PACKAGING l
Product specification Keg body: • Lightweight monolayer construction • Moulded using PET • FDA and EU food use approved materials • Rigid with stress cracking and impact resistance • UV protection Fitting: • PP, POM construction • Compatible with beer filling and dispensing systems • Fully recyclable in normal plastic recycling infrastructure
transit for six or more weeks. During this time, fluctuating and uncontrol- lable temperatures can have an impact on the quality of the beer. The beer is often exposed to warm temperatures: 40 °C and higher are common when transporting from Europe to Asia and America or from North to South America. These tem- peratures can accelerate the chemical and physical reactions in the beer and make it age quickly. After reaching the country of destination, containers con- tinue their journey and are stockpiled until they reach their end customer. Re-transporting emptied reusable kegs is therefore slow – with circula- tion periods of a year or sometimes as long as 18 months. Independent tests show that pe- tainerKeg™ with its integrated oxygen scavenger technology has positive effects on flavour stability. On long journeys, when beer is exposed to relatively high temperatures, this can protect and preserve the original fla- vour better than stainless-steel kegs because of lower oxidation. As well as preventing oxygen from entering the container, the scavenger also removes some of the oxygen that
wholesaler. PET kegs ensure that per kilogram, much more beer is loaded each time on a full vehicle compared with beer in conventional metal kegs. This reduces overall weight, which in turn reduces fuel use and transportation costs. Again, the popular smaller sizes of metal kegs are an issue because they add to the weight of every litre of beer begin transported. By employing 20-litre PET kegs instead of 20-litre metal kegs, 50 per cent of packing material can be saved in terms of net volume. In addition, the maximum load permitted for a HGV is 25,000Kg in some European countries. If an HGV is loaded with metal kegs this limit will be reached before all available space on the truck is used. An HGV loaded with PET kegs can carry more beer and remain within the weight limit. Transport by sea Beer is usually exported overseas by ship – the most economical way. One major disadvantage in exporting, particularly over long distances, is the length of time it can take to reach destinations. Products are often in
raw material and kegs often ‘vanish’ through external use, theft or acquisi- tion by other breweries. An additional problem is that kegs used for export are often extensively damaged in circula- tion. As a result, breweries often seek to buy used, old or reconditioned kegs for export. However, they are not always available and there may also be prob- lems with old kegs because of inorganic staining and flavour taints associated with poor washing techniques. Exploring alternative options The complexities of exporting beer over long distances have led many breweries to explore alternative options. Dispos- able 20L and 30L polyethylene tereph- thalate (PET) kegs are an increasingly attractive alternative for breweries, helping them overcome the challenges of long distances as well as saving the cost of transporting empty containers back to the brewery. They can also be used on existing brewery filling lines – designed for steel kegs – which means there is no additional investment required to switch to PET kegs. One key requirement from brewer- ies looking at the export market is that the keg can be used anywhere in the world at the point of consumption. This means that that they must be compat- ible with beverage dispensing systems in use worldwide. PetainerKeg™, for example, is available with flat fittings compatible with MicroMatic A systems and well- type fittings compatible with MicroMat- ic S and D systems, and like the kegs, they are also designed for one-way use and are fully recyclable. From brewery to wholesaler Typically, beer for export leaves the breweries and is transported to a
Brewer and Distiller International z 6
www.ibd.org.uk
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