in two or four spout models specifically designed for the craft beverage markets and to be easy to use. Their customer service and support are unmatched and have long been a hallmark of the company.

  XpressFill’s counter-pressure machines, XF2500/ XF4500/XF4500C, are perfect for beer, kombucha, soda or any other carbonated beverage filling in bottles, cans and even the popular crowlers for the to-go market. Open filler options like the XF4400/XF2200 use level filler technology and can increase efficiency using a gas purge cycle and automatic level sensor. Volumetric fillers are useable with many different bottle sizes and are ideal for bottling spirits, vinegar, oils and more. Level fillers for wine packaging use a sensor probe that shuts off the filling function at a specified height, giving the product that perfect visual for shelf presence.

  Silver tells Beverage Master Magazine that XpressFill is rolling out a brand-new filler that is already generating market interest and buzz. Their latest offering, the XFW200C, is a weight-based filler that ensures accurate and reproducible fill volumes while canning your beer. It’s a significant advantage since you can’t see the level and volume of the product inside the can.

  “Canning is still the most popular method of packaging beer,” said Silver. “With our new Weight-Based filler, you know that your 12- and 16-ounce beer cans are holding the proper amount. It eliminates the guesswork and ensures accuracy in your packaging, utilizing weight sensing technology to ensure accurate and consistent fills.”

  This weight-based filler is ideal when filling 12- to 16-oz cans, and the logic-based board makes it easy to learn and operate. It features an industrial-grade touchscreen display that lets the user enter the desired weight and then keeps track of how much dispenses into the can. The larger flow path allows for a smoother fill with product flexibility to include your craft products that contain a small degree of particulates, accommodating products like beer, kombucha, juices, RTDs, mixers and more. As a semi-automatic machine, it can be a producer’s first step into a more automated system if and when needed.

  Silver says the XFW200C Weight-Based Filler is slightly more expensive than other, more traditional fillers, but that additional expense negates the guesswork and worries over improper filling amounts.

SKA FABRICATING: Effortlessly Getting Your Product into Optimal Packaging

  “For canning operations under 50 CPM, the level of automation needed is fairly low,” said Jake Kolakowski, chief customer officer for SKA Fabricating, an automated packaging line fabricator in Durango, Colorado. “But, for smaller applications, I would recommend our Microbus depalletizer. It appeals to the most basic setup needs but performs a tremendous amount of labor-saving, manual work. It’s compact and folds down to about the floor size of a standard pallet. Mobility is key for smaller production areas and can be moved from area to area or folded away for storage. And it’s built for the budget conscious, working as a manual lift or easily adjusted with a cordless drill.”

  SKA FAB’s Nimbus depalletizer is built on the same technology as the Microbus. The half-height depalletizer system adds auto lift technology and can easily handle speeds of 50-80 CPM.

  “Our popular, full-height machine is our Can-i-bus,” said Kolakowski. “It’s customized for speeds up to 300cpm and has much more accumulator space before the rinsing operation so that it can run continuously through pallet changes. Then the user can add gravity-based ionizer air rinsers before filling on systems requiring speeds at or above 110 CPM. The Can-i-bus integrates seamlessly with our Dual Twist Rinse Cage, making size changes effortless with no tools needed. Post-fill operations are customized to what the producer wants, but automated can inspection is a must at these speeds since human visual inspection can’t keep up.”

  “SKA Fabricating’s core competency is building customized systems built to a manufacturer’s needs,” said Kolakowski. “We always strive to fit operator-friendly equipment into small spaces with optimal flow patterns. Coming up with the right working layout to limit any awkward or unnecessary movements of the operator is a built-in, value-added part of our service with no extra cost.”

  Kolakowski said that although bottling isn’t a significant component of most beer packaging, it is an essential segment of other sectors, including distilling, winemaking, heritage products, RTDs and many smaller craft producers. SKA FAB’s equipment for those operations is made with the same care and customization detail to automate the high labor parts of those processes.

Better Employee Retention Through Automation

  “Any manufacturer should take a return-on-investment approach to automation,” said Kowalowski. “Look for your highest labor input and where your employees spend most of their time. Then, look at the employee’s quality of life within those jobs. Any high-labor, repetitive task that machines can do will free your employees to perform higher value, more fun and more meaningful production tasks that ultimately lead to higher employee satisfaction and retention. We continuously see examples that investing in automation has led to better employee retention rates. And that’s important in today’s workforce availability.”

  SKA FAB works with many manufacturers on integration to make your packaging line the best it can be. They feature in-house tech support and dedicated installation/training teams to close most open tickets within the same reporting day. SKA FAB also sells components individually so a manufacturer’s capital outlay can be budgeted and controlled, resulting in a fully integrated, matching and functional packaging line.

Nelson-Jameson Inc: Reduce Costs with Proper Stretch Wrap

  “Craft beverage producers put a lot of effort into crafting and packaging their product, so it’s vital to keep that detailed effort up by utilizing the recommended stretch wrap to secure craft beverages and distilled spirits,” said Melissa Pasciak, director of marketing for Nelson-Jameson, a leading food and beverage industry distributor. “The proper stretch wrap keeps your products secure during shipment and storage, avoiding damage that results in loss of product and profit.”

  “It’s worthwhile to note the different types of stretch wrap that are used for different applications,” said Pasciak. “One size does not fit all, which is why we offer on-site stretch wrap audits to ensure that craft beverage producers get the most out of their budget. We perform a complete analysis on multiple areas of your stretch wrapping operation, including wrapping patterns, load dimensions, stretch percentage, actual applications and film weight. In addition, our expert auditors continue to optimize stretch film through recommendations, education and training on the proper film for your applications and best practices on use.”

  Pasciak says that if the same stretch wrap gets used for all applications, a beverage producer will likely spend more money and cause more damage because different situations benefit from particular gauges, strengths and load capacities.

  “The wrong choice of stretch wrap can significantly increase downtimes, needlessly raise unit load costs and negatively impact the environment and its energy resources,” said Pasciak.

  Nelson-Jameson has been a trusted source of food processing supplies to the food and beverage industries for 75 years. They represent over 850 vendors and distribute over 55,000 products in the categories of processing and flow control, safety, sanitation and janitorial, production and material handling, building and facility maintenance, laboratory and QA/QC and packaging and ingredients. Through comprehensive product offerings, industry expertise and expertly curated food safety programs, Nelson-Jameson is ready to lower your transaction costs while providing the products and services you need to produce safe, quality beverages.

  For more information or to schedule a stretch wrap audit for your business, contact Nelson-Jameson today.

Toll Free: (800) 826-8302 Website: nelsonjameson.com

The Right Tools Make All the Difference

Cyndi
man brewing alcohol

By: Cheryl Gray

The right tools, technology and know-how go a long way in protecting the integrity of beer and spirits. In fact, they make the difference between a great product and a mediocre one.

  Many breweries and distilleries now rely upon state-of-the-art tools to protect the integrity of their products. Companies that manufacture items for production lines of every size provide industrial equipment, such as pumps to transfer liquids and testing equipment to gauge important components, such as temperature. 

  One of the industry leaders is Milwaukee Instruments, specializing in precise digital analysis for industries including breweries, wineries, hydroponics and greenhouse growers, laboratories, aquariums and education. The company has a global presence, with products designed with ease of use and accuracy in mind. It makes everything from simple pens to more advanced testers, monitors and controllers. The products, made in Europe, have multiple applications to help customers manage critical parameters, such as pH, conductivity, salinity, BRIX and temperature.

  Carl Silvaggio is the president of Milwaukee Instruments. With nearly 40 years of broad-based experience in the industry of scientific instruments, Silvaggio has been part of virtually every facet of this manufacturing sector, including research and development, warehousing, sales and customer service. He walks us through the process from the moment his company makes contact with a client.

“Milwaukee Instruments is a customer-centric company that focuses on the customer’s needs. From the moment of contact, we ensure the information and service the customer receives is accurate, complete, expeditious and fits the application at question. Our product line is designed and tailored to provide the customer with a choice of features and benefits that fit the application and offer competitive price points for the features and benefits that the customer needs. We do not oversell what the customer does not need.”

  Silvaggio adds that his company’s wide range of products allows customers multiple options in transitioning from antiquated testing to more advanced choices.

  “We’ve made it possible for hundreds of thousands of professionals, enthusiasts and beginners around the world move from difficult and inaccurate visual testing to accurate and precise digital analysis.”

  Some of those products include the Milwaukee digital BRIX refractometer, which comes in different versions but all feature user-friendly functions and make precision measuring a priority. Case in point: The Milwaukee digital BRIX refractometer is temperature compensated with a zero to 85 percent BRIX range and plus/minus 0.2 percent accuracy. Ease of use is achieved with simple, two-button operation, followed by a lightning-fast response time of under two seconds. The low maintenance design of a steel glass prism and stainless steel wall makes cleanup simple.

  Milwaukee Instruments also offers a wide range of pH and temperature testers, such as the Milwaukee Waterproof pH55 PRO. This version is one of several used by the company’s brewery clients as a cost-effective, accurate tool to calculate the pH and temperature of the beer. The tester features dual-level LCD readouts, easy-to-replace probes and extended pH ranges to meet the applications required for a brewery. The tester has simple one or two-point automatic calibration and two sets of memorized buffers from which to choose. And, of course, it is fully waterproof to IP65.

  FLUX Pumps, a Georgia-based company, is a global leader in the arena of flow technology, and it creates pumps for breweries, distilleries and other industries. For more than 70 years, the company’s innovations have drawn upon the invention of the first electric drum pump responsible for FLUX Pumps being established.

  Glenn Mulligan, president of FLUX Pumps, says new products are in store for 2023.

  “In 2023, we will be releasing our new VISCOPOWER product line,” Mulligan said. “These pumps will replace our existing F550 and F560 pump models. The new pump design is much easier

to dismantle and assemble, which reduces cleaning time and maintenance time while simplifying the pump design. VISCOPOWER pumps will also be built from a modular configuration that allows for streamlined spare parts, while still offering a pump design that can be customized to a degree for each customer application. VISCPOWER products will continue to stand the test of time in durability and product quality, both of which are customary to FLUX products.

  Other products for FLUX in 2023 are standardized offerings of flow meters and control panels that can turn your standard drum or tote pump into a one-touch batching/metering system. Too often, companies rely on operators to dispense just the right amount of product for their needs. By adding just a few components to the pump, we are able to give customers accurate, repeatable dosing, which will save time and money and prevent mistakes. We have also partnered with a company so that FLUX can also provide high-quality drum and tote mixers/agitators for customer needs. This gives our customers the ability and peace of mind to buy everything they need for moving fluids from drums and totes from a single source.”

  The Yamada Corporation, which touts itself as an industry leader in pneumatic pumping technology, is headquartered in Tokyo and has been in business since 1905. It has facilities in the Netherlands, Shanghai and the United States. The stateside facility is a 40,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art complex in Illinois known as Yamada America, Inc., equipped to provide service and support for a full array of Yamada industrial pumps and parts for the company’s clients throughout the Western Hemisphere. 

  Yamada offers diaphragm metal and plastic pumps. Its metal pumps are best used for waste yeast, sump and general wastewater. Its plastic pumps are used for CIP chemicals, wastewater treatment chemicals and also general wastewater. The pumps are used in liquid transfers, including liquid hops, liquid sugars, bottling, keg-filling and hops slurry.

  Specific tools and industrial equipment promote safety in the production and quality of the product for breweries and distilleries. Knowing what to consider in selecting these products comes with choosing the right company that can guide the process from purchase to customer support.

Beer Wholesalers: 5 Best Practices to Control Costs

Cyndi

Cost increases are Cost increases are coming from everywhere these days. Here are 5 Best Practices you can use to control and reduce costs in your beer business.

Use These 5 Best Practices to Control Costs

  1. Create a Financial Road Map
    • Purposeful spending
  2. Adopt a Zero Based Budget Mindset
    • Costs must justify themselves
  3. Review Vendor/Supplier Spending
    • Sort $ high to low
  4. Use Purchase Orders
    • Make it hard to spend money
  5. Set Regular Financial Reviews
    • Variance analysis, trends, ratios

​Watch the 3 minute cost control video for your beer business

Retaining Loyal Customers

Cyndi
customer retention statement

By: David Wachs, CEO of Handwrytten

Nearly every industry has been impacted by rising prices. While the price of craft beer, hard seltzer, and cider has not risen nearly as quickly as gasoline or groceries, prices have gone up. In addition to ongoing shipping delays and labor shortages, rising prices for grain and fertilizer after Russia’s war against Ukraine is intensifying price increases. Restaurant prices have had the largest gains since the 1980s, also reflecting higher costs for food and workers. As consumers become more discretionary with their spending, they have been paying more attention to prices across brands and have even been willing to ditch brands they have been loyal to for years to spend less whether they are enjoying a beverage at home or at a restaurant.

  Retaining loyal customers and recapturing their purchasing power once their budget can afford it or prices return to lower levels is reliant on brands having open and transparent communication with customers during inflation. While no one enjoys paying more for goods and services, it is something everyone is being impacted by, creating a universal understanding and acceptance that prices must go up. However, that does not mean that customers will be amenable to drastic or sudden price jumps, increases that seem out of alignment with competitors, or higher prices that appear to last longer than necessary.

  Most marketing and sales experts would agree that customer retention is more cost-effective for a business than new customer acquisition. As consumers and businesses watch their discretionary spending and cut back on perceived extras, savvy companies will invest more effort into maintaining positive relationships to protect their bottom lines. However, receiving an email, text message or phone call may be the last thing a customer wants. 

  They might also be the last thing a customer pays attention to. The amount of promotional email the average person receives on a daily basis can be overwhelming. Not to mention that many email services now allow users to filter emails considered to be promotional into folders where they may never be seen, let alone opened and read. Text messages from unknown numbers typically stir feelings of suspicion. An unexpected text message might even be viewed as a smishing scam trying to steal personal information. A handwritten note is entirely different, it invokes curiosity versus fear or annoyance.  

  Nothing says “pay attention” like a personalized handwritten note. No one flips past or does not see a handwritten envelope in their mailbox. These stand out from everything else that was delivered. Recipients wonder what could be inside and while envelopes that look like bills or advertisements and graphic postcards are set to the side, handwritten envelopes are usually opened immediately. The attention-grabbing nature of a handwritten envelope provides an instant advantage that even the biggest and most prevalent direct mail marketers cannot overcome.  

  Spending hours writing notes by hand can be prohibitive, especially for businesses that have been struggling to hire, so consider hiring a robot to pick up a pen and do the writing instead. Handwritten envelopes have been found to have a 300% greater open rate than standard envelopes. And handwritten marketing has response rates 7-21x greater than printed mail, with a return on investment 3-7x greater than print. Some companies have even found that retention rates are 50% higher for customers who receive a handwritten thank you note.  

  The value of sending a handwritten note is enhanced by integrations with CRM systems that automate the process of when to send a note to a customer and what message to include. For example, a brewer can automate notes to send to customers on the anniversary of their joining a loyalty program, when there are special deals or limited time offerings, events taking place at local tasting rooms, or on other special occasions like customers’ birthdays. 

  A handwritten note could even be used to explain to customers why price increases are happening. While an end consumer might have heard that the cost of fertilizer has gone up, that there is an aluminum can shortage, and that labor costs are rising, that does not mean the will think of these things when they are standing in the refrigerated section at the grocery store or ordering from a menu at a restaurant. In that decision-making moment, brewers do not want to be a faceless corporation that is raising prices to take advantage of a consumer. A more advantageous situation would be to be the brewer who sent a handwritten note thanking that customer for remaining loyal to the brand, when possible, despite price increases that were necessary for x, y and z reasons. Reminding customers of the people behind the production scenes of their favorite beverage and explaining the challenges being face humanize the situation and remind customers that everyone is in this together.

  Not all of the information a brewer may want to communicate to customers could be explained in one card, but that tool could be the gateway inviting a customer to visit a landing page that breaks down the need for price increases. Instead of just skirting the issue with a message from the founder, dive into the issue. Profile employees who go to great lengths to get to work on a daily basis and highlight the increased cost for them to put gasoline in their vehicles. Explain the challenges being faced by farmers who have had to pay more for diesel to run farm equipment, on top of fertilizer costs that rose 80% in 2021 and another 30% or more in 2022. Provide insights into the costs of operating the brewery and how higher energy bills might be impacting the bottom line. Knowing they why and how behind price increases will certainly not help retain or win over every customer but making the effort could be the difference-maker for some people. And if others cannot afford to continue buying while prices remain high, the good intentions of a brewer’s transparency could be what brings that customer back sooner or wins them over from another brand once prices are reduced. Especially if they feel a brand that they were fans of in the past took advantage of the situation and turned inflation into “greed-flation”.

  In addition to providing insight to customers about why price increases are happening, invite and give them the opportunity to provide feedback and ask questions. Ensure that customers have multiple avenues to contact a customer service representative at the company and that feedback and answers are provided in a timely manner. Allowing customers to provide feedback makes them feel more invested in the brand and can help build stronger relationships that can withstand difficult times.

  By offering customers opportunities to provide feedback via the company website, email, or social media channels, brands can have more control over their ability to monitor and respond to the feedback they are receiving compared to customers leaving feedback and reviews on public forums or other social channels that are more difficult to track and can damage reputation. Responding to customer feedback is just as important as asking them to provide it.

   Customers will feel more valued, appreciated, and heard by a company that thanks them for supporting the brand. And if feedback is negative, a brand might be able to win over a new customer while impressing those that are already loyal by listening and maybe even implementing change based on customers’ opinions. This makes customers feel that their feedback did not go to waste and was important. Building a feedback loop with customers creates more of a community, can help with customer retention, and is what brands that last the tests of time get right. Imagine getting a thank you note from a brand because of a review left on a website or commentary posted on a social media channel. Most customers would be amazed that a brand would care enough to go to that effort and would remember it.

  There is no quick fix to help businesses recover from pandemic complications and now inflation. How deeply inflation will impact consumer spending habits remains to be seen. Identifying ways to recruit and retain employees as costs increase and labor shortages persist will take creativity and new approaches. As brewers develop solutions and evolve to thrive in the post-pandemic era, the need for effective communications will not diminish. After two years of a seemingly never-ending stream of new problems, making the most of upcoming opportunities will be critical to making 2022 as successful as possible.

CO2 Struggles Breed Innovative Practices & Alternative Gas Use

Cyndi
bubbles accumulation close up

By: Gerald Dlubala

Shortages, surcharges and sketchy availability: that’s not what any craft brewer, distiller or winemaker wants to hear about their supply stream. Yet that’s the reality that many brewers have been, and still are, living with after the pandemic played havoc with CO2 (carbon dioxide) availability.

  The lack of regular, planned delivery and variable costs and surcharges of CO2 has brewers looking at ways to cut their costs or amount of usage of CO2, including replacing CO2 with nitrogen in some capacity. Nitrogen is readily available and an inert gas that does not typically   react with its surroundings, so there’s no worry of adverse reactions with the brewed products.

Reducing and Replacing CO2 Use

  Matt Malloy is the founder and CEO of Dorchester Brewing in Boston, Massachusetts, a contract partner brewery usually brewing for and partnering with 12 to 15 breweries at any given time. When facing a 75 percent reduction in planned CO2 deliveries from their supplier, Malloy knew it was time to look into new and alternative ways to keep his taphouse and brewery producing, especially as he is responsible for brewing beer for his partner breweries.

  “We’ve long had a great relationship with our gas supplier,” said Malloy. “But this became a serious issue for us. We are a contract brewer for others, so production and quality are always our absolute priorities. We adhere to strict best practices with the required equipment for our industry and have to perform at a certain expected level. We have a bulk CO2 tank but couldn’t get the supplies necessary to keep us going, so we had to start looking at other options and even other suppliers than we had previously. We began by looking at where we use CO2 in our production. (Like other brewers, they found it in use virtually everywhere in their process.) We decided that the 25 percent supply we could get would go towards the most needed tasks. Then we would look for alternative solutions for other tasks that would cut the CO2 usage or, in some instances, replace the need for CO2 altogether with a better, more economical option. In our research and testing (Dorchester Brewing has a full-time quality control and testing lab), we found that we could initially replace CO2 with nitrogen in our canning, seaming and kegging operations. Additional notable savings came from using it to purge our two 60-bbl and one 120-bbl brite tanks. It was pretty much a one-for-one swap between CO2 and nitrogen. Our gas supplier helped with suggestions, and we were able to use our current piping systems by installing T-valves for switching use to liquid nitrogen supply, vaporizers and dewars when needed. We also found that cleaning under pressure used less gas than cleaning in place. All of these changes were made incrementally, using slow and steady testing to ensure that using nitrogen in place of CO2 did not compromise the quality of the beer in any one step of change.”

  Malloy told Beverage Master Magazine that one very effective thing he and his brewers started doing is incorporating the German method of Spunding in their brewing process, using special valves attached to your tanks. Spunding literally means bunging, and the old German technique is making a comeback and something that Malloy says every craft brewer should at least try. It involves carefully monitoring the present gravity and sealing off the tank after the initial, aggressive fermentation stages have been completed. Once the wort ferments to near the targeted final gravity and orifices are closed off, you set the Spunding valve on the tank to your desired hold pressure setting. The valve’s attached gauge monitors PSI levels, and any levels above your set pressure tell the variable pressure relief valve to open automatically and release pressure down to the preset level when the valve will once again close. Spunding traps the naturally occurring CO2 created during fermentation so that it absorbs into the wort as it turns into beer. When done correctly, a brewer ends up with a perfectly carbonated beer ready for packaging and a decreased need for additional purchased CO2.

  “Right from the start, we reduced our CO2 needs by 30 percent,” said Malloy. “Spunding saves us money, but I also believe it makes better beer. There is an increased sense of quality with better aroma components. We are making better beer, with less cost and more flexibility.”

  Malloy encourages brewers to initially consider ways to save on and reduce CO2 usage before blindly transitioning everything to nitrogen.

“As brewers, we have to be super nimble and flexible in our thinking,” said Malloy. “Here at Dorchester Brewing, we’ve looked at and studied every step in our brewing and production process. As a result, we now see some of the duties that traditionally call for CO2 use, like purging and blowing down, as valid ways to use nitrogen instead and save money.”

  Malloy says that Spunding, combined with an intense review of brewery practices, has gotten their facility down to a 50 percent reduction in the amount of CO2 they would typically require, but he’s not stopping there. He is currently testing nitrogen use in his can seamers and fillers. As a result, he expects to reduce his CO2 deliveries from once a week to once a month, resulting in even more savings.

  Nitrogen offers a way to create your own gas supply or have a less costly bulk option. Onsite nitrogen generators provide nitrogen on demand and, depending on use, can pay for themselves in a short time, sometimes within the same year. Cryogenic bulk tanks offer an onsite nitrogen supply with fewer deliveries, and dewars are available for more minor production needs.

Innovation Leads to a Change in Philosophy and Brewery Practices

  “Spunding and nitrogen use have changed how we approach brewing, but those practices have also built a new philosophy within our brewery,” said Malloy. “We are always looking to improve, and now we see a change in behavior within our team. We’ve changed cleaning protocols and team behavior. Our team now sees value in every pound of gas used. Each pound used is sacred, and this type of thinking breeds innovation. We’ve used these protocols with all our brews, with no issues, differences or deficiencies noticed.”

  Malloy says that these changes help production, but just as significantly, they also add up to reduced costs for brewers. The cost savings in buying bulk is significant, with some breweries paying up to eight times as much for supply as Dorchester Brewing.

  “I would recommend that craft brewers first look at all of their production tasks in detail and, where applicable, incorporate the Spunding valves in their process,” said Malloy. “The upfront cost would be that of the valves, but the savings resulting from Spunding can be significant. Getting caught short can cause irreparable harm as a craft brewer, so you should also work with your gas supplier to investigate and research the possibilities of using nitrogen for as many practices as possible. It’s a win-win situation for both of you.”

  Malloy is invested in the brewing community and is willing to discuss his experiences and help to show other craft brewers how they can start reducing costs through Spunding, nitrogen use or both in their brewery, pub or taproom. In addition, Dorchester Brewing offers free lid seaming checks and DO (dissolved oxygen) testing for area brewers.

Reusing Produced CO2 Through Carbon Capture: Earthly Labs

  Due to the nature of the brewing process, breweries produce large amounts of CO2. With CO2 supplies being in such short and erratic supply, plus variable pricing structures, it may make sense for breweries to consider recapturing some of that produced CO2 for their use. Earthly Labs, a division of Chart Industries, is at the forefront of CO2 capture technology, manufacturing plug-and-play carbon capture units that enable a brewery start capturing and using their own produced CO2 within one day of installation.

  The Earthly Labs CO2 capture technology is designed to capture CO2 waste from smaller sources that ultimately make up more than half of all CO2 emissions. For breweries specifically, this translates to allowing brewers to capture their own produced CO2 and subsequently purify it to food-grade gas for reuse in the packaging and carbonating processes.

  Using recaptured CO2 for your beer immediately allows a brewer to reduce CO2 purchases and the associated delivery fees and surcharges. Additionally, peace of mind comes with decreasing worries and making an environmentally conscious decision to increase sustainability. Earthly Labs compares the capture and reuse of CO2 to brewers or distillers disposing of spent grain because it is also a way to become more sustainable while also simultaneously benefitting your brewery’s bottom line.

  Amy George, founder and CEO of Earthly Labs, says that while distilleries and wineries don’t have the amount of need that breweries have, they are also in the early stages of showing interest. Distilleries are continuously looking for ways to reduce their carbon footprint, with some having plans featuring net zero carbon futures. Wineries are also exploring ways to capture and reuse CO2 onsite to help with tank purging or carbonation needs for specific products.

  George says that their CO2 capture units are about the size of a double-door refrigerator and can be running and capturing gas the next day after installation if the brewery is producing gas. Training is straightforward, taking one to two days. After that, the brewery employees will be fully able to use the system under the oversight of the Earthly Labs team. Additional support is always available, including the possibility of remote monitoring. Return on investment timetables varies by producer, based on the amount of gas captured versus what a craft producer would have to pay for supply, surcharges, frequency of delivery, and more. As the price of CO2 rises, the return-on-investment timeline shortens, but on average, the client can expect the units to pay for themselves within two to three years.

  Earthly Lab’s units are currently in use by breweries and craft producers of all sizes, but George says that the sweet spot for their workhorse unit, the CiCi ® (Oak), is for producers in the 5,000 to 20,000 bbl range. They can accommodate smaller producers with their CiCi ® (Teak) units, and larger producers will benefit from their CiCi ® (Elm) units.

  George believes the complex, ongoing supply and delivery conditions will ultimately lead breweries to explore ways to remain viable and become more efficient in their operations. This includes capturing the CO2 waste for reuse that would typically be released into the environment and looking at replacement alternatives for CO2 within production operations. 

  Earthly Labs works to accommodate all producers, including offering a winery leasing program to provide flexibility during harvest seasons and to help eliminate the upfront expenditure by spreading payments into more manageable monthly programs. Additionally, the recently passed Inflation Reduction Act also allows for tax credits for these types of purchases.

  Chart Industries CO2 storage solutions and partner networks offer opportunities to turn waste streams into value for businesses while reducing environmental impact. Chart also partners with buyers and distributors to help sell excess CO2 to other partners in the exchange ecosystem. The ultimate goal is to reduce as many emissions as possible to help achieve overall climate goals.

Customizing Beverages the Easy Way

Cyndi
can beers in a beer table

By: Angelo Coletta, CEO – Zakeke

Enabling customers to customize their purchases is a quick and easy way to expand into new markets and boost profits. Some distilleries and craft brewers are beginning to take advantage of this innovative approach to scale their businesses. For example, Silent Pool Distillers increased their orders fivefold in 2020 in part with the help of product customization.

  Possibilities abound for other distillers and craft brewers to do the same. Moreover, it’s easier to enable customization than most business owners think. Today’s product customizers offer automated processes that reduce the required amount of attention and manual labor to little or nothing.

What is Product Customization?

  Product customization allows customers to change the visual appearance of products according to their own individual needs and desires. Sellers empower consumers to build their own unique products, perhaps by adding their names or those of others. Depending on the specific product and customization service, customers may also be able to add photographs or longer messages of their own writing. In a sense, the product becomes a canvas for them to create upon.

  Some of the beer, wine, and spirits industry’s biggest names allow their bottles to be customized, offering proof of concept. Tito’s Vodka and Hennessy VS Cognac bottles can be etched, and a large selection of bottles can be engraved, including Don Julio tequila, Woodford Reserve bourbon, and Dom Perignon champagne. Other makers, such as Maker’s Mark, Jameson, and Jack Daniel’s, offer bespoke labels. Silent Pool Distillers does this for four of their distinctive gins.

  A wide range of items can be customized, including purses, jewelry, keychains, apparel, towels, and bedding. There are even services that customize things you wouldn’t expect, like USB drives, coffee sleeves, drinking straws, bobbleheads, and — believe it or not — cookies or cakes.

Why Enable Product Customization

  The answer is simple: product customization improves the bottom line. According to a 2019 Tech Clarity survey of 285 companies that offer customization, 71 percent listed increased sales as one of its benefits. More than 50 percent pointed to differentiation and higher margins. Thirty-five percent nodded toward customization’s “cool factor,” and 34 percent said they experienced higher close rates. Forty-two percent indicated that offering customization had become a necessity in their industry to stay competitive.

  Product customization elevates profitability for a number of reasons. First, customers are willing to pay more for customized products. According to Bain & Company, they will reach into their wallets to the tune of 20 percent more than the uncustomized version. This means manufacturers who customize can set higher prices. Meanwhile, they don’t incur new costs, since automated processes minimize the work required. While customers may only purchase a single customized item or a small lot, these sales are a painless way for the business to expand, and they do add up.

  Secondly, product customization encourages customer loyalty. The same Bain & Company report also found that, “customers who had customized a product online engaged more with the company. They visited its website more frequently, stayed on the page longer and were more loyal to the brand.”

  Happy customers can result in repeat business and referrals to their friends and family. The ability to customize sets a business apart, distinguishing it from competitors in the eyes of consumers.

  If that wasn’t already enough, Bain reported lower rates of return for customized products than for their mass-produced counterparts. When customers take ownership of the look and feel of their purchase, they tend to be more satisfied with the outcome and less likely to change their minds.

  All of this adds up to increased sales and a better business.

Why Customers Love Customization

  Customization appeals to customers for many reasons. Part of the draw is that it makes customers feel special. They are willing to invest their time and effort into creating a unique product that is tailored to their own tastes and exacting requirements. Since they are the ones who determine what the final product looks like, it is sure to please them.

  Another reason is that customization provides customers with a sense of control, that all-too-scarce commodity in today’s hectic, stressful, and sometimes overwhelming world. They are in the driver’s seat throughout the process. This is one element of their lives that they can impose their will upon and be confident of receiving gratification.

  It can also be just plain fun. For instance, Silent Pool Distillery’s user-friendly website steps prospective customers through the creation process. After clicking on the option to personalize their gin, they are taken to a new web page with four varieties that may be customized: Original Juniper, English Garden, Fresh Grapefruit, and Spiced Pepper. When customers click on the name of the flavor they want to purchase, a new page comes up with the product’s specifications.

  Beneath the “Add to Cart” button, a “Customize” option takes customers to an interactive interface where they design their bottle’s label. A large button with an upward-pointing arrow invites them to upload photographs of themselves, their loved ones, pets, or places special to them. Alternatively, they may choose from a library of 140 million stock photos arranged by helpful categories like “Business & Finance,” “Sport & Extreme,” or “Travel and Vacations.”

  Next to the upload arrow is a button that allows clients to add text to the label, giving it a special name or writing warm messages to recipients. Customers can change the font size, make the text bold, position it anywhere from top to bottom, center the words, or align them to the left or right. They can even bend the letters along a curve of their own making. Magnifying glass icons allow them to zoom in to view fine details or zoom out to gauge the overall look.

  If a given component starts to mess up the label, then the customer can delete it. If the whole design ends up being a disaster, they can reset the label with the click of a button and start over.

  The result is a unique, bespoke bottle of high-quality, sustainable gin that’s perfect for gift-giving on birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays, as well as for celebrations, bachelor and bachelorette parties, showers, and weddings.

  Throughout the process, customers delight in the knowledge that they are putting together a one-of-a-kind present. Surprise is guaranteed: No matter how hard the recipient might try to guess what’s coming, they will never be able to guess what this gift is going to look like. Connection also seems assured — people tend to react positively to seeing their own name on an item, which often translates to feeling good about the person who gave it to them.

No Hassle Customization for Sellers

  Savvy distillers and craft brewers are understandably wary about adding a new feature to their already complex businesses. The last thing sellers want is to labor over a single item. Luckily, those days are over. Today’s customization services integrate with business’s existing websites and simplify the customization process itself.

  Take the case of Silent Pool Distillers. The distillery got their start offline, producing artisanal spirits with local ingredients in the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, a nationally protected landscape in the United Kingdom. To take advantage of online sales, they built an online storefront on the e-commerce platform BigCommerce. Thus, the distillery was well positioned when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, closing pubs and restaurants in droves. The spurt in online shopping boosted their sales to new levels.

  When the business sought a way to start customizing their products, they wanted a service that would integrate with BigCommerce and not force them to reinvent their online shop. They chose Zakeke, a visual commerce platform that works seamlessly with not only BigCommerce, but also many other ecommerce platforms, including Shopify, Etsy, Wix and WooCommerce. It can also employ an application programming interface (API) for integration if needed.

  Silent Pool Distillers installed Zakeke’s software and configured its easy-to-use “plug and play” system. In the context of information technology, “plug and play” means software that does not require users to understand programming or make any adjustments. Instead, it is designed to work well immediately from the moment it is brought to life.

  After this initial setup, the distillery’s preexisting online shop gave customers access to Zakeke’s cloud-based platform for designing their own labels for certain products. Since the process is automated, this personalization happens without requiring attention from the seller. Once an order is placed, all employees at Silent Pool Distillers need to do is download the customer’s file, print it out, and attach it to an appropriate bottle.

  By equipping the Silent Pool Distillery to offer bespoke labels on their bottles, Zakeke boosted their sales while allowing the distillers to remain focused on what they do best: making high-quality spirits.

The Power of Personalization

  Today’s customers increasingly expect the ability to personalize their products. A 2020 report by Dassault Systèmes and CITE Research found that 83 percent of consumers “expect products or services to adapt [to their individual specifications] in a matter of moments or hours.”

  The future belongs to businesses who can meet this challenge. Local distilleries and craft breweries stand to gain by incorporating customization, just like the big names in the industry. Branching out in this direction enabled Silent Pool Distillers to capture a valuable new market segment and increase sales even during the dark days of the pandemic.

  The power of personalization helps retailers please long-standing customers and attract new ones. That’s why distilleries and craft brewers of all kinds should consider adding product customization.