Category: Product Info

Beyond the Container

Cyndi

Understanding Packaging and Its Subproducts for Modern Breweries

Earthrings showing 3 six pack carrying containers for beer cans

Photo Credit: Earthrings

By: Alyssa L. Ochs

In the modern brewery, packaging is more than just a finishing touch or an afterthought at the final stage of production. Rather, it is a vital part of a brewery’s brand strategy, a way to improve operational efficiency and a mechanism for achieving sustainability goals.

  Innovative packaging technologies help breweries grow and adapt to changing consumer demands. Settling for what used to work in the past to package beer is no longer an option for forward-thinking producers. From wrap-around case packing to shrink sleeve application, side loaders and compact palletizing,  new packaging solutions are redefining what it means to be ready for production and attract a strong consumer base.

  This article explores various aspects of brewery packaging and its subproducts, driven by real-world insights and companies that are setting new standards for aesthetics, efficiency, and sustainability.

Primary Packaging Basics: Core Components for a Strong Foundation

  Simply put, the foundation of all brewery packaging operations is the containers holding the beer. Whether you pour your beer into cans, bottles, or kegs, this is the cornerstone of your primary packaging and the basis for which all subproducts must complement.

  Cans now dominate the craft beer industry because of their logistical advantages, recyclability, and durability. For cans, many breweries have begun to embrace shrink-sleeve application technology with full-wrap, high-impact branding.

  Producers like Mother Earth Brewing (Vista, California and Nampa, Idaho) have used automated cartoners to streamline the process of erecting and packing cases and trays. Modern cartoners allow easy changeovers between 12-ounce and 16-ounce cans and help breweries keep up with growing demands.

  Meanwhile, a sizable number of breweries still favor glass bottles for specialty beers or to celebrate nostalgia and beer-drinking traditions. Packaging bottles requires careful consideration for handling and shipping weight.

  Stainless-steel kegs remain efficient vessels for on-premise distribution, events, and international export. However, PET plastic, one-way kegs are trending as a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to stainless steel because of their lightweight, compact, high-oxygen barrier advantages.

  Closures, whether in the form of cap ends, swing tops, crown caps or keg fittings, are also primary packaging products critical to maintaining freshness and the necessary pressure.

Packaging Subproducts: Behind-the-Scenes, Yet Crucial

  However, there is enormous potential in the best uses of secondary and tertiary packaging materials, also known as subproducts. These materials play essential roles in protecting and presenting beer, as well as in distribution coordination and sustainability.

  For example, combined cardboard and film packaging are hybrid materials that offer excellent visibility and strength to a packaging strategy. Shrink-wrapping helps bundle beer multipacks and pallets. There are breweries that are moving towards biodegradable films and reduced-gauge materials to improve the eco-friendly qualities of their shrink wrapping.

  Wrap-around case packing systems are high-speed systems that can limit downtime and reduce the strain on machinery. Wrap-around cases that operate in continuous motion provide a precise and fast way to create and seal boxes around beer products, thereby improving line efficiency and speeding up the packaging process.

  For example, Summit Brewery Company (St. Paul, Minnesota) has achieved virtually no downtime and no needed repairs using an InvisiPac® Tank-Free™ Hot Melt System. Graco worked with the brewery to boost production efficiency by reducing hot melt adhesive waste and stabilizing the rate of glue consumption.

  Shrink sleeve applications are popular because of their 360-degree branding opportunities. They are ideal for cans and specialty bottles, conforming to unique contours better than pressure-sensitive labels. Breweries love this trend because of the vibrant, high-impact branding that does not require pre-printed containers. Shrink sleeves enhance brewers’ branding flexibility and are ideal for seasonal brews and limited releases.

  Other essential packaging subproducts include tray packs, dividers, and side loaders. Corrugated trays and side loaders help maintain line efficiency and prevent damaged products. This is especially critical when packaging beer in glass or mixed-format packs.

  Cardboard carriers and dividers protect units and enhance their visual presentation for consumers. By combining cardboard and film packaging, a brewery can use less material than it would with traditional cartons while ensuring visibility and protection.

  Other aspects of packaging are the inks and adhesives used on beer labels. At a minimum, these materials must stay affixed to the product and be readable. However, you can use water-based inks and adhesives that are low in volatile organic compounds to tap into eco-minded consumer preferences and support your brewery’s sustainability initiatives.

Evolving Automation: Equipment Innovations for All Sizes of Breweries

  In the past, automation was only considered relevant for large, well-established breweries with extensive packaging needs. However, even smaller breweries are embracing automation because of the compact packaging systems now available.

  For instance, breweries can find compact palletizing solutions that are designed for small spaces. You don’t need a warehouse-sized space to automate your brewery with a compact palletizer.

  Breweries of all sizes can also automate their packaging with side loaders and tray packers. These investments help brewery packaging lines move at high speed and overcome labor concerns. Side loaders efficiently place cans and bottles into cartons and are often used alongside wrap-around case packers to reduce manual labor.

  Advanced machinery solutions like wrap-around case packing can streamline operations with minimal stop time. The result is faster throughput and reduced wear and tear on machinery components. Shrink sleeve applicators can accommodate various container sizes and shapes, even allowing for late-stage customization if design ideas change over time.

Brewery Packaging with Sustainability in Mind

  Eco-friendly brewing is no longer a niche — it is a requirement for modern beer producers. Breweries must weigh the pros and cons of the materials they use for beer packaging considering where they came from, how much they strained natural resources to produce and their recyclability.

  Fortunately, breweries can boost their sustainability and lower their carbon footprints in many ways. Lightweight materials, such as thinner bottles and cans, can help reduce vehicular emissions from trucks used to transport products. If you package and label your products onsite rather than outsourcing this work, you can maintain greater supply chain control and produce beer sustainably.

  Meanwhile, using recyclable and compostable beer carriers is a fantastic way to reduce landfill waste and release fewer planet-overheating gases into our environment. Film-cardboard hybrids help breweries reduce plastic waste while still being visually appealing and durable. Eco-friendly carriers perform well and can now often be recycled or degrade naturally once discarded. 

  To prioritize sustainability, breweries can also work with their packaging suppliers to develop eco-friendly formats tailored to their unique needs. Customization is now commonplace in this industry, as breweries do everything they can to stand out from the competition in a crowded marketplace.

  There are also reusable and refillable bottle and keg return programs that breweries can investigate. These types of programs are expanding throughout North America and Europe, making them legitimate options for many modern breweries. Exploring all available sustainability options can help brewers align their business with their environmental values and comply with changing legislation.

  Multiple innovative companies are now working in the sustainability space to give breweries more options.

  UniKeg offers PET plastic kegs as a lightweight, cost-effective solution to traditional steel kegs. Earthrings is a company that offers 100% recyclable and compostable beverage rings constructed from sustainable cardboard.

  Another company, WestRock, offers paper-based brewery packaging solutions, such as cartons and multipacks, to help brewers reduce their plastic use. DS Smith collaborated with Martins Brewery to develop a custom, sustainable six-pack handle packaging product for glass bottles.

  These are just a few examples of companies that have identified a need in this space among breweries and risen to the challenge to help promote sustainable beer production.

Final Thoughts and the Future of Beer Packaging

  Although brewery packaging subproducts might seem like minor factors in the overall production and sale of products, they collectively have a significant impact. Subproducts can either make or break a brewery in terms of shipping efficiency, regulatory compliance, labor demands and carbon footprint.

  Looking ahead, the craft beer industry has a lot to look forward to with regard to smart and sustainable packaging. Technology companies have made QR codes and smart labels accessible and enticing as a way to market content directly to consumers.

  There has been a trend towards even small nano- and microbreweries investing in compact and mobile canning solutions to reduce their reliance on third-party companies. With sustainability now top-of-mind for breweries worldwide, eco-design integration is increasingly important. Now, breweries must not only think about how their products are packaged but also where they will end up after they are used — ideally recycled, reused, or composted.

How to Elevate Your Products with the Best Flavorings

Cyndi
a man and two women around tubes and bottles

By: Alyssa L. Ochs

There will always be something appreciated and cherished about beer that tastes like beer and spirits that remind us of what we’ve always known and loved about them. However, there’s also significant value in the unique and creative additions of flavorings to our favorite craft beverages.

  Flavorings have the potential to help breweries and distilleries stand out in a crowded market if they are willing to experiment with classic flavors and emerging trends. Whether you use fruits, spices, herbs or aging techniques, flavorings offer endless possibilities to cater to consumer tastes and help beverage brands establish distinct, memorable identities.

To learn more about the possibilities of flavorings in the modern craft beverage industry, we connected with two prominent leaders in this field: Beck Flavors and Mother Murphy’s Flavors.

The Evolving Role of Craft Beverage Flavorings

  With thousands of breweries and distilleries operating across the country, distinguishing your business from the competition has never been more crucial. These days, running a successful craft beverage operation requires considerably more than just making a great product. Customized flavors offer brewers and distillers opportunities to create a unique identity while showcasing regional tastes and catering to a local customer base.

  Nick Palank, marketing manager for Beck Flavors, told Beverage Master how his company’s primary focus is collaborating with brewers to develop tailor-made flavor profiles that align with their brand identity, resonate with their target audience and leverage emerging trends.

  Beck Flavors is a family-run business that has been around since 1904, creating custom flavors for over a century. Based in Maryland Heights, Missouri, Beck Flavors serves various food and beverage sectors and prioritizes environmental sustainability and community engagement in the local St. Louis area.

Palank referenced recent Brewers Association statistics showing that fruit-forward beers account for a 25 percent increase in new craft beer releases. This indicates an increasing demand for refreshing, bold and complex flavors. He also pointed out how breweries are interested in creating desert-inspired beers with nostalgic and indulgent flavors while also pushing boundaries with tea-based fermentation and botanical infusions. Meanwhile, there is substantial interest in seasonal flavors and limited-edition releases, perhaps even collaborating with local chocolatiers, spice companies or coffee roasters. These efforts have the potential to boost taproom traffic as consumers embrace the changing seasons lean into shifts in their drinking preferences. 

  “With 65% of craft beer consumers actively seeking new flavors, breweries that embrace this trend have the potential to drive significant engagement and brand loyalty,” Palank said.

  “Our strategy combines market research, sensory testing and expert formulation to help breweries develop beers that aren’t just flavorful but also commercially successful,” Palank shared. “The craft beer industry thrives on creativity and innovation, and with the right custom flavors, microbreweries can craft not just a great beer, but a signature drinking experience that sets them apart from the competition and keeps customers coming back for more.”

  Beyond just traditional beer, Beck Flavors is also working with breweries in the ready-to-drink (RTD) and non-alcoholic (NA) spaces.

  For example, flavorings add depth and richness to NA beers so they don’t fall flat or taste undesirably simplistic. Lower-alcohol, session-style beers can incorporate flavors to entice casual drinkers looking for 4 percent ABV or less options. Meanwhile, hard seltzers, hard teas and kombuchas with added flavorings can expand RTD offerings and give consumers more choices based on their curiosities or wellness goals.

Current Flavoring Trends

  “We have been creating a lot of indulgent profiles, such as pumpkin cheesecake, and unique fruit profiles, such as clementine flavors,” Al Murphy, the CEO of Mother Murphy’s, told Beverage Master Magazine. “We are always trying to create new flavors for spirits that have never been used in the alcohol and beverage industry.”

  Mother Murphy’s is a family-owned food flavoring business that has been operating since 1946. Murphy family members still own and run the company, which is headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina. From humble beginnings as a two-man side business, Mother Murphy’s has expanded to employ over 150 people and ship its flavorings to more than 30 countries.

  Murphy said that sweet, indulgent and fruit flavors are all trending right now, based on his company’s experience working with breweries and distilleries. As gathered from consumer preference research, he said their top 10 flavors were the following: mimosa, prickly pear, cucumber, blueberry, sour, rosé, ginger, mandarin/tangerine, blood/red orange and pear.

  To keep up with trends, Palank from Beck Flavors said that his company leverages market intelligence and consumer insights through comprehensive research, trend analysis and data-driven reports utilizing resources like Mintel, Innova, and Tastewise.

  With regard to 2025 trends shaping the beer industry, Palank said, “In the U.S., citrus remains a leading flavor in craft beer, with tropical flavors also showing high growth momentum. These flavors are approachable and familiar, making them a safe yet exciting choice for consumers. Microbreweries can experiment with combinations like pineapple and orange peel to create refreshing, vibrant beers. With consumers seeking globally inspired experiences, flavors like yuzu, calamansi, prickly pear and lychee are giving beers a fresh twist.”

  Palank also said that dessert-inspired flavors reminiscent of doughnuts, chocolate, or gelato invoke a sense of indulgence and nostalgia for childhood memories in consumers. Examples of these “special treat” beers include caramel pecan porters and cereal milk IPAs.

  “In Europe, the use of herbs and spices in craft beer is on the rise,” Palank said. “This trend is driven by the desire to enhance sensory experiences and flavor intensity. Pairing herbs with citrus flavors is particularly popular, offering a refreshing twist that appeals to consumers seeking novel taste experiences. Ingredients like cinnamon, hibiscus and Sichuan peppercorn are adding complexity to beer profiles.”

  Another interesting trend is hybrid beverages, which includes unique creations like tea-inspired beers, cocktail-inspired brews and coffee-infused lagers that push flavor boundaries to the next level.

How to Create Custom Products with Flavorings

  The process of getting started with flavorings involves reaching out to an expert company like these two highlighted here to discuss your motivation to try flavorings and devise a customized solution based on your company’s unique beverages. Both Mother Murphy’s and Beck Flavors offer the opportunity to request flavor samples to help you narrow down your options.

  “We don’t just create flavors — we help breweries craft memorable drinking experiences that set them apart in the industry,” said Beck Flavors’ senior applications manager and technical sales representative, Adam Berge. “By combining data-driven insights, expert formulation and meticulous testing, we partner with brewers to bring bold, innovative flavors to life, ensuring that every beer tells a story and captivates consumers.

  Berge went on to explain how his company conducts market intelligence and sensory research to identify trends and emerging consumer preferences before diving into flavor development. Once they identify a flavor direction, the research and development team takes over to develop a formulation that integrates with the company’s beverage style.

  “Once a flavor is developed, we offer breweries a sensory testing process to ensure that the final product delivers the intended aroma, taste and mouthfeel,” Berge said. “Sensory testing allows us to fine-tune intensity levels, identify any unexpected interactions and make necessary adjustments before full-scale production.”

  He emphasized the importance of ensuring a flavor is scalable and consistent across every batch. Successful flavors must perform reliably during all conditions to maintain a signature taste without confusing fluctuations from one drink to the next.

Considerations About Using Flavorings

  Al Murphy from Mother Murphy’s shared with us that one important consideration is to decide between natural or artificial formulations of flavorings for your beer or spirits.

  “Most companies use natural because they would like to have ‘natural’ on the label,” he explained. “Typically, artificial is cheaper, and you can use less but many companies don’t want ‘artificial’ on the label.”

  Murphy also mentioned a common mistake craft beverage producers make with flavorings.

  “Some distilleries don’t know how to use flavors in conjunction with acids and sugar,” he said. “They might know how to distill a spirit or blend a spirit, but they need a flavor partner that can help them create a flavored spirit product.”

  Beck Flavors’ principal flavor chemist, Rick Gibson, emphasized that craft beverage producers must integrate new flavors into their recipes to ensure balance, compatibility, stability and consumer appeal.

Gibson has nearly 50 years of flavor experience and is one of only around 400 Certified Flavored Chemists in the world.

  Gibson explained the importance of achieving the right balance between a beverage’s existing profile and a new flavor. For example, too much of any ingredient can overpower a beer, making it overwhelming or one-dimensional.

  “To prevent this, breweries should consider how flavors interact at different stages of the brewing process, including fermentation and conditioning,” Gibson said. “A well-integrated flavor should enhance rather than dominate, allowing drinkers to experience a harmonious blend of flavors with each sip. Our team at Beck Flavors works closely with brewers to fine-tune intensity levels, ensuring that every ingredient plays a complementary role in the final product.”

  There is also the crucial issue of pairing the right flavors with the right style of beverage. Some flavors naturally complement beverage profiles or are better suited to them, such as a bright citrus flavor paired with a hazy IPA or a coffee flavor paired with a porter.

  “Additionally, breweries should consider how flavor perception changes based on factors like alcohol content, body and carbonation levels,” Gibson said. “A highly carbonated saison may amplify herbal or floral notes, while a high-ABV imperial stout can support rich, dessert-inspired flavors like chocolate and maple. At Beck, we help breweries identify the best pairings based on their beer style and brand vision, ensuring that new flavors feel intentional rather than forced.”

  Beverage producers should consider how flavors impact shelf stability and product performance over time. Gibson noted that certain fruit extracts lose their vibrancy after a while, yet cinnamon and nutmeg become more pronounced as beverages naturally age.

  But ultimately, beverage producers must keep consumer preferences in mind at all times when implementing new flavors. Requesting in-person feedback and online reviews from loyal customers is an effective way to gauge interest in new flavored beverages and assess consumer behavior.

  “Understanding what drinkers are looking for — whether they’re adventurous craft beer enthusiasts or casual consumers seeking familiar, approachable flavors — is key to developing a product that sells,” Gibson said.

Consumer Awareness Shows an Emerging Regenerative Market

Cyndi
barista pouring beer into a glass mug from a brass tap with wooden handles

By: Erik Lars Myers

The beer pours a rich amber color, crystal clear, with a stark white fluffy head. Warm caramel-sweet malt aromas greet your nose from the glass, counterpointing the earthy hedgerow bouquet of East Kent Goldings hops. It is Reset ESB, a drinkable, classic, English-style ESB. It is also the world’s first Regenfied™ Certified Beer.

  The vast majority of the malt in this beer brewed at Fullsteam Brewery in Durham, NC is Regenfied™ Southern Select, a 2-row base malt created Riverband Malt House in Asheville, NC, the first – and currently only – malt house in the world to malt Regenified™ Certified barley. This particular batch of barley is Avalon, a malting barley created at Virginia Tech’s Small Grain Breeding Program specifically for farms in the South. It was grown at Harbor View Farms, a Tier 3 Regenified™ Certified farm in Rock Hall, MD. That traceable pathway is one of the main considerations toward Fullsteam’s use of the Regenified™ seal.

Becoming Regenified™

  Regenerative farming is a philosophy that covers a wide range of farming practices. At its base, regenerative agriculture is a method of farming that focuses on practices that are meant to create and maintain healthy ecosystems and preserve sustainable farmland for future generations. It prioritizes soil health, reduces reliance on synthetic herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers, and nurtures the land as well as the people who use it.

  Over time, farms that use regenerative practices have shown a long-term increase in yield benefits in their farmland. These farms reduce their carbon footprint, conserve water, and grow healthier food. They also safeguard the long-term viability of their farmland in the form of improved biodiversity, reduced erosion, and a reduction in local water pollution. This is achieved through careful cover-cropping, rotational grazing of livestock, no-till farming, and a wide variety of other practices.

  But it isn’t easy. The short-term switch from conventional farming to regenerative farming can mean investment in different tools, practices, and labor. It can also mean a reduced yield while the switch is being made, a daunting proposition in an industry with already razor-thin margins.

  That is one of the reasons that the Regenified™ certification works a little differently than other certification programs. Rather than simply working to meet a target – the “if you meet these documented conditions then you qualify as Certified” method – Regenified™ exists in progressive tiers in a way that helps farmers build toward a regenerative farming future, setting goals over years to work in new processes, increasing their regenerative practices while building a better and stronger future for their farmland. In turn, the Regenified™ Seal helps manufacturers and end consumers identify the products made with these farming practices.

  A 2024 consumer product report by Regenfied™ shows an ever-increasing consumer awareness of “values-based shoppers.” Their report shows an “Emerging Regenerative Market” whose consumers are willing to pay more for regeneratively farmed products and seek them out when they can, noting that they are “especially interested in supporting regenerative agriculture across core product categories such as fruits and vegetables (83%), eggs (60%), dairy (56%), meat (52%), and grains (48%).”

  For companies like Riverbend Malt House and Fullsteam Brewery, it means putting their money where their mouth is.

Regenified™ Manufacturing

  “Regenified™ malt is crucial to our triple bottom line approach,” says Brent Manning, one of Riverbend Malt House’s founders and Chief Strategy Officer. “We’ve always prioritized people, planet, and profits. When we started over a decade ago, we really wanted to focus on organically or sustainably farmed barley. At the time, mother nature had other plans for us. After an early difficult growing season we had to choose between conventionally farmed grain and keeping the business open, but now we have the opportunity to refocus on a mission that, at its core, is vital to who we are.”

hand holding a handful of grain

For Fullsteam Brewery, it was a no-brainer. “It really fits into our core values and mission statement,” notes Jon Simpson, Fullsteam Brewery’s Director of Brewery Operations and Innovation. “Supporting Southern agriculture and what we think of as ‘the Southern beer economy’ through our purchases has been at the heart of Fullsteam’s mission since its beginning. Investing in a specifically southern grain created by one of our local partners that supports the future of farming in the South is a perfect fit.”

  Over the past 15 years, Fullsteam has acted on its mission to the tune of approximately $1 million of locally sourced ingredients. Riverbend is one of their primary local partners, and so the opportunity to create a series of beers centered around this malt was serendipity.

  For both of them, fitting Regenified™ certification into their process isn’t very much of a disruption and in many cases flows directly with how their operations are designed, which is primarily based around traceability and lot tracking. Traceability, something that larger breweries or maltsters may have to create specific processes for, is often just business as usual for small- or mid-sized breweries.

  “We still receive all of our grain in super sacks,” Manning says, referring to the 2000 lb totes that bulk grain is shipped in. He notes that lot tracking to a farm, or even a field level, might be something that larger maltsters might have an initial issue with, but that it’s part of Riverbend’s normal operations. Since the outset, part of their process has been tracking individual strains of barley from different farms and regions because those different strains and regions have significant flavor profile differences. They pass along that information to their brewery and distillery partners to help govern ingredients choices but also as a means for differentiation.

  Similarly, at Fullsteam, tracking the use of local ingredients in each beer has been a mission for so long that for Simpson, keeping this particular supply chain separate is just a normal day-to-day operation. “The biggest change has been making a more detailed note in our brewing logs noting the exact lot number and source of the grain.” Of course, making a well-balanced beer often means using more than one type of malt, but for the Reset line, 100% of the base malt for the beer is Regenified™ making up 80%+ of the grist. The rest of the malt is sourced locally from one of North Carolina’s three malt houses.

Regenified™ Value

  For both Fullsteam and Riverbend, the decision to use Regenified™ malt is one of prioritizing their own values and recognizing that some purchasing decisions are not driven solely by price but by the greater impact it might have in the world.

  “They’re small steps,” Simpson says, “But they add up. You take all the small steps you can and know that at the end they’re having a larger impact together.”

  Manning notes that for larger businesses – he specifically mentions large distilleries – locally grown, regeneratively farmed grains are way to significantly impact their supply chain-based carbon emissions. But the same is true for every size of food or beverage manufacturer. Whether it bears out to more sales in the market or not is still up in the air, but for these producers it’s all part of their larger strategy anyway.

  “Does it get traction?” Simpson mused, “Hard to say. But it’s definitely attractive to certain customers that are important to us. Retail partners like Whole Foods, among others, are more apt to focus on environmentally conscious manufacturing and ingredients. The Regenified™ Seal makes it easier for customers to recognize that value on the shelf. And that’s worth it as far as we’re concerned.”

Fullsteam Brewery’s Reset ESB: https://www.fullsteam.ag/beer/reset-esb

Riverbend Malt House’s Regenified™ Southern Select: https://riverbendmalt.com/malt/regenified-southern-select/

Regenified™ 2024 Consumer Report: https://regenified.com/2024consumerreport/

About the Author

  Erik Lars Myers is an award-winning professional brewer and lover of beer. He has written two travel guides about beer and written and edited multiple books about homebrewing.

Make Your Own Ready to Drink Cocktails

Cyndi
cans of different ready-made cocktails

By: Kris Bohm: Owner of Distillery Now Consulting LLC.

Canned cocktails are the largest growing category in sales of spirits in the past 4 years. Canned Cocktails also known as RTDs (Ready to drink cocktails) are hot right now! The sale of drinks classified as RTDs grew 24% from 2022 to 2023. (Neilson) There are many ways to create canned cocktails and an abundance of variety in flavors of canned cocktails.

  Starting with a product concept all the way to creating a finished product is an immense and difficult adventure but well worth the work, when done right. This article will discuss in detail one particular way of producing RTDs and cover all aspects of creation and manufacturing. Along the way I’ll also share the lessons learned from launching ready to drink cocktails. Let’s learn about canned cocktails!

  As a beverage alcohol producer if you are struggling to grow it may be time to go on the lookout for the next trend in beverages to grow your business. If growth is a good measure of new trends then RTDs are the answer. When distilleries first started producing RTDs several years ago there was a sense of uncertainty as to whether RTDS would be a short lived trend. This uncertainty came from several places. There were horror stories of recalled products from cans exploding (Trust me i was there). Distributors said the price point was too high for canned cocktails compared to beer and retailers were not willing to give RTDs space on their shelves.

  Flash forward to today and canned cocktails are thriving and selling at a much higher price point per unit than beer. Now we do not want you to have to recall a product or having exploding cans so before you jump right into making your own RTDs let’s talk about how to develop a product.

  When it comes to manufacturing RTDs there are hundreds of aspects that must be given consideration in preparation to create a successful product. If your goal is creating an RTD then start first with answering all the questions we have outlined before you commercially package your product. Below is a list of canned questions that you should answer.

•  What type of cocktail do you want your RTD to taste like?

•  How boozy do you want it to be?

•  Is the product highly carbonated, lightly carbonated or noncarbonated?

•  What ingredients will be utilized to flavor the RTD?

•  If the product is sweetened what kind of sweetener will you use?

•  Will you use juice or other natural ingredients and are they readily available?

•  Is the formula for the product shelf stable?

•  How long will the product last before it expires?

•  Is refrigeration needed to store the packaged product?

•  How will the product be branded and marketed?

  It is essential to answer these questions before you get ahead of things and package a product. RTDs are not the same as beer or distilled spirits. It is essential to be diligent and give careful consideration to the product formula, flavor, cost, packaging process and shelf life before a product is released. Spending a considerable amount of time in product development and quality assurance testing will save you money and headaches. Good product development can avoid problems as your project moves from concept to a finished ready to drink product. 

  One of the critical steps in product development is selection of the packaging itself. Once a product formula is developed one must give consideration to the container the product will go into. Whether canning boxing or bottling selection of the packaging and material the packaging is made from is key. The package will dictate the equipment needed, the label on the package and many other factors that will require big expensive decisions. Cans are the most common and affordable choice for packaging. Cans come in a variety of sizes, shapes and different liner types. A second option for packaging a product is aluminum bottles. Aluminum bottles cost more than cans but they are unique and can provide differentiation to stand out in the vast sea of canned beverages. The actual volume of the packaging must be selected early, as part of the TTB formula and label approval process must include this information.

  There are a multitude of options for packaging, it is essential to make sure the container and the equipment are suitable for a product before you buy those items and start manufacturing products.

  When it comes to making an RTD one of the biggest expenses is the packaging line. This is the equipment that rinses, fills and seals the containers holding your product. If you do not already have a canning or bottling line there are numerous vendors who build equipment for packaging RTDs. Lets cover the key components of equipment that are must have tools to take distilled spirits and transform them into canned cocktails. Below we will discuss all the equipment and steps needed to produce a carbonated canned vodka soda.

  The first essential tool is water filtration. A water filter critical to produce clean and sterile water that tastes good. Water which will make up the largest ingredient in an RTD so it must have excellent flavor and a water filter will help control the flavor.

  The second tool needed is a brite tank and a chiller. The brite tank is used to store the product before it is packaged. The chiller provides the cooling capacity to reduce the temperature of the product down to ideal carbonation temperature in the brite tank.

  To carbonate a beverage effectively it must be cold, once the product is cold carbon dioxide is added to create carbonation. From the brite tank the product is transferred to a packaging line to be put into cans or bottles. A packaging line is a complex piece of equipment that handles the movement of the liquid and packages in sequence to clean the package, purge it to remove oxygen, fill with liquid, then place a lid or cap on the package and then seal it.

  Packaging lines can vary in speed from producing a few units per minute to hundreds of units per minute. Selecting the right packaging equipment first requires that the packaging be selected and tested, only then can the packaging line be picked out.

  If buying a full set of packing equipment is not the right step for you there are alternative options to consider for producing RTDs. The alternative path to producing a RTD is to partner with mobile canning companies that can package your product for you. Throughout North America there are several companies who offer mobile canning services.

  A mobile canner will come to your facility with all of the equipment needed to quickly and efficiently package your RTD. Mobile canning is an excellent route to take if your business is looking to test out a concept but might not have the space and or resources to install packaging equipment. When working with a mobile canner it is critical to still put a product through quality assurance testing before packaging and selling the product. It is important to note that with mobile canning it can add significant cost per unit and consideration in how the product is priced will play a role in working with a mobile canner.

  The upside of utilizing mobile canning is reduced initial investment. With a mobile canner there is no major capital investment in equipment required to get started which means you can start canning cocktails sooner rather than later, with less money invested.

  There are many reasons RTDs are taking the market by storm.Consumers have become more health conscious of what they drink and low calorie spirit based drinks fit that bill. RTDs are convenient and the perfect choice for those who want an easily accessible drink alternative to beer or wine. RTDs are far more portable than glass bottles and the accessories needed to make cocktails. Creating canned cocktails and selling them can be a challenging endeavor.

  Without question there is strong potential for your RTD to succeed if done well. Developing a successful RTD will certainly be a challenging and serious project but with good equipment and knowledgeable people your concept can be brought to life. Sales of canned cocktails are growing tremendously year over year.

  Take the leap and join the revolution by producing your very own RTD. Canned cocktails are opening doors to serve cocktails in places that spirits cannot be found and a RTD can become the key product to grow your beverage business.

Kris Bohm - Owner of Distillery Now Consulting

Kris Bohm is the owner of Distillery Now Consulting where he is the head unicorn wrangler. Bohm has also developed some mighty tasty and successful RTDs. He can be reached at distillerynow@gmail.com

Sourcing Grains for Craft Distilled Spirits

Cyndi
two men standing at bag with grains in their palm

By: Becky Garrison

According to Michael Swanson, co-founder, farmer and distiller for Far North Spirits (Hallock, Minnesota), craft distillers have an excellent opportunity to highlight the difference between a crop grown for flavor compared to a crop grown solely for yield. This distinction affords them unique opportunities to explore how to source the specific grains that will produce a spirit with a particular desired flavor profile.

  Swanson cites rye as an example, as that’s the primary grain he utilizes in his whiskeys, and he observed how this scenario plays out similarly to many crops. As he observes, historically and across multiple countries, winter rye has been grown and sold as a commodity. There are exceptions to this, particularly in pre-prohibition Pennsylvania, where rye was grown specifically for use by the many distilleries across the state. But for the most part, rye was and still is treated as a commodity. However, when they started growing rye to distill into whiskey, they realized that their particular variety had a distinctive flavor profile.

  So, Swanson and his team conducted a three-year crop research study that was the first of its kind. In this study, they grew 15 different varieties of rye and then milled-mashed-fermented-distilled them individually. From this, they could determine that all other things are equal, the variety of rye alone affects the flavor of the whiskey. Also, after barrel aging the whiskey, they found that the aging process amplified the differences in flavor between the varieties. In particular, the open-pollinated varieties showed a much broader flavor spectrum than the hybrid varieties.

  Despite the increase in flavor in the open-pollinated varieties, the hybrid varieties have been quickly gaining acreage across the U.S., Canada and Europe because of their much higher yields. These high yields enable farmers to increase their gross revenue to the point that growing hybrid rye can be almost as profitable as a corn/soybean rotation, with much lower input costs. But growing the majority of open-pollinated varieties at this price point isn’t profitable. Hence, mass producers of whiskey aren’t willing to pay more for open-pollinated rye due to the massive number of bushels that they consume in a year.

Talking About Terroir

  Swanson has observed that craft producers who focus on producing products based on flavor rather than yield are willing to pay more for grains with a broader spectrum of flavor. To this end, craft distillers have started conversations about terroir that are very similar to defining a wine by taking into account factors such as the vineyard where the grapes came from and the AVA where this vineyard is located. Simply put, place matters, with regional differences emerging among whiskeys produced by craft distillers based on where the grains are grown.

  Miles Munroe, master blender for the Portland, Oregon-based Westward Whiskey, views barley similar to how a winemaker considers different wine styles, the different grape varietals and the various climates in which they’re grown.

  “We know that barley types, soil, and climate bring diversity and complex flavors to whiskey. The shape of our custom pot stills and the way we approach distillation allows for the most amount of grain character to come through, so we’re focused on high-quality barley that has a sense of place,” he reflects.

  In recent years, the Skagit Valley in Western Washington State, situated along the same latitude as the Scottish Highlands, has emerged as a major agricultural hub. This distinction led to Copperworks Distilling Company (Seattle, Washington), Westland Distillery (Seattle, Washington) and Westward Whiskey emerging as leading players in the evolution of the creation of American Single Malt as a new spirits category.

Sourcing from Malthouses or Direct to Farmers

  Except for a select number of distilleries that malt their grains in-house, distillers work with a malt house to source and then malt the grains according to the distiller’s particular specifications for a given spirit. These malt houses can ensure that the grain meets minimum specifications so that it can be malted.

  Some craft distillers follow the model of distilleries like Westward Whiskey, where they work with malt houses that source local barley, which gives their spirits a sense of where the grain is from. Miles Munroe, master blender for Westward, chooses two-row barley because it meets the standards of what craft brewers also expect. So, they select their malt houses with these criteria in mind.

  Others, like Tyler Pederson, master distiller at Westland Distilling, work with a network of local malt houses and brokers to source their malted barley. These partners work with regional farmers to select and procure the raw barley they malt to their specifications. Pederson describes this process, “It’s a very involved effort, and we collaborate with everyone throughout our supply chain, even going so far as funding a barley breeding program to develop new varieties for the whiskey industry.”

  Westland’s Colere editions were created specifically to reflect how different varieties of barley offer different flavors. To date, they’ve released three expressions: Colere #1, made with Alba, #2, made with Talisman and their current expression and #3, made with Pilot. How Westland sources its grains was one contributing factor to its achieving B-Corp Certification in 2024.

  A small but growing number of distillers like Far North Spirits purchase their grains directly from the farmer. According to Jason Parker, co-founder of Copperworks Distilling Company, “This represents a new way of doing business where a customer is getting better flavor, sometimes at the expense of a good yield.” He cites his experience sourcing a barley variety named Alba as an example. After they created a delicious whiskey using Alba, they found their local malt house had encouraged their supplying farmers to quit growing it because they found another barley that was easier to malt and produced a higher yield. But it didn’t taste like Alba, and now the flavor it produced is no longer possible to produce.

  To convince farmers to grow specialty grains like Alba that may yield fewer bushels per acre or perform less efficiently in the malthouse, they put the word out to farmers that they were willing to pay the farmers per acre instead of per bushel. Once they contract with farmers to bill by the user rather than the bushel, thereby sharing the risk with the distillery of planting grains for flavor rather than yield, they will contract with a local malt house, such as Link Foods, to malt the barley.

  Before contacting farmers, Swanson recommends doing research into the specific varieties of grains that grow best in one’s particular area. This knowledge will help ensure that the farmer can grow this particular grain variety in a large enough quantity without sacrificing quality such that the farmer can make a profit and the distiller can produce a quality spirit.

  Gabe Toth, lead distiller for The Family Jones (Loveland, Colorado), describes how working with Olander Farms/Root Shoot Malting, which is less than five miles from their production distillery, affords them multiple opportunities. “We can develop local, unique flavor, keep our dollars local and support local businesses. We can also reduce our supply chain footprint, reducing both our vulnerability to disruption and our carbon usage via transit and work directly with our farmers to experiment with new grain varietals. This helps us support on-farm sustainability initiatives or collaborate on other projects that are a result of having direct relationships and even friendships with them.”

Challenges in Sourcing Grain Directly from Farmers

  In Toth’s estimation, price is probably the major factor working against this approach, followed by uniformity. As he reflects, “Commodity agriculture over the last several decades has increasingly squeezed small farmers out of the market, and the relatively small farms we work with don’t have the economies of scale to leverage for competitive pricing. Local grain can also be more prone to variability compared to a large processor that can over-contract and be more selective or blend away variation.”

  However, Parker reminds craft distillers that focus on making value-priced whiskeys, as opposed to flavor-driven whiskeys, that they can’t compete with the big producers on price. Big companies have economies of scale and contracts that are not available to craft distilleries. “So, you might as well chase the one thing you can control, which is good, unique flavor. To do that, you probably don’t want to be putting the cheapest ingredients in but rather use grains and other products that make a real flavor difference.”

Packaging Helps Meet Consumer Wishes Efficiently

Cyndi

Market Continues to Expand

By: Rebecca Marquez

With consumer demand rising, the craft beer and spirits market is forecast to grow from a projected 75.2 billion units in 2024 to 78.1 billion units in 2027, a 1% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), according to Craft Beer and Spirits: Success Through Packaging, a white paper and infographic published in February 2024 by PMMI Business Intelligence, a division of PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies. This growth will be achieved primarily by double-digit gains in the craft spirits segment and a shift toward hard cider and non-alcoholic craft beverages to compensate for flat demand for craft beer.

  Metal packaging will continue to dominate with a 58% market share, followed by glass at 38% and rigid plastic at 3%. Liquid cartons, which account for an estimated 0.3% of the market, will experience the strongest CAGR, 2.2%, followed by metal at 1.5% and glass at 0.4%. The growth in these three formats will be at the expense of rigid plastic, flexible packaging, and paper-based containers.

  Driving forces include a greater reliance on the e-commerce channel and a growing preference for ready-to-drink cocktails, as well as for variety and multipacks. As a result, craft beer and spirits producers face multiple challenges:

•    Expansion of stock-keeping units (SKUs) and

      formats

•    Sustainability demands

•    Input costs

•    Need for product differentiation and shelf impact

•    Operational changes to meet evolving needs.

Expansion in SKUs/formats

  The number of SKUs in the craft beer and spirits space has exploded in the past decade, resulting in an ever-growing array of packaging formats and sizes to address shifting consumer preferences.

  E-commerce is emerging as an important channel and is likely to continue growing in share. However, the more frequent and rougher handling experienced during distribution means craft beer and spirits producers, who wish to sell in this channel, may need to make packaging changes and related packaging line adaptations to ensure products arrive undamaged. Additional tracking and product verification features also may be necessary to succeed in this channel.

Sustainability Demands

  Highly sustainable aluminum and recyclable glass packaging dominates the industry. So, craft producers must think creatively to find ways to increase sustainability and communicate those efforts to consumers.

  It’s also essential to be prepared for a stricter regulatory environment. California, for example, has put regulations in place that require a 25% reduction in plastic packaging by 2032. The regulations also specify that all non-plastic packaging be recyclable or compostable by 2032 and set a sliding scale for recyclability requirements for single-use packaging at 30% by 2028, 40% by 2030, and 65% by 2032.

  This is prompting makers of craft beer and spirits to take a more holistic, operation-wide view to improve the sustainability of packaging and production processes. More than half (55%) of survey respondents report adopting sustainability strategies such as

•    Reduce or eliminate plastic

•    Use less material, e.g., lightweighting

•    Adopt 100% recyclable packaging

•    Switch to material with post-consumer recycled content

•    Implement returnable packages

•    Adopt a tethered cap.

  Labeling decisions are particularly important since ink and adhesive choices can determine whether a package is recyclable.

  On the production line, sustainable operations mean minimizing product and packaging waste as well as conserving water and electricity. Efforts to reduce the carbon footprint of a product not only cut costs for processors but also boost sustainability credentials and reputation with consumers. 

Input Costs

  Stubbornly high costs for ingredients and packaging materials have compounded with shortages, particularly for aluminum cans, to create price pressure for craft producers. This should become less of an issue as inflation eases and new can capacity comes on line.

Differentiation and Shelf Impact

  Craft consumers are accustomed to a huge variety of choices from a range of single-serve sizes to mixed 12-packs. This variety makes it harder to stand out on crowded store shelves. So, craft producers are turning to packaging to differentiate their products, project a premium image, and connect with consumers. Thus, producers adopt eye-catching labels, novel materials, unique shapes and sizes, multipacks, mixed packs, and special releases.

  Special releases such as rare and limited batches, seasonal offerings, one-off collaborations, and rotating unique iterations, enhance a product’s image and draw a loyal following. According to the report, “These unique offerings tap into the premiumization trend by creating scarcity and uniqueness and speak directly to craft consumers’ desire for new and novel offerings that expand their overall craft consumption experience. Specialty offerings also create a sense of community for individual brands and go a long way toward building a unique brand identity.”  

  The appeal of premiumization, one of the most durable consumer trends in the craft industry, is expected to continue. That’s because even in the face of inflation, a substantial number of consumers buy quality over quantity and enjoy giving themselves a treat.

  To deliver a premium product, craft beer and spirits producers must consider both packaging and labeling attributes. Strategies include the adoption of unique and novel packaging shapes; bundling with additional ingredients or mixing utensils; and dual-chamber bottles, especially for ready-to-drink cocktails. 

  On the labeling side, the focus is on visual aesthetics, tactile features, and smart, interactive label technologies like radio frequency identification, near-field communication, QR codes, and augmented reality, which link consumers directly to content designed to curate a luxury experience. Visual aesthetics are particularly important to product identity and include elements such as high gloss finishes, metallic flourishes with ink and foil, and clean lines with sharp colors. For cans, these features increasingly are supplied by shrink sleeves and digital printing, which can deliver the desired upscale image. Applying sleeve labels or digitally printing cans on-demand also can overcome supply chain constraints by eliminating the need to inventory pre-printed cans. 

Operational Changes

  Packaging lines are changing to adapt to the shifting needs of craft beer and spirits producers with the most desirable equipment features being sustainability (smaller carbon footprint, reduced waste), flexibility to handle a variety of formats and sizes, automation, and preventive/predictive maintenance-capable.

  Investments include changes to accommodate e-commerce shipping, automate the assembly of variety and multipacks, and differentiate products. Thus, it’s no surprise that 46% of craft producers report they plan to purchase labeling, decorating, and coding equipment.

  Multipacks and variety packs, which often require  manual assembly, pose a production challenge. Thus, 24% of craft producers are planning to update operations by adding feeding, loading, and accumulating equipment, 15% are installing lines dedicated to multi/variety formats, 12% are investing in additional packaging equipment, 10% are increasing machine integration to coordinate runs, 9% are changing primary packaging format, 9% are changing secondary packaging format, and 9% are automating physical processes.

Collaborative Suppliers

  To grow the market, makers of craft beer and spirits seek collaborative packaging material and equipment suppliers who can provide turnkey solutions and extraordinary technical service. Third-party manufacturing and packaging services also are in demand.

  New equipment must be flexible enough to handle multiple formats and sizes and accommodate variations in packaging materials. Other machine requirements include quick changeover, simple operation, and compatibility with washdown conditions.

  The Craft Beer and Spirits: Success Through Packaging white paper was compiled from the opinions and responses of craft beer and spirits industry professionals. Participants were asked to expound on their experiences to better understand craft producers’ packaging needs and the future trajectory of the industry.

  Explore the latest craft beverage processing and packaging innovations at PACK EXPO International (Nov. 3–6, 2024, McCormick Place, Chicago, Ill.). Ranking as the biggest packaging and processing event on the planet in 2024, the show will present 2,500 exhibitors spread across more than 1.2 million net square feet of floor space and foster idea-sharing among 40+ vertical industries. Highlights for craft beer and spirits producers include free educational sessions, a myriad of networking opportunities, and solutions to address automation, production efficiency, sustainability, flexibility, and e-commerce needs as well as other hot topics and trends.

 For more information, visit packexpointernational.com

Tips & Trends Using Flavoring in Beer and Spirits

Cyndi
picture of many colors of different fruits

By: Alyssa L. Ochs

Every kind of beer and spirit has its unique flavor profile, yet many producers are getting creative by adding their own flavorings. Craft beverage makers can enhance natural flavors by adding flavor concentrates that tap into consumers’ sense of nostalgia and help them stand out in a crowded marketplace. Flavors can make your beverages more enjoyable than ever before. Yet, their addition to your menu should consider your target customers and be part of a strategic marketing approach that reflects their current and future tastes and interests.

  Beverage Master Magazine connected with experts in the flavoring field to help breweries and distilleries better understand this trend and how to make it work to their benefit.

The Role of Flavors in the Craft Beverage Industry

  Breweries and distilleries may use flavorings to add complexity to a beverage or to highlight its uniqueness. Flavorings can draw in new audiences that might not otherwise try a beverage and entice the imaginations of curious consumers looking for the next big thing when they go out for a drink. Adding even a single flavor can offer your consumers a sense of comfort, escapism, adventure, indulgence or reminiscent memories – all powerful concepts that go beyond simple refreshment in a glass.

  Blake Lyon, the senior applications scientist for FlavorSum, told Beverage Master Magazine that flavors provide another tool to bring your dreams to life. FlavorSum is the fastest-growing North American flavor company and has applications for alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, bakery and snack foods, confections and dairy.

  “A flavor company can help create your vision of a strawberry fudge sundae beer or vodka cocktail and make little adjustments until you have a smile that shows you’re proud of something you created,” Lyon said. “Strawberry not juicy enough? We can adjust the flavor. Want to add a slight caramel note to the fudge to bring out more sweetness? Flavor can make it happen. Developing uniquely great-tasting craft beverages without flavor is extremely challenging and time-consuming. Even if your first batch meets your expectations, you may be unable to reproduce it. Flavors have your back!” 

  The type of alcoholic beverage you are developing should dictate the flavors you consider for addition. For example, flavors that typically complement beers and ciders include apple cinnamon, caramel and blueberry. Peach, strawberry and guava flavors work well with vodka, while honey, black cherry and salted caramel flavors go wonderfully with whisky. Lemon and lime flavors pair well with tequila and gin, while fruit-forward flavors like kiwi and cranberry might be perfect for your distillery’s ready-to-drink cocktails.

How FlavorSum Approaches Flavors

  Lyon at FlavorSum shared with Beverage Master that while every company has a mission statement, not all truly embody the words.

  “When I joined FlavorSum, I noticed a different tone,” Lyon said. “We treat customers more like partners, and when a partner needs help, we go further than just supplying them with a great flavor. When I started, I was given a pyramid with three key points to keep in mind for every project and every customer interaction. Our core values are to strive for excellence, be a team player and do what’s right. I try to live those values every day, and I see that commitment in my coworkers as well.”

  When asked about what considerations breweries should keep in mind when adding flavors to beer, Lyon replied, “I may deviate from other companies here, but when we partner with breweries, we first ask, ‘Is your goal to do what others are doing, or do you want to forge your own path?’ 

  The answer to that question helps FlavorSum collaborate on a framework to achieve the brewer’s objective.

  “Flavors get a bad rap in the brewing industry,” Lyon added. “If I traded roles with the brewer, I might agree since creating a recipe as pure to the art as possible is often the objective. The purist approach does constrain what you can develop. I have heard of places ‘dry hopping’ with whole pies, but that won’t have the same impact as partnering with a flavor company. With flavor, you’re more limited by your imagination than by the ingredients available. We can use natural ingredients to help make your wildest dreams come to life and formulate a beverage that stands out at the tap room and parties featuring beer.”

Flavorings from Mother Murphy

Another company that works in the space of flavorings is Mother Murphy’s, a family-owned and operated food flavoring business with headquarters in Greensboro, North Carolina. Mother Murphy’s comes up with innovative ways to serve the beverage, bakery, dairy and confections markets with flavor capabilities that extend to emulsions, extracts, liquids, powders and spray-dried offerings.

  Al Murphy from Mother Murphy’s Flavors told Beverage Master how his company serves the alcoholic beverage industry by working with craft breweries and distilleries.

  “We manufacture flavors and extracts that are used to make flavored beers and seltzers,” Murphy said. “We have over 3,000 flavors that are TTB-approved with FIDS. They are used to make flavored liquors and flavored spirits. Flavors are typically used with sugar & acid to help make flavored spirits.”

  When asked what makes his company unique while operating within the food and beverage flavorings industry, he said, “Our people, knowledge within the industry and our products set us apart from our competitors.”

Benefits and Challenges of Flavors

  Lyon at FlavorSum shared some practical knowledge with us about the benefits flavors provide to brewers and distillers.

  “Flavors can save you time – time fermenting or extracting while your product sits in tanks,” he said. “You’ll spend less time cleaning since you won’t have to climb into the tank to shovel out all the leftover fruit. Flavors also provide consistency. You won’t have to worry about how the crop will turn out each year. You won’t need to spend time adjusting your formula to dial in the same flavor you gave to people last year. Flavors are the same every time and have the same dosage. You’ll gain peace of mind. You put significant time and effort into crafting a beverage for your fans to enjoy. Now, you can turn out great products with a little less effort and a consistent profile. We’re proud of our short lead times, so you won’t have to worry about having the flavors you need to meet demand.”

  The challenges of using flavorings in beer and spirits include staying authentic to the original beverage and retaining customers with the new innovations. There are also regulatory issues to be aware of, as the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau must approve flavors before they can be added to alcoholic beverages. Therefore, manufacturers need to be able to disclose the composition of their flavors to be compliant with the law.

Current Flavoring Trends

  There is little doubt that flavors are trending right now as a general concept in the craft beverage industry. An increasing number of producers are becoming interested in highlighting florals, spices, exotic fruits and dessert flavors in their beverage lineups.

  “We are watching the rise of bitter flavors showing up in craft beverages,” said Lyon from FlavorSum. “Drinks incorporating amaro (e.g., Campari) and botanical liqueurs (e.g., Aperol) have been on the rise, which shows me people are looking for drinks with a little more complexity. As people explore beverages such as an Aperol spritz, a ripple effect could lead to more consumption of gin. Cocktails like the boulevardier, which has Campari and bourbon, could increase interest in other spirits.”

  Lyon went on to share, “People may be looking for softer entries into these types of drinks, and the lower ABV found in some ready-to-drink cocktails gives them an option. We have been exploring the bitter flavors space and adding twists to classic cocktails. For instance, we put an Italian twist on the traditional Negroni to elevate the ready-to-drink cocktail experience. We used Aperol instead of Campari and added some blood orange to emphasize the sweetness in contrast to the bitterness.”

  With regard to trends, Murphy from Mother Murphy’s shared with us that his company has noticed classic cocktails and super premium and premium RTDs are extremely popular. 

  “Sweet tea RTDs are on fire right now,” Murphy said. “Flavored whiskeys are trending with indulgent profiles.”

  Mother Murphy’s has a “flavor industry insights and trends” page on its website where craft beverage producers can learn more and stay ahead of the curve of what may interest their customers. For example, flavoring trends often follow the seasons due to the types of foods many people gravitate to around their favorite holidays.

  If your brewery or distillery is new to the concept of flavoring but is interested in learning how it may expand your customer base or help you branch out and try something new, consider reaching out to these companies to discuss your options. Even just a few subtle tweaks in your recipes could open up a whole new world of possibilities and help your business stand out from others in your community. Perhaps now is the right time to get creative and see how flavorings can enhance your current lineup of beverages!

Mixology Meets Technology: Delivering Value Through Flavor Innovation

Cyndi

By: Doug Resh – Director, Commercial Marketing at T. Hasegawa USA

The alcoholic beverage industry has evolved in many ways in recent years, adapting to drastic changes in what consumers are looking for in their drink choices and the role that alcoholic beverages play in their lives. After years of the pandemic disrupting and influencing their relationship with alcohol, such as the growth of RTD beverages, at-home mixology and even a ‘drysolation’ low-ABV movement, consumers are cautious in their purchase decisions due to perceived economic challenges – yet still seek excitement and experience from beverages.  As consumers tighten their discretionary spending on restaurant dining and drinking, they are looking for the most value possible in their alcoholic beverage choices. The role of the flavor industry is evolving and becoming more critical than ever in encouraging product trial and experimentation through exceptional taste.

  According to Mintel research1, 80 percent of U.S. consumers feel that financial challenges would affect their alcohol purchase behavior, with more than a third of consumers citing reduced alcohol consumption in general and more than a quarter citing less alcohol purchase in foodservice. Decreasing patronage of bars and restaurants in favor of at-home mixology and drinking is a natural reaction to economic uncertainty, and North Americans are likely to continue increasing their consumption of beers, RTD cocktails, mixes and spirits at home in the future. To retain or grow their user base, brands need to continually explore creative new ways to demonstrate value to alcohol consumers, in the form of new flavors and products.

Premiumization Through Exciting Flavors

  One of the biggest shifts in alcoholic beverages resulting from economic concerns is that consumers have heightened expectations for the experience and flavor of their beverages and demand more from the category, especially when dining out. 

  In response to this shift, the prevailing trend within the alcohol industry is premiumization. Consumers are opting for ‘less, but better’ spirits, wines, beers and RTDs, and focusing on quality – buying fewer beverages to save money, but splurging for more expensive, premium brands and flavors. To many consumers, high-quality cocktails and RTDs are seen as ‘affordable luxury’ and an accessible way to treat themselves.

  One area that continually defines premiumization is compelling flavors, especially among cocktails, hard seltzers and RTD beverages. Consumer interest has never been greater in adventurous flavors,  many of which focus on delivering maximum flavor with minimum sugar. Foodservice mixologists are the forerunners of this trend, offering a broad range of sophisticated cocktails that go beyond the traditional citrus, berry and stone fruit flavors, exploring the exotic taste of botanical and floral notes and seasonal ingredients, spices and fresh herbs. Savory flavors have also grown in popularity, including chili pepper, basil and turmeric, since they help balance the sweet nature of many fruit-flavored beverages. Flavor manufacturers are focusing technology and resources on finely crafting these unconventional ingredients to produce great-tasting spirits that deliver the excitement that consumers are thirsty for in beers, RTD retail beverages or foodservice cocktails. 

  Beyond adventurous ingredients, both packaged beverage brands and foodservice operators are leveraging the power of nostalgia and fun in new flavor development. Indulgent ‘dessert’ cocktail flavors that tap-into nostalgia are growing increasingly popular, including s’mores, apple pie, churro, chocolate brownie and orange vanilla milkshake. Coffee has also experienced a major shift in demand over the last few years and is growing directionally in new product launches, including RTD “hard coffee” beverages, a fast-growing segment that is primed to appeal to younger adult consumers. Gen Z and Millennials are already decreasing their away-from-home coffee purchases and limiting alcohol intake, plus they are influenced by the influx of espresso-flavored martinis in bars and restaurants in recent years, which creates an ideal opportunity for brands to capitalize on with alcoholic RTD coffee products.

  While it’s no surprise that fruit flavors are popular across all beverage categories, the growth potential for fruity alcoholic beverages is in exotic varietals. To appeal to consumers who are seeking premium beverages, brands are going beyond traditional citrus and berry ingredients and tapping into the potential of international fruits in alcoholic product launches, such as Asian-inspired mango, papaya or dragon fruit. These unexpected ingredients encourage exploration and trial among consumers and brands are eagerly incorporating these tropical fruits in RTD spritzers, coolers and cocktails and specifically marketing these products for use in social occasions.

Leveraging Flavor Science to Deliver Value in Alcoholic Beverages

  The path to premiumization is paved by flavor enhancement technology, which is especially pronounced within the alcoholic beverage category. In recent years, several new technologies have advanced the science of beverage flavors, producing alcohol concepts with complex, intriguing flavor profiles.  California-based T. Hasegawa USA, a subsidiary of one of the world’s top food and beverage flavor manufacturers, is leading the industry in technology designed to optimize the way that alcoholic beverages taste, and even replicate the complex flavors of nature itself.

  Recently, T. Hasegawa introduced HASEAROMATM to the North American market. HASEAROMA is a proprietary novel technology that creates authentic sweet and savory flavors that reproduce the ‘first bite’ sensation of experiencing a food for the first time, packed with intricacy and nuances of flavor.

  “One of the many benefits of this technology is that it enables a higher level of specificity than other compounded flavors,” said Toshifumi Nozawa, associate director, sweet technology at T. Hasegawa USA. “While many brands in the past may have opted for a simple mango or peach flavor in product development, HASEAROMA can reproduce the specific flavor profile of an Alphonso mango or Ataulfo mango, or accurately reproduce the distinct taste of a white peach or Golden Jubilee peach. The expertise of our flavor chemists creating HASEAROMA allows us to refine flavors on a molecular level and develop products that stand out within the market and deliver value to consumers.”

  Development of HASEAROMA flavors includes an extensive sensory analysis process which isolates specific flavor molecules within food and beverages. Chemists then assemble these molecules to add depth of flavor, long-lasting mouthfeel and authentic aroma.

Lighter Libations: A Healthier Approach to Drinking

  Another major outcome of the pandemic was a notable increase in alcohol consumption for some consumers, juxtaposed with the complete opposite for others. According to a 2023 Mintel report, 17 percent of U.S. consumers are aware of and interested in a sober curious lifestyle, up four points from last year2.  More than 43 percent of U.S. consumers cited “a personal lifestyle change” as their reason for drinking less spirits, even above saving money (40 percent) or physical health (32 percent)3.

  While many of these consumers still partake in alcoholic beverages, lifestyle changes resulting from the pandemic have created lasting changes in their consumption patterns and tastes.  Despite impressive growth of non-alcoholic beverages – with more than 149 percent growth in mocktails on menus between 2020 and 2023, according to Mintel data4 – non-alcoholic beverages are not taking over. Consumers are simply taking a lighter approach to drinking by choosing low-ABV beverages that offer the intense flavor of favorite cocktails, wine and beer with less alcohol content. These options encourage moderation while still delivering enjoyment and refreshment, especially among younger consumers. Mintel research5 indicates that nearly 31 percent of adults who buy alcohol in the U.S. aged 22-44 seek out ‘healthier’ alcohol options, such as low-calorie and light beer, hard seltzer and lighter cocktails. The appeal in these products is a robust beverage flavor, often with lowered alcohol levels, for consumers who want to moderate their alcohol consumption or products with reduced sugar and carbohydrates.  

  This renewed interest in health and wellness has boosted demand for BFY (better-for-you) products, across all food and beverage categories – including alcoholic drinks in the form of low-calorie and light beer, hard seltzer and lighter cocktails. The appeal in these products is a robust beverage flavor, with lowered alcohol levels, for consumers who want to moderate their alcohol consumption while also reducing sugar and carbohydrates.  In addition to limiting sugar and carbohydrate intake, many consumers are interested in alcoholic beverages that offer functional ingredients with some type of health benefit. For example, numerous beer brands are exploring the use of adaptogenic mushroom ingredients, which claim to have anti-inflammatory benefits, while many RTD cocktails are leveraging green tea, berries and other superfoods that provide antioxidants and other tangible benefits.

  A key result of the moderation trend and shift toward healthier options is that consumers are more selective in their alcoholic beverages than ever before, which puts emphasis on delivering a heightened experience. When consumers are reducing their intake of alcohol, flavor becomes the key differentiator that leads to trial and continued purchase. The challenge that many brands face is creating clean-label alcoholic beverages that taste great with minimal sugar content while still masking the burning astringency of alcohol. Flavor manufacturers are leveraging innovative technologies and unique development processes to balance the requirements of a low-ABV and often low-calorie beverage.

  “When you remove an ingredient such as sugar or other sweeteners, the other flavors in a beverage become more pronounced or even modified,” explained Briana Tran, beverage applications technologist at T. Hasegawa USA. “Our task is to reformulate the beverage to recover the optimal flavor profile, using technologies that either mask certain unwanted notes, or amplify desirable flavors that are already in the beverage.”

  One such innovation that is being leveraged in the production of alcoholic beverages is T. Hasegawa’s BOOSTRACT®, which is a proprietary flavor modulation technology that recovers the kokumi mouthfeel and full-bodied richness. This rich mouthfeel is often lost in the filtration and distillation processes necessary to produce low-calorie fermented alcoholic beverages such as beer, wine, hard kombucha and malted liquor.

  “With this new technology, we’re able to isolate the most desirable flavors in a beverage and produce the ideal representation of that flavor,” said Tran. “For example, if we’re working on a strawberry profile, we can amplify the natural flavor that’s already there and produce a much bolder, true-to-life strawberry taste – even with low-sugar alcoholic beverages.”

RTDs and Hard Seltzers – the Epicenter of Flavor Innovation

  RTD alcoholic beverages have been on a growth trajectory since early in the pandemic, as consumers at home were looking for convenient variety and were willing to explore new products withing the RTD cocktail and hard seltzer categories. While many RTDs do focus on reduced sugar and other tangible health benefits, these products are typically outliers within the trend of reduced ABV beverages. Hard seltzers are one of the fastest-growing segments in the alcoholic RTD category, and the combination of flavored sparkling waters with fermented alcohol has grown enormously popular among younger consumers in recent years as a BFY option that still offers a convenient way to add variety to at-home drinking.

  RTDs are a prime source for flavor innovation. Since they are seen as “lower stakes” in price and offer ultra convenience, consumers are willing to explore flavors in the RTD alcoholic beverages category. Flavor innovation is especially welcome within this category, including bold profiles and special offerings. Nearly half of all U.S. consumers in a 2023 Mintel survey cited limited time seasonal flavors as the motivating reason for new flavor trial in RTD alcoholic beverages, including premixed cocktails, alcoholic teas, flavored malt beverages and hard seltzers4. More than a third of participants cited bold internationally inspired flavors such as horchata or mango lassi as their motivation for trying a new alcoholic beverage within these same RTD categories. 

  Regardless of changing consumer patterns, alcoholic beverages need to deliver excitement and refreshment. As consumers seek more from their cocktails, wine, beer and spirits, the flavor industry continues to innovate and meet this demand – helping brands adapt to shifting consumer preferences with attention-grabbing flavors which deliver an immersive taste experience.

Hand Barrel Bourbon: Three Friends, One Idea and the Perfect Partnership

Cyndi
photo of 3 small hand barrel bottles in different colors

By Gerald Dlubala

We’ve all heard the phrase about loving it when a plan comes together. When it’s a plan that three friends come up and run with, we love it all the more. And that’s just what happened to Jim Hand, Scott Pirello and Beorn Brueckner, founding members of Hand Barrel Bourbon Company.

“It kind of started when I got recruited by Scott Pirello, a college friend, to play on a men’s softball team,” said Hand. “Scott was working on a project to make cool bottles for packaging. I thought it might be cool to make a whiskey bottle that resembles a real barrel and fill it with quality whiskey to sell. The initial idea was honestly as simple as that.”

Hand and Pirello were both fans of brown spirits and always considered the whiskey industry an exciting arena. They also believed that their bottle idea might just be good enough to attain what would become their first goal of surviving their first year in business. Well, they’ve not only reached that goal, which occurred the last week of October 2023, but they’ve done very well in their first year with an idea that admittedly seemed backward.

“Our approach was different, going from packaging first to the product inside,” said Hand. “But getting into the spirits market without some huge backing is tough. We brought in a third partner, Beorn Brueckner, who attended high school with Scott. Beorn was the GM of a bar in Boston during the pandemic and was now looking for something else. His industry experience fits in perfectly with what we needed, and he currently runs many operations within the company. Scott is our CEO and numbers guy. Additionally, Scott has an entrepreneurial background and experience starting and selling businesses. Without him, there would be no Hand Barrel Bourbon. He had the know-how to start this thing up and run with it. I come from a software sales background and now handle the sales and marketing aspects of the business. So, that’s the whole company, three friends and equal partners.”

Using Unique Packaging to Tell a Story

Hand tells Beverage Master Magazine that it came down to three friends getting together with an idea for a different and unique packaging idea and decided to put premium bourbon into it to sell to the public. Hand says that they knew they would run the risk of consumers thinking their bottle may just be a gimmick to sell their product. But the Hand Barrel Bourbon bottles are instead a motif, providing packaging that tells a story of what is inside the bottle. 

“We sell our single barrel, small batch in the white barrel bottle, signifying the unique minerals and deposits found in the Kentucky water,” said Hand. “Our double-oaked comes in a black, charred finish bottle, signifying the barrels and type of exposure the spirit encounters along its journey. These are specific ingredients and attributes to Kentucky bourbon whiskey, and we want to recognize, respect and make note of those attributes through our packaging.”

Partnering with the Right Contract Distiller is Key

After settling on the bottles, packaging, and message they wanted to send, the group had to find a contract distiller. Hand says they didn’t have the time or capital to start up and wait five or six years, so the search was on to find the best partner for them and their situation.

“We happened into Bardstown Bourbon Company in Bardstown, Kentucky,” said Hand. “We tried their products, looked at their facilities and met the people behind the brand. From that day forward, they became the perfect partner and our contract distillery. It really was a slam dunk for us, and we are now completely vertically integrated with them. They are a state-of-the-art distiller with the best column in the industry. It is our mash bill that we use, a 64-24-12 sweet mash recipe. It’s not the traditional higher corn content (70 to 78 percent) of many bourbons. We wanted to try something a little different. There aren’t as many high-rye mash bills out in the market. We come in at 105 proof, which we believe is the sweet spot for bourbon and the perfect place to land. And because our bottles are preprinted, we don’t deviate from that number. Our barrels age at Bardstown’s facilities, and we use their blending team and bottling line. Our responsibility is to provide the mashbill, the marketing and the cool bottles to package our product.”

Hand says its goal is to provide a bourbon experience that positively appeals to all the senses, including touch, sight, hearing, smell and taste.

“We want our bourbon to be a total experience,” said Hand. “It’s an excellent-tasting, authentic Kentucky bourbon whiskey wrapped in a unique bottle that consumers will proudly display in their home or on their bar.”

One of those unique bottles was a special-release camouflage bottle.

“All three of us have connections or ties to the military somehow,” said Hand. “The camouflage bottle was our first special release and offered us the opportunity to give back 10 percent of sales to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation (SWOF) to benefit families of our fallen Special Operators. We feel that anytime we can give back to one of our military organizations, it’s absolutely worth it. It was a huge success, and we’re looking into other partnership releases. We’re considering things like NCAA or professional sports teams as well as personalized bottles for special occasions”.

Hand says their bottles would make perfect gifts for weddings, groomsmen’s and bridesmaids’ gifts or to celebrate and commemorate special occasions for clubs, groups and organizations. He also mentioned single-barrel picks to make the occasion even more distinctive.

“The bottle is one thing we can change to meet our customer’s special occasion needs,” said Hand. “That’s our edge in the marketplace. You can really only stretch one mash bill about three different ways, ending in a small batch, single barrel and double-oaked, similar to what we did. But we can also change the bottle to create something unique, distinctive and special for our customers.”

Pinpoint Focus and Smart Decisions Will Shape the Future

“We’ve been in business and on shelves for over a year now,” said Hand. “We started in just two states, Massachusetts and Kentucky. We had a minimal release our first year, maybe 6,000 bottles, and sold out within the first two to three months. That was a testament to the acceptance of our idea and gave us the confidence to try to gain market share. We’ve since added 19 more states to our distribution areas and are looking toward expansion and continued growth. We’ve had talks with Canada, South Korea and Japan, who all have interest in our bottles.”

“You know, we have a potentially wide footprint with customized bottles,” said Hand. “It’s a lot of fun, but it’s also very daunting because we can go in many different directions. Since our path can go in so many different and diverse ways, we, especially as a small business, must focus on the best opportunities for us. If we have so much as a flop of 2,000 to 3,000 bottles, it would be very detrimental to us. We have to be careful about our choices and focus on what we need to do to build our business and gain customer commitment. We have to focus on who can commit to the best volumes early to get that extra volume and padding for us as a business. We’d love to eventually be able to do as little as six to 12 bottle orders for weddings or parties with names and dates, offering that custom gift for the guy or girl who has everything.”

Joining the Welcoming Community of Distilled Spirits

“The biggest surprise I’ve had along this journey is the general welcomeness of the bourbon industry. I mean, it really has been noticeable,” Hand said. “I was sitting with other bourbon reps trying to launch a market, and we were all sharing drinks, ideas and information. Unlike some other businesses, there weren’t any highly secretive behaviors or unwillingness to share our experiences. It helps everyone to grow with a better chance of success. This industry uniquely welcomes newcomers; everyone I’ve come into contact with has been willing to help and give quality advice. This industry is such a big piece of the overall spirits pie that we can all succeed. It doesn’t have to be one or the other, which is a truly refreshing and beneficial approach. Spirits consumers traditionally welcome variety. We love to build our bar cart with a variety of diverse brands. It’s just fun to build your display to share with friends, whether for a hobbyist or a serious collector. It’s a pretty straightforward sales approach.”

Displaying Products Together Boosts Sales

Hand tells Beverage Master Magazine that he learned a ton about the industry, which was expected. What sticks out for Hand and the other founders of Hand Barrel Bourbon is that along their path, they’ve noticed a distinct advantage to having all their products together on a shelf displayed as a suite or grouping. Because of their unique bottles and the meanings behind those bottles, when the products all stand together in unison on a shelf display, they combine to show and tell a story that ultimately leads to an increase in sales. Hand Barrel Bourbon’s sales are better when their products stand together, even if that means giving up less width on the shelf in return.

“When it comes down to it, we are just three friends who raised a little bit of money and came up with an idea that we thought was pretty cool, and we want to make an impact on the market with quality products that we are proud to offer, and that consumers are equally proud to own.”

Find more information on Hand Barrel Bourbon at www.handbarrel.com.

What Beverage Producers Should Know About Hoses and Tubes 

Cyndi
beverage brewing equipment

By: Alyssa L. Ochs

Hoses and tubes are used for various purposes in a craft beverage production setting, including transferring liquids, washing containers and connecting essential pieces of equipment. Over time, this equipment can begin to show signs of wear and tear, or it can cease to be adequate for growing operations during times of expansion.

  Industry experts from companies specializing in these products weigh in on what breweries and distilleries should know about hoses, tubes and related accessories, plus how to choose the right options for your business.

Hoses and Tubes for Breweries

  Breweries benefit from using specific hoses to transfer and mix liquids at various levels and avoid contamination risks. All-in-one brewery hoses can be used to brew multiple beverages and eliminate manual labor tasks from mixing and transferring. Crimped hose fittings, clamps, gaskets, mounting bridges and hose barbs are hose accessories that help clean and maintain brewery vats and barrels.

  The most common materials used in brewery hoses are chlorobutyl, FDA UHMW, PVC, nitrile, silicone, EPDM and Teflon. Chlorobutyl hoses are common in brewery settings because they meet sanitary compliance standards and are ideal for non-oily applications and clean-in-place tasks. Yet it is crucial to ensure that the hoses you use can withstand specific temperature ranges and pressures. A food-grade, temperature-insulated, pressure-rated, 1.5-inch insulated brewer’s hose will accomplish many brewery tasks. But you might also look into highly rated hoses for resistance if they are placed in a high-traffic area where the hose could become kinked, twisted, or crushed. Tubing connects large components in a brewery to send waste products outside the production area.

Hoses and Tubes for Distilleries

  Craft spirit distilleries also use hoses to transfer products safely, hygienically and in a way that ensures excellent taste. Distillery hoses must meet industry sanitary requirements and FDA and USDA certifications. It is beneficial to use hoses specially designed for suctioning and delivering alcohol up to 96 percent.

  Clear tube hoses help ensure quality and cleanliness, and specific distillery hoses are designed to be odorless, so as not to alter the spirits’ taste. A higher working temperature allows for steam sterilization after use. Using hoses with a chlorobutyl or UHMWPE tube and EPDM cover in a distillery setting is common. Distilleries may want to look for kink-proof and compression-resistant hose and tube products to maintain flexibility under cold temperatures.

Alliance Hose & Rubber Co. Offerings

  One company that specializes in this industry is Alliance Hose & Rubber Co., an Elmhurst, Illinois-based company that has been providing construction and industrial supply products since 1932. It serves a variety of industries, including beverage, chemical, transportation and construction, with products that include industrial hoses, flexible tubing, couplings and fittings. Rob Williams, the sales manager for Alliance Hose, told Beverage Master about how craft breweries and distilleries use his company’s products.

  “We currently serve breweries in multiple ways,” Williams said. “One way is custom-cut and coupled hose systems, including a product hose, chemical hose, washdown and tubing to mate with the variety of connection options available, standard and special fittings, pumps and hose reels. Alliance Hose also serves breweries, distilleries and wineries with education on product knowledge and safety in person, at conferences and through webinars and podcasts.”

  He said nearly all Alliance Hose’s beverage products are also used in distilleries.

  “We do focus on the right hose for the distilling process, from front-end mash to the final high-proof product to be transferred,” Williams said. “Distilleries vary on what they like to use best. We just like to share insights and any additional knowledge that will help make their final product the best it can be.”

Kuriyama Offerings

  Another industry leader in industrial hoses, couplings and accessories is Kuriyama of America, Inc., which opened for business in 1968 and is located in Schaumburg, Illinois. The Kuriyama of America group of companies has eight subsidiaries and six distribution centers. It works through numerous distributors to provide thermoplastic, rubber and metal hose products and accessories, including couplings and fittings, for commercial and industrial applications.

  Tim O’Neill, marketing manager for Kuriyama, told Beverage Master Magazine that his company is best known for its high-purity, food-grade Kuri Tec® brand, clear vinyl hose and tubing products within the brewing industry. Most breweries use clear vinyl tubing, and Kuri Tec is a popular choice because it effectively maintains the purity of the materials that  the hose and tubing are made from. He explained that to ensure a high standard of quality and purity, Kuri Tec hose and tubing meet a wide range of safety standards, such as FDA, USDA, 3-A, NSF and USPS Class VI. To ensure compliance with these standards, Kuri Tec makes its own materials to manufacture its hoses and tubing, allowing for complete quality control.

  “An important consideration brewers should keep in mind when purchasing hoses and tubing is to understanding the difference between products that are simply considered ‘food grade’ and ones that are considered “high purity.” Often, brewers will hear the term ‘food grade’ and assume the hose will meet all their needs. However, the term only implies the product meets the basic standards of the FDA CFR 21 for food contact safety. It does not ensure the hose will not impart taste or smell on the ingredients or beer that pass through.”

  O’Neill said that the 3-A Sanitary Hygienic Standard, which originally started as a quality standard for the dairy industry, is quickly gaining acceptance in the brewery industry as the standard of choice to ensure the safety and purity of transferred materials. 

  “The 3-A standard defines additional criteria, such as ensuring low-extraction materials, as well as ensuring cleanability by reducing areas where materials can become stuck, potentially resulting in bacterial growth. Hoses, fittings and assemblies meeting the various 3-A Sanitary Standards have become a requirement at many craft and commercial breweries.”

  More recently, Kuriyama introduced a rubber “vat to vat” transfer hose under the Aflagomma® brand, called “The Brewt™.” In addition to meeting the 3-A standard for rubber purity, the hose provides a more flexible alternative to the heavy rubber hoses commonly used at larger breweries.

  “We found a lot of the smaller breweries were using the same heavy rubber hoses initially designed for larger commercial breweries,” said O’Neill. “The Brewt was designed to exhibit a similar ability to withstand the dragging and high-temperature cleaning to which these hoses are exposed, but to be light and flexible enough to work well in smaller craft breweries that may have space limitations.”

Common Hose Issues Among

Breweries and Distilleries

  Williams from Alliance Hose told Beverage Master Magazine that the most common problems that breweries and distilleries encounter with their hoses all relate to safety. These problems include pressure and temperature issues, trip hazards and finding the proper hose, tube and fitting for a particular application. These problems exist with product, gas and chemical transfers.

  “We address these needs by asking the right questions and recommending the safest option for that particular application,” Williams said. “We are not a click-of-the-mouse and a shopping cart. We ask questions and connect on a personal level with the beverage community. Concern for our customers safety and quality of their product is a high priority.”

Choosing the Right

Hoses and Accessories

  There are certain questions that brewery or distillery owners should ask themselves when buying a new hose. Williams from Alliance Hose uses the acronym STAMPED to get essential information from customers and provide the correct hoses and fittings for the application.

S    (size) What is the hose I.D./O.D. and length needed?

T    (temperature) What is the max fluid temperature inside the tube? What is the external atmosphere temperature?

A    (application) Where and how is the hose or tubing being used? What are the surrounding conditions?

M   (media) What is going through the hose or tube?

P    (pressure) Pressure product is being conveyed?

E    (ends) What fittings are required to make the connection?

D    (delivery) When do you want the hose or tube?

  “If we don’t have all the information we need, we will press in to gather those details as they are important to the hose system and overall brewing process,” Williams said.

  While discussing the topic of craft beverage hoses and tubes with industry experts, we found that there are few, if any, new technologies or innovations for brewers and distillers to be aware of. These are well-established and reliable products that get the job done, but there are differences in product quality and customer service to keep in mind.

  “I recommend talking to a hose professional instead of just relying on e-commerce to provide you what you think you may need,” said Williams from Alliance Hose. “I’m always available to talk product knowledge and especially safety.”

  O’Neill from Kuriyama said that the most important thing a brewery or distillery can do is ensure they have a good local hose supplier they trust to provide them with the right product for their needs.

  “The difference between using the right hose and one not best suited for a particular application can result in premature hose failures, causing lost production time,” O’Neill said. “Having a hose supplier that will understand your particular needs, rather than simply providing whatever hose they happen to have on the shelf, will improve overall operations.”