Brewing & Beverage Industries Business - Spring 2021 - Issue 19

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ISSN 2398-2489

The Products & Services Magazine for the UK Drinks Production Industry Spring 2021 Issue 19 March • April May

SHOWCASES in this issue....

In The Mix

Pages 12-28

Branding

Pages 30-39

Plus all the latest products & services news from the UK drinks industry’s supply chain

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WELCOME TO

The Products & Services Magazine for the UK Drinks Production Industry ISSN 2398-2489

Spring 2021 Issue 19

ALWAYS IN PRINT & ONLINE March •April • May

Special Features In This Issue...

SHOWCASES In The Mix

Tel: 0115 8 549 349 brewingbusiness.co.uk

Magazine Editor Chris Freer

Pages 12-28

l Malts, hops, fruit, yeast and any other raw materials which contribute to the finished product l Chemicals and other adjuncts used in the drinks production process l Companies providing power and other resources, plus products and services to help meet hygiene regulations

Published by freerbutler limited PO Box 9666 • Nottingham NG10 9BY United Kingdom

Cover Picture: Courtesy of AB Vickers and Lallemand

Branding

Pages 30-39

l Logo and image design, plus corporate branding on clothing, promotional literature, packaging and other merchandising, including company websites.

...and our regular columnists BFBi C.E.O. Ruth Evans MBE, former SIBA C.E.O. Julian Grocock, Alan Powell, founder of the British Distillers Alliance, plus award-winning beer writers Adrian Tierney-Jones and Stephen Beaumont

Brewing & Beverage Industries Business is a quarterly ‘Supply Chain’ magazine targeting the UK drinks production industry. If your company supplies products and services to brewers, distillers, cider makers, etc, then this is the platform for you.

Digital Editor Simon Butler

For editorial or advertising enquiries, call the Editor on the office number or e-mail:

chris@brewingbusiness.co.uk

Our print circulation is audited and certified

Brewing & Beverage Industries Business magazine is an independent publication delighted to be a MEDIA PARTNER to

Representing the entire value chain supplying the Brewing, Food & Beverage Industry

Subscription is free and printed copies are mailed out throughout Great Britain and Northern Ireland. If you are one of the very few UK brewers, distillers, or cider manufacturers, not receiving a regular copy, then please contact us today.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any other means, electronic or mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of freerbutler limited.

Whilst every effort is made to ensure that the information in this publication is accurate and up-to-date, freerbutler limited does not take any responsibility for errors or omissions. Opinions expressed in editorial contributions to this publication are those of their respective authors and not necessarily shared by freerbutler limited.

© freerbutler limited 2021

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BREWING & BEVERAGE INDUSTRIES BUSINESS • Spring 2021

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WORD FROM THE BFBi

Will the ‘road map’ show the way!

Ruth Evans MBE

Photo by Gerardo Jaconelli

Despite Government’s seeming determination to annihilate the hospitality industry and its supply chain, together with a lack of exit strategy from Covid19, we need to look forward and support each other through what is going to be an even more challenging time as we endeavour to emerge in a financially viable way.

With this in mind, we are continuing to organise BevExpo 2021 (see further information below, and on pages 13 & 67 of this issue), due to take place 8th & 9th June at Manchester Central.

Will BevExpo go ahead? It really is a knife-edge thing but if we do cancel/ postpone now and then we come out of lockdown and social distancing, we will have missed an opportunity to enable our industry to get together for the first time since BeerX 2020.

This is not a situation any of us would want but it is what we have and we are keen to bring our wonderful industry together; to meet, to chat, to learn, just see each other. If we have to cancel, we have provisional dates for 2022 and there is no oncost to any exhibitors or sponsors. As I write this in early February, I’m keeping everything

crossed that Government’s announcement of a ‘road map’ on 22nd February gives us some light at the end of what is a very long tunnel.

What am I going to do when we are allowed to get out and about?

• See my sons!!!!!

• Get in my car and drive to see my members (not great for the environment but I am beyond fed up with Zoom and really miss driving up and down the country, meeting with member companies).

• Go to the pub and meet friends.

• Organise a great big ‘piss up in a brewery’ (Salt Beer Factory) so we can all get together, hug, shake hands, high five, bump elbows or whatever is your predilection, and talk and talk.

• Have the full team back in the office and get back to organising tours, seminars, training.

BevExpo 2021 to host SIBA AGM BevExpo aims to be the first faceto-face event to take place in 2021 to help a struggling industry get back on its feet and is delighted to be able to host SIBA’s 2021 Annual General Meeting (AGM) on June 8th 2021.

Says Ruth Evans MBE, Director, BTS Limited: “Partnerships and collaborations are key in producing a strong, not to be missed event and BevExpo has teamed up with leading international organisations and individuals to deliver the best programme possible.

We are delighted that BevExpo will also play host to SIBA’s 2021 AGM in a bid to bring all members together for the first time in over a year.

“BevExpo encourages interactivity and proactiveness and we believe that knowledge is key to helping the chain grow and become stronger. Whether you are exhibiting or visiting we hope you are ready to ‘rebuild and restart’

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after a tough 18 months. We look forward to seeing you on the 8th-9th June 2021* for a fantastic industry event.”

Organised as a not-for-profit basis, this two-day, free to attend, collaborative event plays host to all sectors of the beverage industry, enabling manufacturers, suppliers and brand owners, to meet, learn and build a smarter network.

The event is returning to Manchester, which is where it started back in 2016, hosted by Manchester Central Convention Centre in the heart of this thriving city, with an exciting and lively social scene making it the perfect location to host the show and the after party! *Should Covid dictate this event cannot go ahead, the show will be rescheduled for June 2022.

For detailed information: www.bevexpo.com

• Think about things other than surviving; Covid grants (or lack of); Brexit regulations i.e. working together to re-establish our fantastic industry.

• Get on a plane (I still have my fingers crossed that CBC might take place and, if not, drinktec will do).

• Go for a walk in a different location – the coast is beckoning.

• Have a ceremonial burning of my face mask.

• Not think about hands, face, space Has being forced to become a prisoner in one’s own home been all bad? Probably not, it’s given me time to think, made me realise life does not have to be as hectic as it has been in the past. BUT, there are no two ways about it – I have missed you all!

Ruth Evans MBE, BFBi C.E.O.

Established in 1907, BFBi’s membership represents the entire value chain supplying the brewing and beverage industry – from seed geneticists through raw materials, brewhouse and process equipment to dispense, point-of-sale and brewers/distillers. The Association’s objective is to be the foremost trade association providing opportunities for its Members to develop within the brewing, food & beverage industry.

As well as offering many benefits and services to suppliers of raw materials, process and packaging machinery, dispense and point of sale products, BFBi is a Trade Challenge Partner for various overseas exhibitions and owner and organiser of the oldest international brewing and cider Awards in the world.

SEE PAGE 66 FOR MORE INFO

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CALLED TO THE BAR

Embrace those chinks of light on the horizon Adrian Tierney-Jones

As I write these words it’s a gloomy end-of-January kind of day. Record amounts of people have been dying daily due to COVID-19, while countless lives have been turned upside down and inside out. With each of these individual tragedies it seems almost inconsequential to point out that our pubs remain closed while a majority of breweries are furloughed, and those that are open are only producing beer to be packaged. However, hospitality is an important part of our lives and will remain that way and so here I go.

May is touted as when pubs might open, presumably with all kinds of restrictions and strictures (anyone for a substantial meal again?). How many of them, though, will ever open again? Meanwhile I presume some breweries will decide that the game is no longer worth the candle.

We have already seen the end of Brains as a brewing force and I wonder if other pub-owning family breweries will follow.

With all this in mind, there’s not a lot to be cheerful about is there? Or is there?

Instead of wallowing in the mire of uncertainty and disillusionment, I wanted to go in search of optimism, possibly a rare beast to discover during this third lockdown, in which there seems to be a tiredness and even an absence of the positivism that for me marked the first lockdown. I still recall the tweet from last March from the founder of a fairly new brewery, of how he’d built up the business and wasn’t got to let it falter whatever happened; he is still brewing.

Still, I wanted to take that journey. I wanted to discover what both publicans and brewers thought of their future prospects, how they were going to re-integrate their businesses back into a post-pandemic world (or something resembling an ordinary life). Will we still be holding Zoom drinks and supporting our local breweries, for instance?

Alasdair McNab is the landlord of The Pursuit of Hoppiness in the Dorset town of Bridport, a wet-led operation that focuses on both keg and cask beers from some of the best breweries in the UK. There was also a companion Pursuit of Hoppiness in Exeter, which I frequented several times a week, but sadly it did not survive the first lockdown. He describes himself as an optimist with an ambition of getting people back in the pub safely and legally, and making them feel as relaxed and as happy as possible, but admits that getting straight back to normal might take some time.

‘Drinkers will most likely have COVID-19 hang ups long after the entire population

has been vaccinated,’ he says, ‘so it would make sense for cleanliness to become a more important attribute of what makes a good hospitality venue, in particular wetled pubs, many of whom could get away with being “a bit grotty” in the past. It’s a fine line making the pub environment as stress free as possible in these circumstances but that’s the skill of hosting, so I look forward to doing that.’

Back in March last year, if you had mentioned Zoom to me I would have had vague memories of a rocket-shaped, tricoloured ice lolly from my childhood.

That soon changed as Zoom drinks, catch-ups and beer judging become a normal part of life. It was good to keep up with people, but a couple of months ago I felt a Zoom fatigue set in as I wanted to see people again, visit breweries and judge beer in the company of others. On the other hand, taking up McNab’s comment on people’s COVID-19 hangups, does this mean that zoom drinking will hit pubs, but conversely help breweries with their off-sales?

I next spoke with Three Hills Brewing’s founder Andrew Catherall to see how Zoom had affected his business and his thoughts on how it would shape hospitality’s future.

‘During the pandemic, Zoom has filled the space of the pub to a certain extent and breweries that have adapted to selling small pack have survived,’ he tells me, ‘but it’s not been a boom, at least not for us. Overall, people seem to be drinking less, especially in lockdowns two and three. When the pubs re-open people will return, as you just can’t beat face-to-face interaction over a beer(s) and some food in a friendly atmosphere. Breweries that can quickly adapt to shifts in the market will continue to grow, but it’s likely to continue to be tough with the economic pressure of rising unemployment in many sectors.’

Catherall also added that the brewery would be opening their own London taproom when possible, with long term

Beer Writer Of The Year 2017 • Best Beer Writer, National Media 2019

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plans for building an environmentally friendly, state-of-the-art, facility with restaurant and tap, in the Northamptonshire countryside as well. ‘Hosting a festival out here would be nice too,’ he said.

Taprooms have been a boon to breweries during the pandemic, even if they’ve only been able to offer a click-and-collect service. So I won’t be surprised to see even more breweries operate their own taproom. This is certainly the case with Duration Brewing as co-founder Miranda Hudson told me.

‘We are in talks about our taproom now,’ she says, ‘and we 100% hope to see a post-COVID-19 utopian dream where people really engage with their neighbours and mingle happily in a community setting made all the more nostalgic and brilliant for the events of the past year! We are an industry that relies on a symbiotic relationship with beer servers, publicans, beer bars, micro-pubs and bottle-shops and they are our closest advocates and ambassadors and we long for the day they can do what they do best and cellar and serve kegs upon kegs of our beers.’

Even in the darkest of nights, there are chinks of light on the horizon that suggest dawn will rise once more.

Adrian Tierney-Jones

Voted ‘Beer Writer of the Year 2017’ by the British Guild of Beer Writers, Adrian Tierney-Jones is a freelance journalist whose work also appears in the Daily Telegraph, Original Gravity, Daily Star and Beer Magazine amongst many others.

He’s been writing books since 2002 and they include West Country Ales, Great British Pubs, Britain’s Beer Revolution (co-written with Roger Protz) London Local Pubs and his latest The Seven Moods of Craft Beer; general editor of 1001 Beers To Try Before You Die and contributor to The Oxford Companion to Beer, World Beer and 1001 Restaurants You Must Experience Before You Die. Chair of Judges at the World Beer Awards and also on the jury for several other competitions, Occasionally blogs at http://maltworms.blogspot.co.uk

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LETTER FROM NORTH AMERICA

The Return of the Germans Stephen Beaumont

A funny thing happened in early January in Toronto, where I live: a local brewery released a Bock.

A Bock. In Canada. In January.

It has been accepted wisdom in North American beer circles for at least a couple of decades that people don’t drink Bocks, and that is wisdom born mostly of facts. Even brewers who participate in Cincinnati’s annual Bockfest report that while the locals go crazy for Bockbiers during the weeklong springtime event, interest falls off almost completely once it has passed.

In Ontario, there was years ago a strong traditions of spring Bocks, upheld by the major breweries as well as the early microbrewery entrants. But while it lasted well into the 1990s, it all but vanished in the new century. Which is why the arrival of Henderson Brewing’s urBock, part of their The Myth of Permanence series, plus word of several others either already released or entering conditioning across the province, was such an eyebrow-raising occurrence.

And if this were but an isolated case of Teutonic influence, that is all it would remain, a somewhat surprising development that came and went. But across Ontario, across Canada, and to a certain degree all across North America, after being out of fashion for the better part of two to three decades, German beer styles are returning to brewery and beer store shelves with surprising regularity.

And I think I know why.

Before going down that road, however, a few thoughts about the sort of beers we are talking about here. Because while fashion certainly has supplanted traditional beer styles in terms of importance in the modern brewing world, I like to think that the latter still counts to at least some degree.

So, German beer styles. Lagers, mostly, of course, except for those which are ales designed to emulate lagers, like Kölsch and Altbier. (There

is, in fact, an argument made that it is cold-conditioning rather than fermentation which makes a lager, in which case traditional Altbier and Kölsch are also lagers.) Plus wheat beers, from Berliner Weiss to Hefeweizen, which are also pitched with ale yeast and often, though not always, open-fermented.

On the pure lager side, Helles and Pilsner, naturally, plus Munich Dunkel, Schwarzbier and Märzen. And all of the Bock family, including Doppelbock and Eisbock, and numerous variants that maybe should or perhaps should not be considered styles unto themselves, such as the unfiltered Zwickelbier and the now rarely if at all brewed, rye-influenced Roggenbier.

Despite their sometimes extreme differences, the disparity between, for instance, a pale Berliner Weisse and a dark Doppelbock, I think that most of these styles bear a family resemblance that goes well beyond that of Britain’s family of ales or Belgium’s mix of profoundly individualistic beers.

Unlike a dry-hopped IPA, for example, with its satisfying hit of bitterness balanced by malty sweetness and pulled forward via the retro-olfactory effect of hop aroma, most German beer styles, even the high-strength ones, are exercises in subtle and quiet complexity. They don’t enter the palate screaming for attention, but rather softly caress the senses, providing, as required, refreshment, satisfaction, or contentment, or sometimes all three.

It is this collection of family traits that I believe has led to the rise, or rather, re-rise of German beer styles in North America. For a long time, some might say too long, we have had our beer market dominated by the intensity of American style IPAs, including the tongue-shredding IBU wars of the earlier part of this century, when the

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dominant philosophy seemed to be ‘Hops good. More hops better.’

However, with many new beer drinkers either uninterested in or unwilling to accept massive bitterness as the price of entry to the ‘cool kids’ craft beer market, something had to shift. At first, and still today, that ‘something’ was and remains Hazy or Juicy or New England style IPA, highly dependent or aromatics and generally moderate or low in bitterness.

Which was fine for some, but left others, yours truly included, begging for something different. Not that all of the hazies proved unpalatable – many have been quite good – or that the Old School IPAs and Pale Ale vanished entirely – they did not. But for those of us unwilling to accept the hegemony of the IPA culture, something else was needed.

Enter German beer styles.

So far, at least, it appears that while the new wave of lagers and wheats might have been brewed mainly for us oldsters, the younger generation is also finding solace in German-inspired brews. If we can just keep wellmeaning but over-enthusiastic brewers from dry-hopping the hell out of them, we should have finally arrived at a place where we can all get along.

Stephen Beaumont

A professional beer writer for 30 years, Stephen Beaumont is an award-winning author or co-author of fourteen books on beer, including his latest solo work, Will Travel for Beer: 101 Remarkable Journeys Every Beer Lover Should Experience, and the fully revised, rewritten and updated third edition of The World Atlas of Beer, co-authored with Tim Webb and available now.

Stephen can be found online at beaumontdrinks.com and on both Instagram and Twitter @BeaumontDrinks

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SHOWCASE In The Mix

We asked companies supplying the following products and services to let us know something about themselves.... l Malts, hops, fruit, yeast and any other raw materials which contribute to the finished product. l Chemicals and other adjuncts used in the drinks production process. l Companies providing power and other resources, plus products & services to help meet hygiene regulations.

Lallemand launches Enzyme formulation for Premium IPA Lallemand has launched AB Vickers Aromazyme enzyme formulation for Premium IPA, created to improve flavour and aroma.

Biotransformation is a buzzword nowadays in brewing. It is defined as “the chemical modification made by the interaction of two ingredients used in brewing: yeast and hops”.

Brewing yeast produces different enzymes during fermentation that can play a role in biotransformation with the release of aromatic compounds.

Lallemand Brewing, in addition to the characterisation of its yeast portfolio with regards to these specific enzymatic activities, has released ABV Aromazyme, an enzyme preparation with strong βglucosidase activity.

Developed by AB Vickers R&D department, a subdivision of Lallemand Inc. specialising in brewing process aids, ABV Aromazyme favours hydrolysation of glycosidic bonds, liberating monoterpene alcohol compounds which will increase the aroma complexity and flavour profile in a beer.

The application of ABV Aromazyme during fermentation provides brewers with an opportunity to improve their hop utilisation in combination with the usage of specific brewing yeast. All that’s left to do is for the brewers to express their creativity and make a unique IPA by experimenting with different hops.

ABV Aromazyme is a food-grade dry enzyme preparation, derived from a selected strain of non-GMO Aspergillus

niger, available in a 100g plastic jar with a recommended dosage of 5g per hL of wort.

Part of the Lallemand Brewing Business Unit, AB Vickers is a global leader in the field of brewing process aids and related services.

For further information: www.lallemand.com/aromazyme

Brewery hygiene has never been more important says Peter Thorman, Holchem UK Sales Manager, Brewery & Beverage Hygiene within breweries has never been more important. The spotlight has been on the cleaning issues caused by COVID-19 and the ongoing steps that will need to be taken in the future.

At Holchem we are working with customers that are operating, and those who aren’t, to help with their hygiene routines, and to ensure they are ready for business when lockdown ends. As well as the daily hygiene routines we have been advising on maintaining cask and keg hygiene.

Decontamination of sites has also become a key issue as more and more people have tested positive for COVID19. There are two decontamination strategies that can be implemented: 1 - Local decontamination of specific areas of the brewery if one or two cases of COVID-19 are identified. 2 - Decontamination of the whole brewery if the cases of COVID-19 are numerous and

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the site chooses to temporarily close.

Our teams have interpreted government guidelines on this and developed two specific Cleaning Instruction Cards to help businesses meet the necessary requirements.

Enhanced touchpoint cleaning and barrier controls are also key. In terms of barrier controls two important points to note: • Drivers should always be supplied with an efficacy tested hand sanitiser, a disinfectant, and paper towels.

• Drivers should use a hand sanitiser before passing delivery documents to food premises staff.

When it comes to the most effective products to be used during the pandemic, we have a comprehensive range of hand sanitisers and surface disinfectants including: Handsan - an aqueous based, nonalcohol, antimicrobial, post hand wash hand sanitiser liquid used to refill dispensers.

Aquasan - a foaming, ready to use, alcohol-free hand sanitiser, supplied in a hygienic, sealed refill system with integral pump, fitting directly into the dispenser.

Hand & Surface Virucidal Wipes impregnated sanitising wipes supplied in a tub containing 200 sheets of 200mm x 200mm 18gsm cloth.

QFD60 RTU - ready to use (RTU) nonQAC surface disinfectant supplied in a 1-litre trigger spray.

A23 Virucidal Disinfectant RTU - ready to use (RTU) QAC surface disinfectant supplied in a 1-litre trigger spray Anti-Viral Cleaner & Disinfectant Concentrate - hard surface cleaner and disinfectant. For bacterial disinfection add 1 shot (15ml) into a 750ml trigger bottle. For virucidal disinfection, add 3 shots (45ml) into a 750ml trigger bottle.

Anti-Viral Cleaner & Disinfectant RTU ready to use, hard surface cleaner and disinfectant.

For detailed information: www.holchem.co.uk

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SHOWCASE In The Mix

Forward-thinking breweries are benefitting from Coolflow

Cost-effective wort cooling, brewing and bottling all benefit from energy efficient heat transfer, says Hydratech, whose Coolflow process cooling fluids are industry proven to increase productivity, reduce maintenance and lower operating costs.

Brewing pioneers such as BrewDog use Coolflow DTX – a high performance, non-toxic secondary refrigerant, with an operating range of -50°C to +80°c - to achieve the extreme temperatures they need to experiment, develop and produce their innovative range of beers.

“BrewDog are big believers in the benefits of Hydratech’s DTX, it’s a product that’s been tried and tested by them over the last 4 years,” says Niall Murphie, Chief Engineer, BrewDog

“The big brewery in Ellon runs on DTX and when the time comes to swap the glycol out of the original brewery, we’ll be swapping that as well. It’s been a really good product for us.”

Performance wise, Coolflow DTX has very similar heat transfer and pumping characteristics to Ethylene Glycol and

therefore benefits from numerous operating advantages. Coolflow DTX has helped breweries reduce energy consumption, carbon emissions and downtime – better for business and better for the environment.

It’s not just BrewDog who’ve embraced the change! Hydratech points to other Coolflow adopters, such as...

London-based brewery, Beavertown was founded in 2011 by Logan Plant, the son of Robert Plant, singer with Led Zeppelin.

Its new brewery was launched in 2020, with a capacity of 500,000 hectolitres.

Tiny Rebel was founded in Newport in 2012 by brothers-in-law Bradley Cummings and Gareth Williams. After brewing in Cumming’s father’s garage for a number of years, the pair decided to make their hobby their profession. The company opened its £2.6million brewery and bar in Rogerstone on 1 July 2017.

London-based Camden Town brewery was founded in 2010 by Jasper Cuppaidge, the grandson of Laurie McLaughlin, who ran McLaughlin’s Brewery in Rockhampton, Australia from 1910-1960. Hells Lager, a cross between Helles and Pilsner brewed with

malt and hops sourced from Germany, debuted in Autumn 2010.

Growing from a small brewery in Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire to its current brewery in Swansea, Tomos Watkin is best known for producing session bitter Cwrw Braf, the sophisticated OSB and the refreshingly light Cwrw Haf.

Inspired by the daring and innovative methods adopted by modern breweries and a passion for flavour, Dan and Tom set up Fourpure in Bermondsey, South East London in 2013. In November 2017 they installed and commissioned a fully-automated, state-of-the-art GEA Craft-Star brewhouse.

Hydratech also specialises in the manufacture of multifunction inhibitors and cleansing/sterilising chemicals for breweries. They are used by breweries of all sizes – from local craft breweries to ‘big brand’ commercial brewers.

For further information: www.hydratech.co.uk info@hydratech.co.uk

Dialling up the hop flavour of zero alcohol beer Brewers in search of the perfect 0% NOLO beer often struggle to overcome the common residual sweet and worty characters, the lack of hop aroma and a missing mouthfeel in the absence of alcohol.

Totally Natural Solutions, a provider of natural hop oil extracts, can help brewers rise to such challenges with its range of HopZero® natural hop oils, specifically developed to deliver a fully soluble, natural hop solution to formulating low and no alcohol products that cannot be achieved using traditional hops.

Totally Natural Solutions’ HopZero® range comprises an initial four hop building blocks to develop the base to be similar to beer with alcohol. Each extract has a unique role including improving mouthfeel and body, masking off notes,

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introducing dryness, rebalancing ester profiles after de-alcoholisation and restoring fruity notes which would be produced in the fermentation process.

HopZero® Body is a hop fraction that adds light hop floral notes to a low or zero alcohol beer, whilst simultaneously building body and fullness. It also delivers a satisfying rounded mouthfeel to low alcohol beers that are formulated using malt extracts or have been diluted from de-alcoholised bases.

HopZero® Clarity is a natural hop aroma product that cuts through the sweet, worty characters of low alcohol beer, providing a subtle, spicy hop aroma and leaving a clean refreshing palate.

HopZero® Dry is a unique hop product that introduces a dry and slightly astringent quality to low or zero alcohol products and crisp dry bitterness when

used with natural isomerised extract.

Excellent in providing the drying palate of Pilsner style lagers or in Stout.

HopZero® Fruity rebalances the ester profile after de-alcoholisation and boosts ester dominated beer styles. It has been developed specifically to restore the fruity notes naturally produced during fermentation and missing from traditional low or zero alcohol products.

For further information: www.totallynaturalsolutions.com

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SHOWCASE In The Mix

Controlled humidity means better brewing Dehumidification is an essential requirement for drink-based companies and facilities, where hygiene is a major concern for perishable commodities. Dehumidification brings down the levels of moisture in a given space to keep up the health of the products being processed or stored.

One of today’s growing problems is the excess humidity issues in breweries. The brewing industry is complex and condition sensitive. Regulation and control of temperature and other air conditions in almost all areas within such facilities is crucial, starting from the mixing of ingredients to the storage of end products.

Therefore dehumidification in breweries in the UK is a must in terms of preventing bacterial growth and condensation in the brewing facilities.

Desiccant dehumidification – sometimes known as adsorption dehumidification enables breweries to maintain control over air conditions at every stage – production, labelling and storage.

This specialist technology is used to determine the dew point of the air so that condensation – and all its many resultant problems – simply cannot arise.

When the relative humidity is brought below 65% at 20°C, condensation problems will be eliminated.

Humidity Solutions is a leading U.K.independent specialist in humidification and dehumidification systems for

a wide variety of applications. The team at Humidity Solutions will design, install, service and maintain bespoke systems to suit each unique requirement.

The desiccant dehumidification technology recommended by Humidity Solutions is from the Danish company, Cotes A/S, due to its reputation for compact and robust units offering high quality and reliability.

Zwiefalter Klosterbräu, a traditional German brewery with a centuries-old brewing tradition, was reporting practical problems due to condensation on the inner surfaces of the outer walls — mainly in spring and in summer, when the walls were still cold, but the ambient air in the building was already warm.

Similar problems occurred with the pressure tanks where the condensate also drained from the tanks and accumulated on the floor.

These condensation problems made compliance with the high level of hygiene regulations difficult, and adversely affected the structure of the building. The brewery had undertaken numerous attempts to remedy the situation — all of them, however, unsuccessful.

Finally, Cotes was asked for help. The technicians installed an energy efficient Cotes C35E adsorption (desiccant) dehumidifier that allows the relative humidity of the air in the main part of the brewery to be kept below 60%, thus preventing any mould and fungal growth.

With the new dehumidifier the brewery could also maintain a dew point of 1–2 ° C below the surface temperature of the tanks so that there was no longer condensation there. With that Zwiefalter Klosterbräu could finally tackle and resolve the root of the problems, instead of just relieving the symptoms.

Controlling humidity in breweries is essential for any brewer, as the consequences of excessive humidity are costly and far-reaching. By dehumidifying the air through desiccant technology, the brewer not only avoids condensate, corrosion and mould, but also ensures a good indoor climate, better hygiene conditions and a healthy working environment.

For further information: www.humiditysolutions.co.uk

Simpsons Malt acquires grain merchant business Simpsons Malt, the fifth-generation family malting and merchanting business headquartered in Berwick-upon-Tweed, has agreed to buy the grain merchanting business of W.N. Lindsay Ltd.

The acquisition will see Simpsons Malt operate four of W.N. Lindsay Ltd’s stores in Scotland within a new subsidiary company which will retain the name of W.N. Lindsay Ltd. The four stores, which are situated at Gladsmuir in East Lothian, Stracathro in Angus, Keith in Morayshire and Sidlaw in Perthshire, will provide more than 200,000 tonnes of

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extra in-house grain storage, further securing the malting barley supply chain and enhancing traceability for both the grower and end user.

The acquisition comes after the company announced that it had entered into an agreement to acquire 40 acres of land in Rothes, Speyside, where it intends to build a state-of-the-art maltings with malting barley storage facilities, increasing its number of sites in the UK from two to three.

Tim McCreath, Managing Director of Simpsons Malt, added: “W.N. Lindsay Ltd is an established, well-known family

business with an excellent reputation and we are delighted to have the opportunity to acquire its grain merchanting business. This combination provides a strategic opportunity to further secure our malting barley supply chain, as well as to increase our product and service offering to our growers, and as a pivotal buyer of malting barley and supplier of malt, we are ideally placed to play a leading role in improving supply chain management for the benefit of our growers, as well as our distilling and brewing customers.”

For further information: www.simpsonsmalt.co.uk

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www.bulksystems.co.uk

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SHOWCASE In The Mix

Time for a chemical change

says Jerry Lewis, Chief Technical Officer, Kilfrost

Chemicals and equipment have played a vital role in the manufacture and processing of food and beverages for centuries.

Over the years, this equipment has seen superior technological development with the introduction of artificial intelligence, robotics, and other solutions.

The development of microbrewery systems and more accessible equipment allows brewers the apparatus to produce the quantity they need, without needing extensive real estate to house a full production line. This has resulted in a significant increase in the independent craft brewery industry.

The chemicals used along with this stateof-the-art equipment have not seen the same rate of technological advancements. For example, for heat transfer fluids, most breweries are still using mono ethylene and monopropylene glycol based fluids without recognising the risks around these products.

There is one chemical manufacturer who has developed a zero risk heat transfer fluid with optimal thermal performance as well as corrosion protection according to ASTM D1384. This stringent ASTM industry standard really puts the corrosion protection elements through their paces.

advanced low viscosity heat transfer and antifreeze fluids, with the development of ALVPLUS specifically for the food & beverage Industry.

The ALVPLUS antifreeze also has the incidental food contact safe NSF certification. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has two broad categories for materials which may come into contact with food. These are Generally Recognised as Safe (GRAS) where a long history of safe use has exempted chemical substances from the usual food additive tolerance limits, and Food Safe Material which also considers the safe threshold values for use of each substance.

Any chemicals listed as GRAS or Food Safe Material by the FDA can be accredited by the NSF International.

Their ruling on the safety of an antifreeze formulation is solely based on formulation components, so they would not accredit for example any ethylene glycol-based products as they are not included in either of the categories.

NSF Certification is the only way to ensure inherent safety and can and should be used as a mark of reassurance for breweries choosing anti-freeze or heat transfer fluids. It gives the industry the chance to use the phrase ‘non-toxic’ confidently, knowing exactly what it means. It is not that one manufacturer has deemed its own products to be safe,

but that a trusted organisation has been able to independently verify that, should the worst-case scenario happen and a leak occur, those consuming the product before the incident was discovered would not come to harm.

While manufacturers have an obligation to market their heat transfer and antifreeze fluids responsibly, it is up to brewery owners and managers to uphold those standards and ensure the decisions they make on which fluids to use are based on fact and not spurious ‘nontoxic’ claims – their brand depends on it, but more crucially so too does the safety of their consumers.

Kilfrost ALVPLUS is trusted and used in many breweries here in the UK as well as in Europe and the Americas; by craft brewers and large breweries alike.

Jerry Lewis has worked in chemistry and technology for more than 30 years in application areas from pharmaceutical synthesis through to carbon dioxide capture. He has worked for Kilfrost for more than 9 years as Chief Technical Officer directing the technical function in aircraft de-icing and heat transfer fluids.

His industry contributions include the writing and restructuring of aerospace and geothermal energy international standards.

For further information: www.kilfrost.com

Compressed air contamination ‘is a real problem’

Kilfrost has specially engineered

In today’s modern production facilities, the use of compressed air is often pivotal to manufacturing processes.

Irrespective of whether the compressed air comes into direct contact with the product or is used to automate a process, provide motive power, package products, or even to generate other gases on-site, a clean, dry, reliable compressed air supply is essential to maintain efficient and cost-effective production.

A tour of any modern food and beverage manufacturing facility will uncover the extensive use of compressed air, however production

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managers and quality managers are often unaware of the potential hazards associated with this powerful utility.

Untreated compressed air contains many potentially harmful or dangerous contaminants which must be reduced to acceptable levels in order to protect the consumer and provide a safe and cost effective production facility. Contaminants that may be a potential hazard for human consumption need to be controlled, as a lack of control could potentially result in a prosecution.

A new ‘White Paper’ from Parker - ‘High Quality Compressed Air for the Food & Beverage industry’ - covers the subject and details the company’s new innovating design with scalable products

for Point of Use (or to cover the whole factory): dryers, filters, N2 generators and precision cooling.

It can be downloaded from the company’s website.

For further information: www.parker.com

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SHOWCASE In The Mix

Overcoming the top 4 pumping challenges of the brewing and distilling industry

By Peter McGarian, Managing Director, SEEPEX UK

The many challenges faced throughout the brewing or distilling process can be divided into three major areas: raw materials handling, production and waste handling. In each, accurate control of product flow is essential to ensure the final product quality is consistently high.

Pumps are therefore integral to brewing and distilling operations. Here, we demonstrate how switching to a progressive cavity (PC) pump can deliver efficiency, productivity and energy gains to help brewers and distillers thrive.

1 Grist mixing and transfer

The brewing or distilling process starts by mixing milled grain with water in a mash or lauter tun, where the starch is converted into sugar. In newer or smaller breweries, the grist case often sits below the mash tun, with a conveyor system transferring the grist to the masher. This involves high incremental costs and can add complexity to the conveying system, leading to mixing problems.

An alternative to complex conveyor systems are PC pumps in Seepex’s BT range. These offer installation and mashing-in flexibility, allowing the grist to be mixed with hot water and then pumped into the mash tun. Comprising a feed hopper and an auger feed screw, the pitch and diameter of the auger can be adjusted for optimal product feed, ensuring a homogenous mix and a stable yield.

2 Yeast handling

A critical process for any brewery or distillery is the fermentation stage, when yeast is added to the wort to convert simple sugars into alcohol. Yeast is shearsensitive so requires very gentle and hygienic handling to avoid damaging it.

Peristaltic pumps are sometimes used at this stage, but their pulsating action can have a negative effect on the quality of shear-sensitive products like yeast. By contrast, Seepex’s BCF range of PC pumps offers more gentle and hygienic handling, better preserving the yeast quality for fermentation. This is because

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PC pumps move the product through the pump in a series of cavities, which prevents slip from the discharge back through the pump. Slip creates shear, so compared to other pump designs which have clearances between the lobs, screws or gears, PC pumps have a very low shear action.

At the end of the fermentation process, yeast can also be recovered for re-use by discharging from the conical base of closed vessels or skimming from the surface of open vessels. In either case, the low shear characteristics of the BCF range offer advantages over alternative pumped methods or inefficient manual procedures.

3 Flavour and colour dosing

The addition of flavours and colours into beers and spirits must be done accurately and constantly to ensure even distribution and a consistent final product, with any additives metered in a non-pulsating manner. Positive displacement pumps are sometimes used but their pulsating action means that once they have dispensed a product, there is a pause before they can dispense again. This results in a gap in the process, which can cause uneven distribution of ingredients.

In contrast, Seepex’s PC dosing pumps (D range) are virtually pulsation-free. Their ability to meter very low flow rates means that colours, flavours and portions are all consistent, and they can also accurately meter a wide range of product consistencies.

4 Removing spent grains, draff and hops

The methods of removing spent grain or draff vary according to the size of the brewery. Small breweries favour manual removal, whilst larger breweries or distilleries tend to use compressed air units (pneumatic expeller units). However, brewers and distillers can significantly reduce their costs by pumping these residual materials instead. Open hopper PC pumps with auger feed systems can transport the spent grain or draff within a closed pipe system over hundreds of metres.

Seepex’s Smart Air Injection (SAI) technology is also ideal for this application. SAI can efficiently convey 15-40% dry solids (ds) spent grains, draff and hops in plugs of 20-30m length, over distances of up to several hundred metres using controlled air pulses. SAI combines progressive cavity pumping with pneumatic dense-phase conveying to increase process efficiency and productivity, as well as reducing energy consumption.

Improved bottom line

In conclusion, by moving away from traditional and inefficient product handling methods towards innovative, problem-solving PC pump solutions, brewers and distillers can maintain their product quality, reduce their energy consumption and increase their production capacity.

For further information: www.seepex.com

By-products of beer and spirit production include spent grains, draff and hops.

Pictured: SEEPEX BCF progressive cavity pumps are ideal for gentle and hygienic handling of shear sensitive products like yeast

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SHOWCASE In The Mix

Muntons announces innovative low-carbon energy centre partnership with AMP Clean Energy AMP Clean Energy, the specialist developer, operator and owner of low-carbon energy projects, is to install, own and operate a £16.5 million low carbon energy centre for leading malt product manufacturer and distributor, Muntons - an initiative which will see the maltster save 15.5 thousand tonnes of carbon per annum at its plant in Stowmarket.

The energy centre will include a 14MW biomass boiler and a Gas CHP system and will decarbonise 100,000,000 kWh of heat demand each year - which is equivalent to decarbonising the heat of more than 8,000 homes. Muntons is a signatory to the Science Based Targets initiative and the Stowmarket project will allow it to hit its science-based targets, which are to reduce emissions by 45% (based on 2010 levels) by 2025.

The project sees AMP Clean Energy take responsibility for the development, design, installation and ongoing operation of the energy centre and Muntons will purchase the low carbon heat – and power – generated under a long-term energy supply contract. Work on the installation began in late July, with commissioning targeted by April 2021. AMP Clean Energy is also responsible for providing the biomass

fuel for the boiler, which will come from UK sourced virgin wood supply which has been facilitated

by AW Jenkinson Forest Products.

Richard Burrell, CEO of AMP Clean Energy, said: “This is a ground-breaking project for several reasons. It will not only deliver significant sustainability benefits for Muntons, enabling it to hit its science-based targets ahead of deadline, it also embodies the ‘build back better’ ethos of the green recovery. The Covid19 crisis saw many businesses put major sustainability investments on hold – this project was not only incubated during a global pandemic, it is now in build and due to come online in April.

“It is also a perfect example of the kind of project that is made possible under the current non-domestic RHI, which is due to close for new projects in just seven months’ time. The decarbonisation of heat is one of the UK’s biggest challenges, so if we are to hit net zero by 2050, we urgently need clarity from the government on a successor scheme, to ensure more projects like this are possible.”

Mark Tyldesley, Group Managing Director at Muntons, said: “Muntons is recognised as a leader in sustainability projects and we are proud of our reputation as the greenest maltster in the

world. Through our focus on carbon reduction we have already cut greenhouse gas emissions by a quarter over the past ten years, exceeding the climate change levy.”

He continued: “The science-based targets for manufacturing are to reduce carbon emissions by 57% by 2050. We aim to be far more ambitious and are on track to already reduce emissions by 45% by 2025. Crucial to us hitting this target is installing biomass heating at both of our UK malting sites. Working collaboratively with specialists AMP Clean Energy means we will confidently hit our ambitious decarbonisation targets and continue to deliver on our mantra of ‘Practical Sustainability.”

Vital Energi is acting as main contractor for the project.

Pictured: The foundations of the centre going in (photo credit - Muntons Plc).

New Zealand’s ‘Hop Revolution’ arrives

New Zealand hops have been quite difficult for brewers to source in the past but because Dr. Susan Wheeler, founder of Hop Revolution, challenged the way the rights were distributed, the market is now opening up allowing people like Susan and some others to start new farms outside of the organisation that was previously the sole producer.

In March 2020, Hop Revolution had its first harvest across two large hop gardens in the Nelson/Tasman region growing Nelson Sauvin, Motueka, Riwaka and Pacific Sunrise. This produced 100 tonnes, all of which was

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pelletised in Idaho, USA. The majority of the hops were sold in the USA through direct-to-brewer sales and via distributors but there was a small amount of Nelson Sauvin and Motueka left over which is where Morag Thomas of project managers/consultancy service, Elsie Waves, comes in. Formerly of Brewdog, Morag is starting to help Hop Revolution grow its brand and set up logistics/ distribution in the UK/Europe.

Though founded just five years ago by passionate plant scientist Dr Susan Wheeler and her husband Kerry Skilton, Hop Revolution has its roots deep in the soil of early rebellion in the New Zealand beer culture.

For harvest 2021, they will be producing

For further information: www.muntons.com

approx. 200 tonnes across Nelson Sauvin™, Motueka™, Riwaka™ and Pacific Sunrise™ plus a specially formulated blend.

By 2023, they hope to add Moutere™, Wai-iti™, Waimea™ and Kohatu™ to their range and will be expanding acreage year-on-year, working closely with brewers to deliver this coupled with sustainable supply.

For further information: morag@elsiewaves.com

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SHOWCASE In The Mix

Low trellis hop growing by Charles Faram’s Jon Stringer Firstly, tell me about dwarf hop plants… Whether a hop plant grows to be a tall plant, semi-tall or dwarf is controlled ultimately by dwarf genes in its DNA. The influence of these genes causes the plant to develop shorter internodes on the bine (the spacing between the nodes or leaf-growing sections) and, consequently, the plant height is shorter.

Generally, dwarf hops grow to around 8-10 feet high, whereas tall plants can reach 18 feet and higher. Low trellis / hedgerow hop growing systems are designed to suit these shorter plants.

Do I use any dwarf hop varieties in my beers?

Commonly used dwarf hop varieties include First Gold, Sovereign, Boadicea, Sussex, Endeavour, Pilot, Archer® and Pioneer. There are varieties classified as semi dwarf which can be successfully grown on low trellis systems, such as Summit.

How do low trellis systems (aka hedgerows) differ from tall hop yards?

The support for growing dwarf plants is provided by netting which rises to heights of around 12 feet. The plants are planted closer to one another – usually about a metre apart. Generally, the plants are not trained by hand and runners (the shoots surplus to requirements) are left rather than be removed.

Due to their close proximity, the hop plants’ foliage overlaps with the foliage of the neighbouring plants, forming a continuous hedgerow. Once the hop

cones are ready to be picked they are mechanically stripped from the plant, leaving the majority of the plant in situ.

What are the benefits and drawbacks of low trellis systems?

On paper, there are lots of positives for growing dwarf hops on low trellis systems. Dwarf plants require less nutritional input into the soil – usually only 50% of the input for a tall plant.

Spraying is much easier on a short plant and 100% coverage can be achieved, which benefits the surrounding environment. As training the young plants is not required and plant inspection is far easier, the labour costs required to grow dwarf plants are reduced. Benefits can be also seen at harvest: because bines are not cut and hauled to a shed for picking, they remain in place to provide nutrients as the plant prepares for the next growing season.

So, low trellis hop growing seems to have quite a lot going for it. But there are drawbacks. With small plants come smaller yields: a hop farmer is only likely to receive a maximum two thirds of the yield that would have been received on the same acreage for a tall plant. As the rootstock becomes older it starts growing with less vigour and yields begin to diminish. Increasing inputs into the soil can help this situation but does encourage vegetative growth, which leads to a thicker hedgerow that is less easy to manage. Hop plants require direct sunlight on the bine to allow the plant to flower and excessive vegetative growth (lots of foliage) can hinder this.

The hedgerow can also harbour hard-to-

Let HI-KLEEN do the dirty work With the UK continuing its battle against COVID-19, businesses everywhere are facing the unenviable task of ensuring virusfree workplaces for staff and customers alike.

For this reason, HI-KLEEN from Hi-line Industries has been proving exceptionally popular since its introduction in the summer of 2020. To help even more companies benefit from this highly effective surface sanitiser for commercial premises, Hi-line has produced a short but highly informative YouTube video (https://youtu.be/7cQlavJ51S4) that demonstrates the product’s easy

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application. Workplaces are a potential breeding ground for bacteria and viruses, which is why taking sensible precautions represents an astute health and safety strategy.

A single, quick application of HI-KLEEN ensures full sanitisation of all contact surfaces, providing at least five hours of protection from further contamination once applied. The product is completely safe for any member of staff to apply without need for PPE.

Hi-KLEEN’s special formulation ensures it kills and inhibits both bacteria and viruses (including enveloped viruses such as COVID-19) on hard or soft surfaces.

find pests that would be easier to spot on tall hop plots: capsid beetles can hide effectively in the hedgerow and evade detection.

They feed on the flowers and dramatically reduce yields. From a maintenance point of view the netting used to support the plants needs replacing regularly.

Could I grow a tall hop variety on a low trellis system?

This would depend upon the physiology of the hop plant. Different hop plants grow in different shapes and sizes. A tall hop plant that produces the bulk of its hop cones at the top of the plant wouldn’t be suitable. But low-cone setting hop varieties can work, although they will never yield as well as a true dwarf. Tall plants that have been successfully grown on low trellis systems include Crystal and Cascade. Semi-tall varieties such as Jester® and Harlequin™ could work too.

Are we likely to see low trellis systems used on hop farms in ten years time?

Established and popular varieties are currently grown on low trellis systems so they will certainly be around for the foreseeable future. Hop development programmes can use dwarf males for their genetic crosses to potentially increase disease resistance in the offspring plants. Whilst dwarf genes are present in the DNA of our future brewing hops there is the potential the for next Citra® or Galaxy™ to be a dwarf plant.

For further information: www.charlesfaram.co.uk

Composed of organic, nonchlorinated solvents, HIKLEEN comes in both 500ml aerosols and disposable 17kg canisters (with spray gun). The latter is ideal for those looking to sanitise entire rooms, providing typical coverage of 750 square metres.

Hi-line is offering a free, no-obligation demonstration of HI-KLEEN at the premises of interested parties.

For further information: www.hilineindustries.com

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SHOWCASE In The Mix

Envirogen Group adds single-stage, complete beer clarification system to its PureSep MF range

Clarification is a critical, latter stage of beer, wine, cider and vinegar manufacturing processes, it’s here that suspended solids and micro-organisms are removed to reduce haze, produce a standardised taste profile and improve shelf life.

However, many manufacturers are still relying on traditional two-stage clarification systems, adding diatomaceous earth to the product and removing yeast and other larger particles through sheet filtration. These manual methods can introduce inconsistencies, create large waste streams and require labour-intensive cleaning protocols, all of which can increase operating costs and reduce yields.

To help beer manufacturers tackle specific clarification challenges, Envirogen has launched PureSep MF 600: a single-step, membrane filtration solution specifically designed to improve beer quality and consistency while reducing costs and waste streams.

Bill Denyer, European CEO, Envirogen (pictured below), explains the science behind this innovation, the latest addition to the well-established PureSep MF range.

“PureSep MF 600 is built on the back of our PureFlow filtration system and the company’s long legacy of providing total water treatment and process filtration solutions to the food and beverage industry through the PureSep MF range.

Recently, we have seen a clear need for a dedicated clarification system that meets the brewing industry’s unique

challenges. Years of installing, optimising and commissioning filtration systems across a wide range of processes have culminated in the development of the PureSep MF 600. This modular, skid-based system meets the flow rates demanded in this fastpaced industry while delivering higher quality standards and considerable cost savings.”

PureSep MF 600 is a single-step beer membrane filtration (BMF) system, using unique Envi-BMF hollow-fibre membranes to remove micro-organisms and suspended solids, in place of a two-step diatomaceous earth and sheet filtration solution. The resulting clarified beer has greater stability and a more standardised profile, helping manufacturers to achieve consistently high and repeatable quality.

“Each PureSep MF 600 system is customised according to the manufacturer's exact needs,” Denyer continues. “The compact design has a small footprint for easy integration with existing processes but can achieve flow rates of up to 220 hectolitres per hour.

Each BMF system comes skid-mounted for straightforward installation and commissioning, minimising disruption on manufacturing sites. In most cases, we can install PureSep MF 600 without stopping production lines.

“PureSep MF 600 is one of many of our modular solutions, systems which are developed to adapt and expand with manufacturers as they grow and develop their operations. Additional membranes can be fitted to increase flow rates and separate feed and filtrate tanks or filtrate back-pulse units can be inserted for more challenging products.

Manufacturers receive the customisation they need to meet their exact requirements and brand standards without the cost of a fully bespoke solution.”

Once in place, the PureSep MF 600 (pictured) can be operated as a standalone unit or fully integrated with

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supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems for complete control and even remote monitoring.

Unlike traditional systems, PureSep MF 600 requires no manual cleaning with hazardous chemicals, helping to protect workers and remove risks on site. With no additional filtration consumables or additives, operating costs are further reduced. With reduced waste streams, automated clean-in-place (CIP) protocols and low energy demand, the system delivers one of the lowest operating costs for clarification technology, helping brewers to protect their bottom line.

“It’s not all about operating costs,” explains Denyer. “PureSep MF 600 offers one of the lowest capital expenditures per unit of surface area for any clarification system. Short payback periods ensure that manufacturers take full benefit of the efficiency savings. We fully anticipate that membrane filtration will become the clarification technique of choice across the brewing industry, the benefits are simply too great.”

To find out more about PureSep MF 600, Envi-BMF hollow-fibre membranes or our on-site plant pilot trials, contact the Envirogen team.

For further information: www.envirogengroup.com enquiries@envirogengroup.com

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SHOWCASE In The Mix

Water treatment and solutions for distilleries

Many different forms of wastewater can be generated during the production of whisky.

Here, David Gaskill, Proposal Manager at Siltbuster Process Solutions (SPS), a leading UK water treatment specialist, discusses the latest thinking when it comes to getting treatment right.

The Threat of Wastewater Given how damaging untreated water can be if discharged to local watercourses, especially to the flora and fauna of an area, it is no surprise that discharge consents can be demanding.

With this in mind, it’s essential that best practice is adhered to when it comes to wastewater treatment.

Historical Treatment Distillery wastewater often has a high organic load and is often highly biodegradable. It also contains suspended solids, copper – from the stills – and it will vary in its pH. These characteristics all present threats to the environment.

With this in mind, it is good practice for distilleries to install a Balance Tank with pre-screening. This helps to collect wastewater and minimises the size of downstream wastewater treatment plant processes, as the flow and characteristics of the wastewater are buffered within the tank.

Once the wastewater has been balanced, a wastewater treatment plant can set to work often reducing the suspended solids first. From there the wastewater is often biologically treated followed by further suspended solids removal so it can be discharged offsite within consent criteria. Aerobic processes are particularly dominant at smaller distilleries, while larger distilleries tend to involve an anaerobic stage – producing valuable biogas – before initiating an aerobic stage and then additional downstream treatment.

Historically, smaller distilleries use traditional Trickling Filters for the aerobic stage. This involves circulating water over a fixed media bed – rocks or plastic media on which bacteria grows – and allowing natural ventilation to provide the oxygen for the aerobic process.

Although effective, lots of these plants are beyond their design life and the structure of many Trickling Filters can be

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unstable, presenting a hazard. An additional problem is that during their lifetime, the media often gets blocked by excess biomass.

New Ways of Thinking At SPS, we can replace Trickling Filters with a more compact aerobic process facilitated by Moving Bed Biofilm Reactors (MBBR). By using blowers to provide oxygen and mixing, the media houses the bacteria within the MBBR. This enables a large volume of wastewater to be treated in a much smaller footprint than is achievable with other aerobic processes. The air helps to scour the excess biomass from the media, enabling fresh biomass to process the wastewater and reduce the Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and the associated Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD). Also, since the bacteria are grown on and within the media, MBBR units are more resilient to any shock loadings when compared to any other aerobic processes.

Fresh Thinking In Practice In one distillery, SPS enhanced the existing treatment plant by adding a Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) unit after the Balance Tank. This worked to reduce the suspended solids which would otherwise be determinantal to downstream processes. This was installed with gravity flow to and from the DAF, within the existing plant which was installed last century.

Five years later on the same site, SPS also installed a packaged MBBR prior to the existing Trickling Filter. This was done on a hire basis to allow an opportunity for the distillery to assess its impact on processing the site’s wastewater. The performance was such that the distillery purchased the unit.

SPS worked with the distillery in order to identify the tie-in points and ensure that the pre-tested equipment was delivered, installed, commissioned and processing wastewater at full flow within a couple of days. This minimised disruption to production at the distillery.

In Conclusion By working collaboratively with wastewater treatment providers, distilleries can incorporate plants designed to maintain or even grow production while safeguarding the environmental protection of their surroundings, avoiding potentially costly fines in the process.

For further information: www.siltbuster.co.uk

Add new flavours to your range

Are you a distiller, brewer or cider producer keen to upscale your operations by adding a new flavour to your range?

Flavour compounds from Simpsons Beverages can offer you the perfect solution. Supplied as a single, premixed liquid, they contain all the ingredients you need to manufacture your drink. Simpsons produces flavour compounds for all spirits - gin, rum, vodka or whisky, ready to drink cocktails, beer, and cider too!

With just one ingredient to source and manage, compounds help you ensure your manufacturing process is lean.

They remove the requirement for you to stock many ingredients with varying expiry dates, lead times and order quantities.

Adding new flavours to your range can really help to ensure your brand stands out against your competitors and boost your sales. The NPD experts at Simpsons can work together with you to develop bespoke flavours, or match those currently on the market.

You may be looking to create a new flavoured gin, rum or spiced whisky, or maybe you would like to add some new fruit flavours to your beer or cider. Whatever your project, they are there to help, every step of the way, from planning to production. In addition, the Simpsons sample service can assist you approach buyers and prospects with ready-to-taste concepts.

For further information: sales@simpsonsbeverages.com

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SHOWCASE Branding

We asked companies supplying the following products and services to let us know something about themselves.... l Logo and image design, plus corporate branding on clothing, promotional literature, packaging and other merchandising, including company websites.

Investment boost at Advanced Packaging Materials expands box product range With a new printer in situ alongside further investment in production equipment, Advanced Packaging Materials is now able to supply an even wider range of printed boxes.

This investment includes a wide format digital printer which allows APM to produce short run boxes augmenting its existing portfolio of bottle boxes.

The latest boxes on offer are single and double 5ltr Mini Keg; 12 x 500ml; 12 x 330ml single and double wall; 6, 12 and 24 Safepak-Eco.

Plans are already in place to increase the range further with 5,10,20 ltr ‘bag in box’ packaging.

All of these boxes can be printed from a single colour up to photo quality with the added advantage of no printing plate costs, potentially saving hundreds of pounds.

All of the company’s packaging is also available in plain board.

For further information: www.printedbeerbottleboxes.co.uk info@advpack.co.uk

How to enter the brewing industry with a new brand

By Richard Horwell, Brand Relations

Starting a new drinks business is never easy but the boom in craft beers means that many people like the idea of creating a new and different product.

Here are some pointers on how to start:

Research Researching your market and building your understanding is essential. The more established a category, such as craft beer, the harder and more expensive it will be to make inroads.

Research in the UK, and elsewhere.

You’ll learn from other brands' mistakes and get great ideas from the flavours they’ve used. Also delve into their consumer messaging and retail pricing.

Point of Difference In the last 10 years there’s been A LOT of innovation in the drink’s category. So, to stand out you must have a point of difference (POD). Why should your target audience go out of their way to buy your drink?

A POD is not just a funky flavour or eyecatching packaging. It is being unique (and tasting great).

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Funding This isn’t a cheap industry to enter. One important issue is minimum production runs. You can develop a production recipe (as opposed to one made at home), get a brand name/branding, and then attempt to raise the money in order to pay for a production run; but it’s virtually impossible to raise money just on a basic idea.

It’s essential to have a clear financial budget, whether you’re self-funding or going to investors. The taste, the name, the branding, the distribution, the samples, the presentation pack for buyers all need to be spot-on from day one.

Developing your recipe Making a drink at home doesn’t mean that it can be exactly replicated in mass-production. We work with recipe development experts to source the ingredients at a competitive price and ensure they work together – resulting in a drink that tastes like the one you created in your kitchen but will suit your co-packer.

Some ingredients just don’t blend. This is a very specialised area, and the recipe

needs to be perfect. So, you will definitely need expert help to create an exact recipe for your contract manufacturer. And, for the packaging labels, you will need the nutritional information.

One area many entrepreneurs overlook is the regulation on Novel Foods, which applies within the UK and the EU. (See: https://ec.europa.eu/food/safety/novel_food_en)

Not all ingredients are allowed to be used in drinks and this is determined by the Novel Foods regulations, so you need to be sure that all your ingredients are allowed. This will save you time in the future rectifying any obstacles you could have tackled in the initial stages.

Packaging This can make a huge difference to your cost outlay so you need to spend time researching suppliers, understanding the production runs etc.

Glass is still the cheapest option, though the weight and risk of breakage can make it less popular with wholesalers and retailers.

Continued on page 32

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SHOWCASE Branding

Design trio mix a potent recipe for success A successful creative design studio that doubles up as a distillery is not the most common collaboration.

But it’s going down a treat in Redcar – as well as along the North East coastline and beyond with enquiries coming from as far as Australia.

Friends and colleagues, Arron Stoutt, Andy Mogg, and Steve Gill all grew up in the North East and now work together as graphic designers specialising in drinks marketing. Now they’ve taken their business a step further and produce the drinks too!

The three pals chose their company name (LemonTop Creative) because when they were younger they all loved the delicious, traditional lemon-top ice cream produced mainly in Redcar and on the North East coast – an ice cream cornet topped with a generous dollop of lemon sorbet.

And now in a bold and unusual bid to recapture those heady days, they’ve put their money where their mouths are – literally - by setting up a distillery, as well as running a design studio. They now produce a more adult, zingy, boozy version of the lemon-top ice cream LemonTop Gin!

Arron says: “As huge fans of North East nostalgia, our fabulous coastline and lemon-top ice cream, we talked long into the night about creating a drink that would evoke the sights, noise and

emotions we had experienced as kids at the seaside. There’s nothing more exciting and reinvigorating than the sounds, smells and tastes of the British coast. We decided that to be authentic, our drink had to capture the essence of our favourite ice cream.”

It took almost a year to perfect the recipe and involved tasting trips across Europe during 2019 to find the very best lemons. Arron, Andy and Steve were surprised by how much difference the variety of lemons made to the flavour of their drinks. In the end, by far the best lemons to evoke the flavour and memories of lemon-top ice cream were those of Italy’s Amalfi Coast. These are unusually large, intensely fragrant, and grown on cliff-side terraces. Some people even like to eat them raw, like oranges.

Traditionally hand crafted, LemonTop Gin has zesty citrus notes and a delicate smooth finish. With just a hint of vanilla, reminiscent of the lads’ favourite ice cream, it’s the lemon sorbet that shines through, fresh but never overwhelming.

LemonTop Gin also packs in a punch at 40% proof.

Steve says: “We wanted to create a gin with flavours that helped people to

recollect happy memories of warm, sunny holidays and walking barefoot on the beach without a care in the world.”

According to Andy, LemonTop Gin goes exceedingly well with Cream Soda which makes it tastes like a delicious, intoxicating ice cream – or equally with Ice Cream Pale Ale – as well as any of the conventional mixers like tonic, orange juice or lemonade.

As specialist drinks marketeers, LemonTop Creative have naturally designed all labels, point of sale material and website for LemonTop Gin. Pictured are Steve Gill, Andy Mogg and Arron Stoutt with LemonTop Gin at Redcar beach

For further information: www.lemontopcreative.com www.LemonTopgin.co.uk

How to enter the brewing industry with a new brand

By Richard Horwell, Brand Relations

Continued from page 30

Cans are very popular but minimum runs are high. For example, minimum runs for printed cans are 150,000 and minimum filling runs are 75,000. There are options to fill blank cans from as low as 12,000 volume and then sleeve them afterwards. It is a more expensive option but a far better way to test the market.

Understanding the best packaging for your drink and your target market is important. It’s a large part of your initial outlay so you’ll want to get it right. Also, a wrong decision could leave you with very expensive unusable product on your hands.

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Co-packers (Contract Manufacturers) Co-packers fill your drink in bulk so are a key part of the process. Make sure that the company you select has a good reputation - maybe speak to other brands they have filled? Also make sure they have the right certification as that question will be asked by retailers and wholesalers.

Do you research, get expert advice and you’ll be at a good starting point with your drinks idea.

For further information: www.brandrelations.co.uk

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Richard Horwell is the owner of Brand Relations, a specialist food and drink marketing and branding company based in London. Over the last 10 years, Brand Relations has been behind the launch and development of over 80 brands in the UK. Richard has also built up and sold companies of his own in the Food and Beverage sector.

He has over 30 years’ experience in marketing FMCG brands around the world, having lived and worked in the US, Australia and the Middle East.

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SHOWCASE Branding

Branding is much more than just an appealing logo says Richard King, The Cotton Textile Company Branding is often thought of as a company or products logo that is applied to packaging, labelling and the company letterhead. In fact it is far more than this. When you start to focus on branding you need to think what you want to achieve as a business and how you will succeed.

A business or product needs to stand out from its competitors, it needs to be seen to be competitive in terms of price and value and a business needs to deliver on its promises. All of these elements need to be communicated through BRANDING.

For this to happen the product needs a voice, it needs a personality and it needs to promote its values consistently to build a reliable following of customers. We have been looking at branding for a new product launch that will happen later this year and to ensure that we are creating the desire we have looked at; • Colours for all the products, labelling and communication methods • Fonts or typefaces that will be used on every written or published advert, email, newsletter • A voice that resonates with the target audience, in the case of our new product

this is a soft voice that makes you think of a family unit, but also using Queens English to promote the concept of history and the idea that the product has been established a long time, although it is a brand new venture.

• A logo that is simple and easily recognisable and will still look fresh in years to come. The logo should also be easily transferable across the products that you produce today and also those that you may produce in years to come.

• A mission statement and goal that we can deliver on and that will appeal to the target audience.

• We have involved the whole team to ensure the same message.

By combining all of these elements and ensuring that every email and every time we answer the phone, we do so in the same manner to ensure consistency, we fill our audience with comfort and trust in our business and products.

Building the initial desire and then delivering on your promises is what truly creates a valuable brand. For me, Heinz Baked Beans and Guinness are great examples of products and brands that are not unique but they have both

consistently delivered on their promises to me in terms of taste and quality and they both have a voice that is both instantly recognisable and also one that I know I can trust, hence they are always my first choice.

So when you are thinking about ‘branding’ your business think deeper than just an appealing logo. Your brand is your business and everything that happens within it.

For further information: www.thecottontextilecompany.co.uk sales@thecottontextilecompany.co.uk

What’s brand got to do with it?

by Myles Pinfold, founder and strategic director at WPA Pinfold

Let’s face it, in blind tastings consumers are not going to recognise your beer and they would probably struggle to even properly recognise the beer style.

And simply identifying your product as beer doesn’t cut it in today’s market either - unless your name is Homer (Simpson) and even he has his favourite brand.

So, branding serves two functions; on a basic level, it identifies your product and helps the drinker navigate the bar or shelf. However, as we all know, it’s much more than that – beyond your brewing kit, it is probably the most significant investment you will make. And, let’s face it, you don’t even need to own your own

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brewery nowadays to brew your own beer, as several well-established brands will attest to.

There were approximately 13,000 beers listed in the last Good Beer Guide, with over 500 new beers being launched annually pre-2020, and with over 100 different beer styles to choose from. No wonder drinkers have become both more discerning and more confused...

In the incredibly competitive beer sector branding really does have to function on a higher level, knowing your place on bar and on shelf is critical to ensure you have the right positioning – the landscape is constantly changing too, both on-trade and off-trade. Whilst having a compelling and differentiating value proposition will help win both the

hearts and minds of loyal drinkers. Bear in mind that quality is a given in this sector and not a differentiator (unless you happen to be called Carlsberg) and drinkers need a reason to believe in you and your brand. Most important of all you need to believe in yourself and be able to walk the talk – there are already too many great pretenders out there.

All the indicators suggest that the hospitality sector will experience a bounce back when it is finally released from its shackles and it is worth giving your brand that extra TLC, that it deserves, to ensure that it hits the ground running as market demand increases.

For further information: wpa-pinfold.co.uk

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SHOWCASE Branding

UK manufactured embossed metal signs for Brewdog Rudd Macnamara has recently manufactured a quantity of embossed metal signs for Brewdog.

Brewdog’s International Marketing Executive, Dan Jones, explained. “I had found Rudd Macnamara via a search engine while looking for UK-produced craft beer barware. I’d spotted that they had previously worked with peers such as Northern Monk, so I decided to contact them and quote for a job we were looking to execute at pace.”

Once artwork had been received from

Brewdog, Rudd Macnamara produced flat sheet samples which enabled the purchaser to view the quality of the print without having to spend money up front on embossing dies.

Rudd Macnamara in most circumstances are more than happy to provide flat sheet samples free of charge before any commitment is made.

Dan went on to say. “As a carbon negative brewery, we’re always looking for ways to source locally. What’s more, the team at Rudd Macnamara were quick, reactive and provided competitive price points, which when combined made for a really appealing service.

They turned the job around super quickly and delivered without any issues. We’re really pleased with the quality of the final product, which stands out from the crowd, and will certainly be exploring further opportunities with them when we need high-end signage solutions.”

Rudd Macnamara is an established UK manufacturer of brewery and drinks

point-of-sale branded products with a long track record of servicing international and local brands alike.

The Brewdog signs are destined to be delivered to its overseas customers. Rudd Macnamara is also able to issue a Certificate of Origin showing that the signs are of UK manufacture.

For further information: www.beerbranding.co.uk enquiries@ruddmacnamara.com

Beer subscription packaging ‘worthy of admiration’

Surrey based Big Smoke Brew Co. is no stranger to beer packaging.

Established in 2014, the company swiftly made a reputation for itself for delivering an array of quality beers.

Recognising the value of quality packaging and the role it plays in consumer spending behaviour, in 2016 the brewery reached out to Saxon Packaging, who’ve been fulfilling its beer packaging needs ever since.

In July 2020, Sam Medway (Big Smoke Brew Co.) got in touch for a beer subscription packaging solution which would hold 12x330ml cans of beer and associated merchandise. Wayne Bennett, Saxon’s Internal Sales Co-ordinator, quickly got to work in bringing a design to life. With the help of the in-house design team, it wasn’t long until a suitable design was in place and agreed.

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The box was based on a FEFCO 0471 style and flexographically printed to both sides, onto white kraft corrugated cardboard.

“The artwork behind Big Smoke Brew Co’s beer subscription packaging was very cleverly constructed. By utilising the white kraft corrugated cardboard as part of the artwork design, a two colour visual was achieved by using solely one single colour of ink,” said Sam Rowe – Print & Artwork Co-ordinator, Saxon Packaging.

To ensure product protection during the rigors of transit, and to add an extra dimension to the product presentation, this particular beer subscription back

incorporated two internal dividers (divs) and a bespoke internal fitting.

Amalgamating the design of the box and the internal fittings became the main challenge in this packaging project, but the Saxon Packaging design team managed to achieve Big Smoke Brew Co.’s vision. The end result, is a beer subscription packaging solution ‘worthy of admiration’.

For further information: www.saxonpackaging.co.uk

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SHOWCASE Branding

Purple Mustard’s unveils new point-of-sale innovation Going bespoke need not break the bank with the latest promotional matting solution from the Team at Purple Mustard.

Counter Impressions is a premium, hygienic, wipeable point-of-sale product that not only provides liquid containment for spillages like a traditional moulded PVC Bar Rail, but also delivers stunning edge to edge, full colour print for any design too!

Available in a choice of 3 sizes, it is perfect for use at bars, counters and retail collection points. Manufactured in

Europe, this custom product is available from just 20 pieces, offering brands and venues a flexible yet premium promotional solution for their brand within just 2 weeks.

Julie Jones, Head of Sales at Purple Mustard, added, “We’re so excited about this latest addition to our range of European manufactured matting solutions. It is a great example of where our customers spoke, and we listened!

We have seen more and more brands looking for a premium solution for their bar point of sale but are often restricted

by large minimum order volumes, long lead times and design limitations.

“Counter Impressions really delivers, offering brands an eye-catching and premium point of sale product, at quantities and lead times that work for them.”

For further information: www.purplemustard.co.uk

What comes to mind when you think about branding...?

Is it the vibrant illustrations on a can? The swirl of a particular letter that makes up the composition of a logo? Perhaps it’s the stark colour scheme employed across a range of pump clips.

While these things definitely help to differentiate one set of products and services from another, a visual identity is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to branding.

Here at Hop Forward, not only do we make your beer look as good as it tastes but we use our wealth of experience taken from years of working in branding, marketing and commercial brewing to help you brew up a better business.

Branding isn’t merely about visually standing out on a shelf or having a logo that ‘pops’, it encompasses the entirety of how a consumer feels and thinks about that particular product or service.

While lockdown has given brewery owners more time to set up and refine packaging lines or blow the dust off their e-commerce sites, how many have really sat down to think through their brand’s strategy?

What does your business stand for and against? How are you communicating your vision to your customers or potential consumers through the copy on your website? Does your strapline summarise what you’re about in a short memorable phrase? What do your drinkers say, think and feel about you and your beers?

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These are a snapshot of the questions we explore with breweries, bottle shops, bars and drinks businesses of all shapes and sizes that we consult with on brand development projects; coming up with strategies to keep their core message consistent through their packaging design, marketing and business activities.

One such international project was with Bature Brewery, Nigeria’s first craft brewery. “As a fast growing micro-brewery, we were making a significant jump in production volume and entering a major new market of Lagos,” says brewery co-founder, Kevin Bature (see picture).

“Impressed by the Hop Forward Podcast, we reached out to get some help in the areas of marketing and customer perceptions of our brand. Hop Forward quickly pulled together a global network of industry players and beer writers, which they combined with their own brewing experience to provide a set of actional recommendations for our business,” said Kevin.

“With a focus on brand storytelling, Hop Forward has empowered us to make strategic decisions with confidence. We look forward to working with Hop Forward again in the future.”

Breweries or businesses need to think through how customers should experience their brand on a much deeper level; this 90% of the branding ‘iceberg’ below the surface is where most

of the cognitive activity happens in a consumer’s mind to help them decide choosing one beer over another.

If a customer has a difficult time navigating your online shop, what impression does that leave on a buyer?

Who are your target audience and does your brand tone of voice resonate with them? How does the point of sale design help potential customers make a decision to buy your products over a competitor’s when faced with a range of pump and keg clips on a bar?

These are a mere snapshot of the considerations you should be answering if you want to grow your brand and, therefore, your business.

Hop Forward is a branding, marketing and business agency that is here to help you get ahead in brewing and beer business. We make your beer look as good as it tastes and help you brew up a better business.

Visit our website and check out our regular podcast, featuring interviews and discussions from a wide variety of brewing and beer professionals from across the globe.

For further information: www.hopforward.beer

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NEWS Equipment

6ixFabdec brewhouse is ‘flying’ at Buxton Brewery

6ixFabdec has recently installed a new semi-automatic brewhouse at Buxton Brewery, and its MD, Geoff Quinn, is delighted with his purchase.

Geoff takes up the story: “We had commissioned a canning line in February 2020, following in the footsteps of a project to triple our fermenting capacity.

This left us with our 7-year-old manual and somewhat inefficient - brewhouse acting as a kind of ‘bottle-neck’ to production.

“An Instagram post showing a beautiful, skid-mounted brewhouse that was available straight away led us to a quick ‘measure up’ and a few phone calls and before long we had ordered a new brewhouse!

“The old equipment was totally locked into the building and would be a huge challenge to move, let alone replace with

another one in the same footprint. However we brewed our last beer at the end of July 2020 and decommissioned the old time-served brewhouse. Within a three-week window of opportunity, 6ixFabdec had installed the new semi-automatic brewhouse and it was well on the way to being commissioned.

“With a near seamless transition, meaning little disruption to production and packaging, we were quickly up-and-running, with the flexibility and improved quality and efficiency of the new 3-vessel set-up.

“This was quite a challenge to overcome along with the extra burden and pressure of operating the bruinss in the pandemic.

Almost 4 months down the line and we’re delighted with the brewhouse. It’s now totally bedded in and flying along.

We’re so happy with the quality of the beer we’re brewing, and look forward to the future.

“Throughout the project, the 6ixFabdec engineers, designers, sales and support have been outstanding, so much so we’ve already begun working on a further project together.”

Ninkasi now stocks pumps!

Over the past twelve months or so, Ninkasi’s customers have been asking the company more and more to help them with different types of brewing equipment.

“One of the things that kept cropping up was a good multi-purpose brewery pump which did not cost the earth,” says a company spokesperson. “We spoke to lots of different engineers, along with brewers, and determined that a multipurpose, hygienic paddle pump with the ability to move solid matter was ideal to meet the needs of most craft brewers.”

So… Ninkasi developed one! Along with the afore-mentioned attributes, they boast variable speed controls, dry-run protection and timer functions, making them one of the most well-equipped pumps currently on offer in the UK.

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6ixFabdec Ltd designs and manufactures a full range of high quality hygienic stainless steel vessels, pressure vessels and thermal plate transfer technology.

Quality and customer satisfaction is always at the forefront of the business and this is helped with having two manufacturing facilities which are based in Somerset and Ellesmere in Shropshire.

The key aim is to supply high quality British manufactured products and services both UK and worldwide and offer on-site installation all over the UK and Europe.

For further information: 6ixfabdec.com sales@6ixfabdec.com

“Our customers also commented that outright purchase of new equipment during the current climate was challenging, so we have looked at solutions to enable brewers to get hold of top end equipment for affordable monthly payments. We can supply an RX-04 from as little as £80 per month moving up to the RX-20 at £120 per month.”

If you are interested in talking to the company about pumps or any of its other products to support your brewery’s growth, please contact Ninkasi through its website.

Technical Specifications

For further information: www.ninkasirentals.co.uk

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NEWS Equipment

Vigo adds CraftCan DUO™to its UK portfolio

Vigo Ltd has added one of the latest American Beer Equipment product innovations, the CraftCan DUO™, to its portfolio for UK craft breweries.

The CraftCan DUO™16 includes all the features of the standard CraftCan™ but has a ‘dual-fill’ design, in the form of two filling lanes rather than one, filling at over twice the output (up to 90cpm) of the largest CraftCan model, the CraftCan35 (up to 35cpm).

In addition, as a result of the DUO’s double lane, it can fill 2 different can sizes at once. Features include: • Speeds of up to 5,400 cph (90cpm) • 16-head fill system (8 per line) with purge & pulse on the same head • Dual touchscreen PLC controls for setup and monitoring of each lane • Simple changeover between can sizes • Ability to run two separate can sizes (one on each lane if necessary) • CE marked • Industry leading and patented Servo Seaming technology, allowing for real-time seam monitoring, with dual seaming stations • Space efficient (length 3330mm) • Can easily be incorporated into existing lines or supplied as a full line (depalletiser, conveyor, packing tables etc.)

a smaller budget and smaller footprint than other machines the UK market could offer.

“The new CraftCan DUO™ represents an attractive offering to breweries looking to increase their throughput and efficiency without the inhibitive costs of counter pressure filling lines. It is also our best future-proof canning option for breweries looking to start canning, who need the flexibility of dual-fill throughput and different can sizes. The CraftCan DUO™ can also can cider and many other drinks.”

With 42 canning line installations under its belt and more on lines on order, Vigo offers a comprehensive supply, installation and commissioning service.

Andy explains, “Our engineering team is a critical part of our product offering.

Whether it’s a canning line, a brewhouse, a bottling line, or a kegging system we’ve supplied, we have a team of engineers you can call on for ongoing support, maintenance and advice. We also keep a comprehensive range of spares in stock, and offer maintenance and service contracts which we can tailor depending on annual throughput.”

Sales Director, Andy Pegman, says, “We’re really pleased to be adding the DUO to our range. When we introduced the standard CraftCan to the UK market in 2016, it became an integral stepping stone for craft breweries, enabling them to start canning on a craft scale on both

2020 was an extraordinary year, and when asked what challenges Vigo have encountered, Andy explains, “It’s definitely been a challenge. Like the majority of UK businesses, we have been impaired by the lockdowns and restrictions, but with a lot of multi-tasking

Labfacility, the leading UK manufacturer of temperature sensors, thermocouple connectors and associated temperature instrumentation, is celebrating its 50th birthday in 2021.

Yorkshire and exports to over 85 countries, with shipments made to worldwide destinations on a daily basis.

and flexible working, we managed to achieve a workable balance between safety and support. The safety of our staff and the customers we work on behalf of is our priority, as always, and we’ve worked hard on assessing risks and incorporating precautionary protective measures. These measures add an extra but necessary layer of complexity to our operations, but it’s amazing to think that after the first lockdown, our installations included 7 canning lines, 4 CIMEC bottling lines and 2 chilling ringmains in Dublin, Glasgow, Dorset, East Sussex, Somerset, London and Devon.

“We remain vigilant and reactive to the ongoing restriction changes in the UK and ROI. What has been a real inspiration is the inventive ways craft producers have reached out to their customers in these trying times.”

For further information: www.vigoltd.com sales@vigoltd.com

Labfacility celebrates its 50th Anniversary The Company has been trading since 1971 and is ISO 9001 accredited. It has two UK sites – West Sussex and South

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In addition to the stocked items, which includes thermocouple cables, Labfacility also offers bespoke temperature Sensors.

The company is a specialist in the design and manufacture of custom-built temperature sensors at its 18,000 square foot Yorkshire plant located in Dinnington. A wide range of components and fittings for sensor installation is also on offer. Quality and service are key

elements in the continued growth of Labfacility; technical support for both sensing and instrumentation is always freely available from an experienced technical sales team.

Commented a spokesperson for the company: “We want to say a big thank you to everyone who has made this 50th year anniversary possible.” .

For further information: wwwlabfacility.com sales@labfacility.com

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NEWS Equipment

Modular bottling line expansion at Camerons

It was just 5 years ago that Camerons Brewery invested in a new Enterprise Tondelli glass bottling line, designed to be modular to allow them to meet on-going future requirements. The latest phase allows an increase in line efficiency, repurposing of some operators and addition of new product sku’s and processes.

Due to increased volumes, maximising the line efficiency was key and has been increased by some 15%. This was achieved through a number of initiatives including the addition of a new fully automatic Fipal bulk glass depalletiser and Fipal pack palletiser. The palletiser has an open electronic architecture to allow the customer to add new formats by themselves, making the machine very flexible and quick to respond to new customer formats.

The original installation included a Baumer packer capable of producing both wraparound cartons and also tray packs. Adding a new Baumer overwrap shrink-wrap module reduced down time on the shrink wrapper and has been a simple upgrade. The new shrink tunnel has handwheel adjustment of the tunnel side walls for the different pack widths to improve shrink.

The most striking addition is the installation of a new tunnel pasteuriser from

Enterprise so that Camerons can both sterile filter or tunnel pasteurise. The six zone tunnel pasteuriser supplied by Enterprise from Bigtem has insulation on the two hot zones of the machine on both the side and also the top covers reducing energy usage.

The thermal design of the machine means much smaller water reservoirs coupled with plate type heat exchangers give quicker heat up and better PU control. Another benefit is reduced water consumption as all of the water is collected and reused with the machine rather than overflowing to drain. The control panel allows easy addition of new pasteurisation cycles by Camerons and a dynamic PU projection calculator on the 10” Siemens touch screen makes it a very user friendly unit.

Originally the line had a BRB Globus self adhesive rotary labeller. However space was allowed for a future wet glue labeller and this has now been added, and is also from BRB Globus of Mantua, Italy. A ROPP free standing screw capper was installed to compliment the crown cork offering along with an additional cap hopper and feeder for quick change over. The conveyors, control panel and field wiring were supplied from Eurosistemi who are a specialist conveyor systems manufacturer

Lambrechts Monobloc for Fourpure A new Monobloc 80 kegging machine supplied by Lambrechts forms part of a £2.5m expansion at Fourpure Brewing Co. which also includes a new canning line.

The brewery, which is part of the Lion Little World Beverages quartet of craft beer brands, has switched to an automated keg operation to improve safety, quality and productivity at its site in Bermondsey, London as well as upgrading its existing canning line to give the brewery more flexibility and optimise performance.

Commented Lambrechts’ sales and project director, Benoit Rubbens’ “Lambrechts is proud to have been chosen by Lion to supply the new kegging line for this important UK venture, and we look forward to supporting the brewery

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owned by Enterprise Tondelli.

Mr Chris Deakin, Brewing Operations Director, said, “The modular aspect of the line and the long term future proofing of the original design has been very helpful in developing our contract filling business. The addition of a tunnel pasteuriser means we have been able to secure some long term contracts and has opened up many opportunities. We have been impressed by the increase in line efficiency with the new equipment from Enterprise which really helps with overall line utilisation.

“Although quite a complicated project carried out during covid restrictions it was handled fantastically by our own Camerons’ people and by Enterprise Tondelli too.”

For further information: www.enterprisetondelli.co.uk

team in the years to come.”

Fourpure’s upgraded kegging system now has advanced cleaning equipment that sterilises kegs using pressurised steam at 130°C. The state-of-the-art technology will increase the efficiency of Fourpure’s production and improve flavour retention in keg.

This is also a big plus for low and no alcohol beers where the self-protection that alcohol normally provides is much reduced and even with the slightest compromise on keg sterility can be found out. The new system guarantees an exceptional degree of consistency in results, while the switch from a manual operation to automated also reduces the need for hard labour by assisting staff in the heavy lifting of kegs, allowing an impressive 60 kegs to be filled

every hour, easily and safely.

Meanwhile, Fourpure’s new optimised canning line, supplied by the CFT Group and Kensal Handling Systems, will increase speed and performance, providing more flexibility for in-line labelling of cans.

To complete this upgrade in equipment, the brewer took on new units on the industrial site in Bermondsey where it is based, allowing the creation of a purpose-built packaging area.

For further information: www.lambrechts-group.be

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NEWS Equipment

Wild Goose Filling adds direct support in the U.K. & Ireland Wild Goose Filling, a leader in craft beverage canning and bottling systems, has expanded its localised sales and service capabilities to support increased craft packaging in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Wild Goose now offers direct equipment service, support, spare parts supply and training for UK and Irish craft brewers operating Wild Goose canning and Meheen bottling systems. In addition, the company’s European offices, based in The Netherlands and Spain, also provide multilingual sales and financing assistance for Wild Goose’s CE-marked equipment. The company already directly serves hundreds of craft producers and mobile packaging providers throughout Europe, with more than 2,200 systems installed worldwide.

Wild Goose’s localised approach comes

as craft producers continue the “packaging pivot” to meet rising can and bottle demand and pandemic-proof their business models. Said Wild Goose’s chief executive officer Chris Fergen, “We know our craft customers’ ‘new normal’ may lean more heavily on packaging even after our industry overcomes the challenges of the pandemic.

We want to make sure current and future customers in the United Kingdom and Ireland have direct service from our Wild Goose team.”

With the popularity of Wild Goose’s newest tabletop canning system, the Gosling, as well as its flagship canning and bottling systems, the updated direct structure moves to best serve the company’s growing UK and Irish customer base. Said Fergen, “Customers may want to flex with available can

New heat exchanger software expands collaboration possibilities New software for the design of shell and tube heat exchangers is not only more accessible, but it also offers greater freedom for teams to collaborate on projects, improving project flow and speeding up design, approval and manufacturing.

Unlike other systems, AHED (Advanced Heat Exchanger Design) uses a combination of local cloud-based design software to allow users anywhere in the world to share their designs and collaborate on projects. At the same time AHED has been designed to be useful for anyone with a moderate understanding of the engineering or thermal basis of heat exchange technologies.

There is a large global demand for accessible heat exchanger design systems which extends well beyond specialist manufacturing companies.

From engineering companies and contractors in industry sectors such as brewing, those who evaluate designs on

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behalf of others, and even academics and students.

AHED Software General Manager Arnold Kleijn comments: “There are many people, including occasional users, who want full system functionality, but who cannot justify expensive software licenses for one or two projects a month, or even a year.

We have built on 40 years of commercial heat exchanger experience to develop AHED, including the tools that we know make it both easier to use and more accessible in the modern world.”

One of the issues that AHED was created to resolve was the difficulty in collaborating on projects, both within a company but also with other interested parties such as sales agents and manufacturers. Holding project data on a secure central server means that it can be shared across teams and businesses, wherever they might be in the world. The ability to collaborate within the software is also backed up by the ability to export

supply and offer new can sizes on their Gosling QuickChange. Maybe they are ready to upgrade canning speed on their Evolution Series system. Or, they are looking to add a unique bottle format to their Meheen line.

“By growing our European staff and service model, we are now able to offer comprehensive, time-zone-friendly support, parts shipping and expert service for all of those customers directly from Goose.”

For further information: www.WildGooseFilling.com

data in standard formats for use in other systems, such as spreadsheets.

Arnold continues: “The whole collaborative feel is at the heart of the AHED user experience. It is also extremely flexible, so you can tailor the program to your own requirements. If you just need a design program for tube-in-tube and multitube designs using proven calculations, then you can have that, but we offer additional options and modules including more complex heat exchanger designs, more processes, fluid databases, and even engineering services to assess calculations and designs.”

AHED is available for a commitment-free two-week trial. Licences start at just €125 for three months for the basic package.

For further information: www.hrs-ahed.com

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NEWS Equipment

B&B Attachments introduces new addition to its range of turning attachments B&B Attachments continues to drive its innovative solutions within the material handling industry by introducing its new box turning attachment.

Several features promise to make the new produce box turning attachment a sound investment for the user. This high visibility unit with its robust construction is a low maintenance solution to handling and rotating a range of different box sizes.

This attachment is intended exclusively for the transport and lateral discharge of produce and Dolav boxes. It improves productivity through speed of rotation and elimination of dropped loads.

The specially positioned arms are fitted directly to a KAUP 360 degree rotating head. The arms secure the box load at both the top and sides, providing a safe and secure hold on the load. The arms are manually adjustable to handle different box sizes securely and are fully

bushed to ensure smooth arm movement. There are several different types of top and side arm options available. The attachment can be supplied with a side arm on either one or both sides of the rotator.

This attachment can be fitted with a rear spacer to help the truck discharge produce closer to the centre of vehicles or when its receiving hoppers, ensuring safety and increased productivity with every lift. The arms can also be made as ‘quick release’ which allows the operator to revert to a standard rotator and forks in under two minutes, allowing all other palletised loads to be handled by the same forklift truck.

The rotator is rated 3200kg at 500mm load centre. All capacities, sizes and types are available through B&B Attachments.

B&B Attachments has been established for 40 years and prides itself on providing solutions to the most demanding material handling tasks. Its technical support and fully inclusive maintenance and service contracts ensures full service support at every stage of equipment selection and use.

For further information: www.bandbattachments.com

FLOWave range expands to include compact and cost flexible options for OEMs

A new compact, integral flowmeter has been released for OEMs in the food & beverage markets. Bürkert’s FLOWave S utilises a compact transmitter and has been designed to achieve a reduced footprint and increased price flexibility for OEM development.

Bürkert’s FLOWave S Type 8098 flowmeter has been designed for OEM applications with the highest hygienic demands in the food & beverage sectors.

The FLOWave S provides high accuracy for the qualification and validation of production, cleaning and sterilisation processes. Utilising Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) technology, optimal measuring results are achieved with homogeneous liquids, even those with low or no conductivity.

FLOWave S utilises the same flow sensor as the broader functioned FLOWave L but replaces the large transmitter with a compact, simplified design. The smaller

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footprint enables OEMs to reduce the size of machine builds to achieve more compact plant design, making integration with existing equipment simpler. The more lightweight design also makes for faster and easier installation. Significantly, the FLOWave S enables price flexibility for OEMs, particularly for installations that require multiple flowmeters.

The flowmeter has been designed for optimum hygiene combined with high reliability in a robust design. Complying with hygiene standards as well as being compatible with clean in place (CIP) and sterilise in place (SIP) processes, FLOWave S utilises stainless steel throughout. The measuring tube is unobstructed, offering the same construction and diameter as the process tube. For reliability and accuracy measuring liquids with higher viscosities, an integrated compensation factor can be used to fine-tune performance. Gas and steam flowrates cannot be

measured, however their presence in the liquid stream doesn’t impact reading accuracy.

Combining these benefits, Bürkert’s FLOWave S Type 8098 is well suited to OEMs creating process machinery with stringent hygienic requirements and a need for a compact and cost-effective flowmeter.

For further information: www.burkert.co.uk

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NEWS Equipment

Cask Force delivers whatever the circumstances!

Calverley’s Brewery is a smallbatch brewery based just off Mill Road in the heart of Cambridge.

Founded by two brothers, Sam and Tom, in 2014, intent on brewing a diverse range of beer inspired by the worlds eclectic beer styles, it has upgraded its keg and cask washing capability to a brand new 200 K-series Cask Force model.

After sustained growth with the popularity of its beers in Cambridge, Calverley’s Brewery first approached Cask Force at the start of 2020 about the potential purchase of a K-series keg and cask washers, with no warning of the Pandemic to come.

However with the success of sales via home delivery in the first lockdown and subsequent good performance during the summer months in its taproom, the brothers took the decision to order a machine.

“We needed a greater level of efficiency in operations around the brewery,” says Sam Calverley. “This meant purchasing the new keg and cask washer along with additional fermenters and conditioning tanks.

“The past twelve months have been very

difficult but I want the brewery to be in a strong position when we come out of the other side of this.”

The 200K Electric model will clean up to 24 casks per hour and is electrically heated. Power is supplied though a 16amp 3 phase supply although the steam version can be powered by a single phase supply.

As well as washing casks the K-Series washes kegs without the need to remove the spears and Cask Force believes it to be the only machine on the market to effectively wash both casks and kegs.

The cleaning process is simple and clients have seen massive savings in manual labour and time taken to thoroughly clean returned containers.

The machines also promise other financial benefits. They save water, as the recycled water from the cleaning process is cleverly reused for pre-rinsing minimising usage costs and the

environmental impact. It also significantly reduces the likelihood of not cleaning effectively potentially spoiling batches. This improves the customer experience, knowing that products are going to arrive with the client in first class condition.

For more information on the Cask Force range of machines please call 0800 157 7198 and ask for Tim Crane or visit the website www.caskwasher.co.uk where you will find the complete range and videos with the equipment in action.

For further information: sales@caskwasher.com

Whisky producer optimises brewing process with technology from GEA

A leading whisky producer has chosen key GEA technologies for its new mash house, namely the GEA MILLSTAR® and GEA LAUTERSTAR®. These machines increase the yield from the raw material and shorten the brewing cycle, and a decisive factor in the selection process was GEA’s global brewery experience.

Few crafts are more traditional than making whisky. That said, Agitator Whiskymakare AB, located in Arboga, Sweden, decided to challenge standard whisky production methods by taking a more avant-garde approach. Even before its first spirits emerged from their stills in February of 2018, the fledgling company looked at the entire process

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with fresh eyes to determine what could be done better. Today, Agitator produces 250,000 bottles per year for the Scandinavian market which it hopes to expand, thereby reaching other markets in Europe and beyond.

Taking pride of place in the new mash house are the GEA MILLSTAR® and GEA LAUTERSTAR®, increasing yield from the raw materials and shortening turnaround times in Agitator’s brewing cycles.

“The initial flavour of a whisky is determined during brewing, and if you compromise on quality, it will show in the final product,” says Oskar Bruno, Agitator’s Distillery Manager. “We liked the wet-conditioned milling system that the GEA MILLSTAR® offers, combined with the flexibility of the GEA LAUTERSTAR®; we knew that this was

the equipment for us.”

The GEA MILLSTAR® system wets the grain as it is milled, conditioning the husk to make it elastic and preventing breakage. This allows the endosperm of the grain to be gently squeezed from the husk, crushed and mashed, aiding sugar extraction, minimising oxygen pick-up and preserving flavours.

The GEA LAUTERSTAR® maximises the extraction yield and wort strength while minimising operating costs and keeping the total cost of ownership low.

For further information: gea.com

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NEWS Containers

New Pro one-way keg from Polykeg

Polykeg, a global leader in the design and manufacture of PET kegs, has announced the launch of the new Polykeg Pro range of oneway kegs. The new Pro range includes a host of new features centred around safety, recycling, and logistics.

Tony Hird, Polykeg UK Managing Director, commented: “Polykeg is a design-led company focused on the needs and opportunities of our customers. We are passionate about understanding our customers and continually improving our products to improve their business.

“Polykegs are already regarded as the best kegs on the market because they are high quality, safe and so easy to use.

However, we wanted to take the product to a new level. Our design team focused on 3 key areas of improvement, safety, recyclability, and stability.”

The new Polykeg Pro’s features an Automatic PRV which is built into the top of the main valve. The PRV has 2 functions. If the pressure inside the keg exceeds 5.5 bar, it will automatically vent the excess pressure preventing any

further buildup of pressure. Then once the keg is empty and is ready for recycling, the valve can be manually broken using a red lever. This will automatically depressurize the keg completely rendering it safe for dismantling.

The construction of the new Pro now allows it to be very easily dismantled in minutes. No glue is used in the assembly, the valve screws off from the top and the base and handle now simply pull apart. This makes disassembly and therefore recycling of the keg much easier. The Pro also has a new soft touch carrying handle to make it more comfortable to carry.

Finally, the new Pro has been designed with a shorter body, wider base, and a lower center of gravity. This has several benefits. The shorter body means it will fit into smaller areas around bars and restaurants. The wider base and lower center of gravity make it sturdier especially when full. It is easier to palletize and you can now fit up to 48 kegs empty onto a pallet, which compares to 33 with the Polykeg Smart range. Shipping costs are therefore up to 22% cheaper.

PakTech unveils child resistant packaging for cannabis beverages

PakTech has announced the release of its latest packaging innovation for the CBD beverage market. PakLock, made from the same 100% recycled and 100% recyclable HDPE as PakTech’s popular multipacks, is a child resistant cap designed for CBD infused beverages.

The new packaging is designed to be a safe, secure, and simple solution to allow responsible adults to enjoy their CBD infused beverages worry-free while ensuring the safety of children.

Developed by PakTech’s engineering team, PakLock is an important innovation for the growing cannabidiol beverage market. PakLock provides a cost-effective solution to child resistant packaging needs that is easy to apply, fits perfectly on all standard 202-260

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The Polykeg Pro retains all the existing features and benefits of the previous Polykegs. Customers can choose any one of 6 valve types, A,S,D,G,M & K, with or without inner bag. All kegs have an inner dip tube to prevent fobbing, can be filled upright or inverted and they are delivered pre-purged so are ready to fill straight away.

For further information: www.polykeg.it

aluminium can formats, and is removable by adults.

“With the cannabis extract market growing rapidly across the world, we started to receive inquiries about whether we had any child-resistant or tamperevident packaging,” said Lloyd McGriff, Director of Sales at PakTech. “That was when we realized we could leverage our experience from our PakTech can carriers and meet this new market need.”

With diligent effort, PakLock was successfully created and certified. And it’s sustainable.

Like all of PakTech’s products, the PakLock is made from 100% recycled HDPE plastic, which means every PakLock is produced from existing recycled plastic. And when you’re done?

They’re 100% recyclable as well.

Designed to be secure and durable with an attractive minimalist design, PakLock is an affordable solution to securing CBD infused beverages for retail sale.

For further information: https://paktech-opi.com/

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NEWS Containers

Kegstar’s ‘next generation’ keg tracking set for UK

Smart stainless steel keg rental company Kegstar is set to launch its new IoT enabled keg tracking with the roll out of Project Starlight into the UK market.

The Kegstar team has spent several years developing this potentially gamechanging tracking technology, which not only provides the exact real-time location of every keg, but also gives detailed information of what’s inside it.

The bespoke-designed IoT device is connected to the keg chime through a welded bracket to avoid impeding couplers, cleaners, fillers or lifters, and is resistant to high-pressure cleaning.

Project Starlight improves on Kegstar’s existing barcode and RFID-scanning tracking technology, which has already generated more than 22 million scans in over 10 countries, with more than 1,300 customers in Australia, New Zealand, UK, USA, Ireland and The Netherlands in just eight years since the business started.

As the technology is rolled out, customers can tap into data showing the location, temperature and orientation of each keg. It can also show things like whether the keg has been cleaned or filled, is being off-loaded from a truck or is ready for collection at a hospitality venue.

“The device is even fitted with a light (but no whistle) to attract attention and aid on-site identification,” said Kevin Dinn, Kegstar’s technology lead.

The launch forms part of Kegstar’s ongoing drive to use the latest technology to improve its customers’ business costs, efficiency and experience.

“Helping get great beer out there is what we do,” said Christian Barden, who leads Kegstar globally. “Knowing exactly how each keg travels through the supply chain will help us all to do it better. We have an exciting technology and growth journey ahead.”

“Making our smart kegs even smarter is what this is all about,” adds Kevin, who has an impressive background in technology start-ups. “This is personal,” he continued. “My dad was director of the Canberra deep-space tracking station when they put the first man on the moon so I guess tracking is in my blood.”

The design of the device benefited from cross-involvement from Kegstar, its customers, its industry friends and IoT technology partner Thinxtra. The device has three radio transmitters to cover every wireless environment, from citywide locations right down to where each keg is in a facility. The transmitters are tuned specifically for challenging production and radio environments.

Sam Sharief, Chief Operating Officer, Thinxtra, said: “We’ve partnered closely throughout the process to create a feature-rich solution that is both scalable and future-proof.

“We’ve used smart edge computing capabilities, processing thousands of parameters in its motion engine and sending only relevant information back2base to maximise battery life. All

that happens through a combination of RFID, Wifi, Bluetooth and Sigfox 0G long range connectivity.”

Sam said this also meant that software could be updated remotely as Kegstar adapted to the ever-changing beverage supply chain.

Kevin added: “We’ve certainly got our work cut out in delivering this across our entire fleet, and it’ll be another fun part of how we improve our total customer experience.”

As we went to press with this issue of B&BIB, the kegs were currently in the Australian and New Zealand market place with units on the way to the UK, and these will go into circulation once the latest lockdown ends. These will be to calibrate and test the system before a further role out.

For further information: kegstar.com

MicroStar and Kegstar set to combine to build a new keg management business

MicroStar and Kegstar, two of the leading providers of drinks industry keg services through the Europe, USA, and Australasia, have announced that they will combine their businesses.

The merged business will be led by Michael Hranicka, MicroStar’s CEO & President, with Christian Barden remaining as the Global Managing Director of Kegstar, through the Kegstar

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and KegLease brands and solutions.

Christian, who started Kegstar in the UK in 2016 commented: “This is terrific news for our people, customers, partners and ambitions. It’s testament to the eight-fold growth the team have delivered across ten countries in the last four years, and we’ve only just got started.

“Becoming part of the MicroStar family with our shared people, quality,

innovation and sustainability values, is awesome. This merger keeps the best bits of our journey so far and will bring new levels of energy, global know-how and singular focus on keg management.

“Now, we have even more of the right resources to take the Kegstar and MicroStar brands to the next level for our customers and the drinks industry.”

BREWING & BEVERAGE INDUSTRIES BUSINESS • Spring 2021

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Cask and Keg Repair & Refurbishment Specialists

l A Genuine Alternative to Cask and Keg Replacement l Repairs to casks and kegs of all sizes l We can supply refurbished casks too l Fast On-Site Turnaround l Competitive Rates l Over 60 years of Industry Experience Please contact us for details of our other onsite services.

Head Office: 01283 740807 • Mob: 07952 152 099 Email: repairs@dhmbreweryservices.co.uk • Contact: Jason Miller

Web: www.dhmbreweryservices.co.uk • Twitter: @DHMBreweryServ

BREWING & BEVERAGE INDUSTRIES BUSINESS • Spring 2021

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Showcasing the British spirit

Approval by HMRC of new distillers – the chicken and egg paradox Alan Powell

So – you want to apply to HMRC to be a distiller and warehousekeeper but you don’t want to spend money to acquire premises or convert property or buy equipment unless HMRC is prepared to licence and approve your application but you don’t know that they will. Bit of a conundrum.

Until a few years ago, HMRC’s Notices 39 (Spirits Production) and 196 (concerning excise warehouse approval) required that applicants for distilleries and warehouses must apply to have plant, process and premises approved by HMRC before commencement of any operations whilst stating in the same breath that no premises should be leased or bought before making such an application. I called this the “chicken and egg” paradox.

The notices extant at that time stated: Notice 39 2.1 What general requirements must I meet?

Before you start to produce spirits you must: • obtain a distiller’s licence (see paragraph 2.2),and • apply for approval of the plant and process you intend to use (see paragraph 2.4).

2.4 How do I apply for approval of plant and process?

You should write to the National Registration Unit providing … details: In your own interests you should not acquire land or premises or begin any building operations until we approve your plans.

Notice 196 4.4 Applying for excise warehouse approval When you apply you must include: • three copies of drawings or plans showing details of the proposed approved area Prior to approving the premises an HMRC officer will visit you, at which point you must satisfy us of all of the following: • the premises are physically secure and suitable for the intended purpose • potential risks to the revenue are appropriately managed •our officers can work in a healthy and safe environment.

You should not assume that we will grant excise warehouse approval for your premises. Therefore, in your own interests you should not: • acquire land or premises • start structural work, or • take any other action • before you have obtained this approval.

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To try to bring some sanity to the situation, I met senior HMRC Policy officials in 2015 who made a firm commitment to me to remove the paradoxical requirements in Notices 39 and 196 which I called the “chicken and egg” paradox; HMRC called it a Catch 22. The point is – and as HMRC commendably understood - a letter of indication should be available to any person needing a degree of certainty about how HMRC would view an alcohol approval licence/application, whether they are borrowing money or intending to commit their own funds.

The irrational policy in Notice 39 was amended and has simply been expunged from Notice 196. Notice 39 now states (ellipsis applied):

Before applying to HMRC ….Identify production and warehouse premises. If you do not own these, you’ll need to provide evidence to show you are planning to purchase them with any application you make.

We can issue a letter of indication to help you in securing finance to complete your plans where we’re satisfied from the details in your application that you are likely to succeed. For more information, read paragraph 2.4.

You may need to apply for a letter of indication of likely approval to satisfy bank lending requirements, for example.

This ought to do the job, but the above wording appears to some HMRC officers to only to relate to a need for a letter of indication for the purposes of financing the endeavour rather than, say, self-fund it, although the notes in Notice 39 state: “You may need to apply for a letter of indication of likely approval to satisfy bank lending requirements, for example…”

On behalf of affected industry sectors, I have therefore requested that HMRC Policy re-considers the need and purpose of expressions of interest and consistency within the public notices to the effect that: • letters of indication may be issued on application whether the premises (distillery or (any) excise warehouse) are actually owned or leased provided that the business “appears sound” (and would in all material particulars be that of the application made “in principle”); • letters of indication may be requested regardless of whether the applicant requires financial assistance or is self-funded.

Expressions of interest from potential customers Moving on, the further problem is that some HMRC officers appear to be requiring “letters

of intention” or “expressions of interest” from applicants for approval as commitment from prospective customers to consider listing a product that does not exist and cannot legally exist unless and until a distiller’s licence and approval is issued by HMRC. Moreover, HMRC appears to be requiring that some samples of the product be made by a third party licensed distiller just to hawk around these prospective customers and even though the actual product may not be the same thing as the sample product (which would not be “authentic” anyway, thus confounding the entire point of the project).

Critique of HMRC requirements

There is no stipulation anywhere for “letters of intent” or “expressions of interest” to be submitted with any approval application, although it has become a standard “boxticking” exercise by HMRC. The requirement for applicant distillers/warehousekeepers to provide “letters of intent” or “expressions of interest” goes to the very heart another irrational ”Catch 22” imposition. An applicant cannot, by law, produce spirits without a licence and approval. Similarly, an applicant rectifier/compounder cannot rectify or compound spirits without an appropriate licence. Yet HMRC requires a person with no product that they can legally produce to obtain confirmation from prospective customers that the non-existent product will be considered for listing by that prospective customer. It is utterly irrational.

To save time in most other cases, I have advised applicants to obtain three or four “expressions of interest” from customers to the effect that when the product becomes available, they will consider listing the product subject to its quality and availability etc. HMRC almost invariably accepts such “expressions of interest” even though they are not really worth the paper they are written on but it seems to satisfy HMRC’s box-ticking mind-set.

Alan Powell

Alan Powell is a specialist excise duties consultant, formerly a Policy official within HMCE’s HQ teams. He is excise duties advisor to the Chartered Institute of Taxation, honorary advisor to the UK Warehousing Association and founded the British Distillers Alliance as a conduit for consultation with, and representation to, Government bodies and to assist and advise on technical matters.

For further information: www.britishdistillersalliance.com

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NEWS Bar & Cellar

J & E Hall’s cellar cooler range extended

The J & E Hall Cellar Plus Cooling System range now includes ten models. There are six systems with twin indoor coolers and four with a single indoor cooler which extends cooling duty to 10kW nominal.

The new condensing units utilise the Copeland Scroll compressor and come complete with all necessary refrigeration controls and components. These new systems have the advantage of longer 50m pipe runs – enabling installation in the most demanding sites.

Each system is supplied with appropriately sized expansion valves and fan discharge air straighteners to enhance air distribution in larger cold rooms. The Cellar Plus systems are suitable for multiple cooling applications in industries including pubs, bars and restaurants.

An air temperature range of 4°C to 15°C – adjusted and maintained by the electronic controller – allows product cooling in different industries requiring a temperature-controlled environment.

The indoor cooling unit was developed specifically for cellar cooling. It has a robust case, can be wall or ceiling mounted and, importantly, has six fins per inch brewery specification evaporator coils which makes it easy to clean and

maintain.

J & E Hall UK Sales Manager for Commercial Products, Paul McDermott, said: “They are sold as a system with the condensing unit, controller and evaporator from the same manufacturer all included – often not the case with a typical cooling system – and this helps with the installation. J & E Hall Cellar Plus Cooling Systems are tried and tested, reliable and cost effective. Add the pipework, charge the system with refrigerant and switch the electricity on. It really is not much more complicated than that for the competent installer.”

For larger capacity systems discharge air straighteners are supplied as standard for increased air throw and expansion valves are also supplied for site fitting.

The new condensing unit offers many new features including the use of a Copeland Scroll compressor, blue fin coils and pipe runs up to 50m for total flexibility.

Ease of installation keeps costs and time to a minimum for the contractor and low

noise means that the condensing units are suitable in or near residential areas.

There are single phase and three phase condensing unit options.

The in-built electronic controller fitted as standard makes it easier for the engineer in set-up and provides the customer with the accurate temperature control needed when cooling sensitive products.

Depending on capacity, the systems are able to use R448A or R449. A three-year manufacturer's warranty gives the installer and the end user total peace of mind.

For further information: www.jehall.co.uk

‘Pull the perfect pint’ with John Guest PolarClean push-fit connectors Operatives seeking to improve the conditioning of beer should consider John Guest’s pioneering PolarClean push-fit connectors to keep beer lines extra cold and clean.

Trusted by leading breweries, John Guest’s PolarClean connectors use tubein-tube technology to deliver extra cold beer straight from the keg coupler to the beer font, without the need for a cellar.

Beer lines are kept consistently cool at brand specification temperatures, eradicating the risk of microbiological activity while improving carbonation control and reducing product wastage.

Phil Lacey, UK Specialty Sales Director at RWC, said, “We know that when it comes to serving draught beer,

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breweries, bars, restaurants, cafés and hotels all need a reliable solution that’s fast and simple to install.

“With JG PolarClean, we make this possible.

Our connectors and innovative technology ensure that consistently cold beer is served at every pour. Our solution enables draught beer systems to be installed in limited spaces, at minimal cost, without the need for cold room or secondary cooler. Additionally, the costconscious times that we find ourselves in, owners get more revenue per keg due to less fobbing in the glass and beer-line downtime.”

JG PolarClean works by carrying beverages through a tube encased by another tube with coolant. The connectors use push-fit technology to make installation simple and easy, while it is also tamperproof, requiring a special release tool to dismount.

For further information: www.rwc.com/polarclean

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NEWS Packaging & Labelling

Controlled Environment Facility enhances OPM New for 2021, OPM has announced the installation of a Controlled Environment Facility to enhance its GMP standard audited Leeds site.

To meet increasing demand for product produced in controlled, critical Environments, OPM has installed a fully enclosed, segregated and controlled print room.

Spanning 60 metres in length and 7 metres in height with vision panels throughout, this was a seamless installation taking only six days to implement.

Providing an environment where air quality, temperature and humidity are highly regulated, to protect print and customer materials from possible sources of contamination and impurities, the integrity of the room is maintained through regular attention to cleaning, maintenance, and microbiological monitoring programmes.

Having a protective room where materials are printed, finished and packed ensures OPM's product meets stringent quality standards required and important within the food & beverage markets. It supports clients whose

products are destined for high-risk areas/consumers.

Benefits include: •Traceable Controlled print environment • Contaminant free products • Increased product confidence • Sustainable enclosure manufactured from 85% recycled materials OPM worked with Prodek who have over 20 years’ experience and capabilities to provide innovative solutions for environment and clean room projects.

For further information: www.opmgroup.co.uk

PLEASE COME AND SEE US AT THE SHOW

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NEWS Packaging & Labelling

Durham Box create impactful consumer packaging for Edinburgh Beer Durham Box’s new Nozomi singlepass LED inkjet digital press was put through its paces in the rundown to Christmas, in producing short run campaigns and regional promotions.

One such seasonal project passing through the corrugated manufacturer’s digital print facility has been consumer packaging and a unique advent calendar for Edinburgh Beer.

Established in the Scottish capital at the start of the pandemic, Edinburgh Beer is a collaboration project that supports Edinburgh’s craft breweries and raises charitable funds for local good causes.

The initiative is based on the supply of beers from eight established Edinburgh craft breweries, which are then sold online in packs of 12 or 24 cans, as well as a 4-can cube pack. Purchasing beer from craft brewers in this way triggers a fair price payment to the breweries, in addition to a £1 for charity for every box purchased.

With designs produced by an Edinburghbased illustrator, Durham Box used the single pass efficiency of the Nozomi

press to provide a dynamic print solution for the beer packs. And for the advent calendar, produced as a box to hold 24 cans, a coated B-flute board was used - the substrate providing good protection with a high quality print finish and 100% recyclability.

The complex design for the calendar, which included vibrant colours and black and white areas, was subject to a onepass layering effect by the Nozomi, giving the visual effect of a spot varnish.

For the calendar box construction, internal dividers were used for the cans to sit in, in addition to a speedy tear cutting rule to give a clean and precise opening experience.

Edinburgh Beer’s founder, Ben Wallace, said: “We were seeking a print solution that could do justice to the designs and they [Durham Box] have exceeded our expectations with a superb print finish, coupled with the flexibility of multiple print versions and relative short runs for all the variations of packs and the

calendar.

Our thanks to local illustraSusie Wright for creating the stunning design.”

As one of the UK’s leading corrugated packaging manufacturers, Co Durhambased Durham Box has recently undergone a brand refresh, in addition to launching a new website that highlights the company’s significant investment in digital.

Commenting on the work for Edinburgh Beer, Durham Box’s regional sales manager, Paul Barker, said: “It was great fun working with Ben, who has a 100 ideas at once, but a meticulous eye for detail! This is another great project showing the versatility, quality and impact of products produced through the Nozomi press,”

For further information: www.durhambox.co.uk

Specialist print house appoints five members of staff during the pandemic

A specialist print house based in Leeds, Print-Leeds Ltd, has made five new appointments during the Covid -19 pandemic.

The appointments have been made to strengthen the team as label production has ramped up since the first lockdown in March 2020.

Print-Leeds is now best known for its label printing capabilities. It is the sole supplier of labels to brewing giant Marston’s which recently merged with Carlsberg UK.

The company also prints labels for other household drinks brands such as Fentimans, cider producer Aston Manor and The Black Sheep Brewery.

Lockdown brought in more work for can and bottle labels from beverage

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manufacturers as the nation stayed at home to stay safe.

Rod Fisher, managing director of Print-Leeds said: “Covid has brought with it all sorts of challenges. Parts of the business have steadied whilst others are still trying to get back on their feet. As well as printing labels for the food and drinks industries we also produce print for retail, travel companies, events and exhibitions which has not recovered and won’t until the whole economy returns to some sort of normal.

“On the labels side we’ve been lucky to get more work and employ some highly skilled people from the industry. We’ve been able to take on another apprentice – it’s great to bring young people into the business straight from school.”

Print-Leeds is constantly investing in new machinery to open up new markets and better serve its clients. The company acquired a label printing company seven years ago which trebled its turnover.

In 2008 Print-Leeds acquired a digital printing company and now houses a successful large format digital printing division producing visual graphics suitable for any sector.

For further information: www.print-leeds.co.uk

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NEWS Business Services

Manchester brewery ShinDigger partners with HelloDone to offer 3 hour delivery powered by AI Conversational AI platform HelloDone has teamed up with Manchester brewery ShinDigger to transform its home delivery offer, increasing direct to customer sales by 300% over the first three weeks alone.

With its wholesale trade hit during lockdown, ShinDigger turned to automation to provide thirsty consumers within the M60 with their beer orders within three hours.

HelloDone’s proprietary artificial intelligence connects with order management systems and messaging apps like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger.

Three-hour delivery customers are alerted as soon as they reach the top of the delivery queue and can then track their driver. They can also manage their

order and get instant responses from ShinDigger via Facebook Messenger.

Unlike standard chatbots, the HelloDone platform uses natural language processing to power human-like conversations with customers. This means the system can understand a huge variety of customer questions and requests and still arrive at the right outcome.

Reducing the amount of manual input in the order process has freed up the team to ensure they can meet their three-hour promise. The service has been a big hit with locals, receiving over 1,000 five star reviews and a 99% satisfaction rating, and earning ShinDigger ‘Best Food and Drink Box Delivery’ at the Manchester Food and Drink Festival Awards.

So far, Friday has been the most popular day for stocking up, but Thursdays, in second place, have been preferred to Saturdays.

Paul Delamere (pictured with ShinDigger co-founder Paul Grant) said: "One of the key elements of on-demand delivery is ensuring customers have up-to-date and useful information about where their

order is. HelloDone has helped us achieve that and also allowed us to automatically answer the main questions that our customers have. In turn this has meant we can focus our resources on ensuring a great (and speedy) delivery experience!"

Ed Hodges, CEO of HelloDone said: “We started our business believing that the technology available today can offer consumers better and easier ways to ‘get stuff done’. Happily, buying delicious beer now fits in that category. By embracing the future of delivery and customer management, the ShinDigger team have shown what’s possible in tough market conditions. We’re thrilled, but not surprised, to see them delighting customers with their award-winning service.”

For further information: hellodone.ai

Kooomo showcases best in eCommerce technology

Global eCommerce platform Kooomo has ‘reskinned’ its website using its own Content Management System, to improve the User Experience (UX) for visitors and to demonstrate how easy it is for retailers to update the content in their own online stores.

The Kooomo CMS (Content Management System) was built to operate alongside the Kooomo eCommerce Platform, essentially providing everything needed to operate an online store in one place. The result is a more accessible and visually pleasing site for new and existing customers, through which all content can be easily

managed at the backend by content editors.

Kooomo’s strategy has always been to treat the company website as a storefront for showcasing the unique benefits of its eCommerce platform and it has continually improved the site’s ease-ofuse, simplicity and clear messaging to support the expectations of visitors. The objective was to create more engaging, digestible content that gets the user to the information they need as quickly and smoothly as possible, improving the UX and winning new customers.

Ciaran Bollard, CEO at Kooomo says, “We have seen a growing demand for the Kooomo platform over these last few

months, as retailers turned to the latest eCommerce solutions to overcome the challenges of coronavirus in the run up to Christmas. In response to this demand, we decided to modernise the look and feel of our company website in the exact way customers would be able to modify their own online stores through our integrated Content Management System (CMS).”

Kooomo is Europe’s leading eCommerce platform delivering increased sales and efficiencies with one solution for all sales channels.

For further information: www.kooomo.com

BREWING & BEVERAGE INDUSTRIES BUSINESS • Spring 2021

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THE VIEW THROUGH MY GLASS BOTTOM

Broad thoughts from a home…

Julian Grocock

A quick google confirms I’m not the first to plagiarise and play with the title of Robert Browning’s famous poem, but I’m really past caring.

This ‘mental stroll’ – my permitted exercise of the day – might get political, but I’m not being partisan, along traditional party lines, just to hurl abuse from one side of the House to the other. And if frustration is getting the better of me, I know it cannot compare with the trials and tribulations having to be endured by those of you who are actually still trying to earn a living in our beleaguered hospitality industry.

Hospitality industry? Surely a phrase we all thought we understood, but I suspect it must carry a different definition within the corridors of power, in order to justify how it’s been targeted – above almost every other aspect of everyday life – as though it really is the major contributor to a pandemic spiralling out of control.

Perhaps it should be added to the OED, thus: hospitality industry u n. the business of filling hospitals.

In the harsh light of our tragic (and record-breaking) national Covid-19 statistics, this obsessive and essentially simplistic focus has clearly not worked as desired, and might even have distracted attention from broader-based and bettercoordinated courses of action, as applied elsewhere, which have proved so much more effective. ~ Boris Johnson realised his ambition to be Prime Minister via a tactical decision to ditch long-held proEurope views and embrace the Brexit cause (helped considerably by the hopeless shambles trying to present itself as a viable alternative). This was not without casualties within his own party. Unfortunately, these included talented Tories with track records in hands-on pragmatic politics, so the new man at the top had to pick his Cabinet team from a mostly untested entourage of loyal and line-toeing ‘wannabe’ courtiers.

My satirical imagination runs away with this: ‘Boris, I went to school and learned my times-tables!’

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‘Ok, Gavin, you can be Education Secretary!’

(I’ve done them all, but you can play too. Answers on a postcard…)

I wonder if Mr Johnson is relishing the exalted position he believes he was born to occupy. It is, I suppose, a cruel twist of fate – or karma, if you’re feeling cruel yourself – that he should have acquired such a poisoned chalice, or indeed received what rugby commentators call a ‘hospital pass’. A young friend in my village is adamant that the PM and his colleagues are doing their best and deserve our sympathy and support. I don’t necessarily disagree, but this doesn’t mean they are up to the job.

Not long ago I witnessed Marine FC (Football Pyramid Level 8) also doing their best, in their FA Cup 5-0 defeat at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur.

They just weren’t good enough. ~ As it happens, I don’t think I’ve ever watched so much live football, thanks to the EFL streaming pass gifted by the fine chap whose plan to become my son-in-law has had to be postponed. George Thomson, fiancé (and one-time schoolfriend) of daughter Rosie, plays for Harrogate Town, newly promoted to League Two, and I’ve found myself becoming a serious and stressed-out fan through the ninety minutes of every fixture.

But even a footie match doesn’t feel right without a pint or two in the pub before and/or after the game. ~ The absence of a hospitality industry means television has been

dominating leisure time even more than usual. When I found myself watching an episode of Father Brown – stories about a crime-solving priest in the early 1950s – my hackles rose at one scene, in a multi-real-ale freehouse with five pumpclips on a row of swan-neck handpulls. In the 1950s? Sharp beer historians will know my torment on this occasion had more to do with pedantry than lockdown.

Father Brown is played by Mark Williams, who spent three years of his early career with the waterwaystouring Mikron Theatre Company. In 1984, this thespian pub crawl landed him in the Old Kings Arms, in Newark, duetting on blues guitar with the manager, during a longerthan-usual late session.

It’s one of my lesser-known claims to fame…but it does of course provide yet more evidence of an irresponsible hospitality industry. ~ Alleviating the boredom with another cryptic crossword, I’m horrified to discover that British Pub is an anagram of rubbish tip! Although I have come across a few in my time, it’s no reason to threaten the future of all of them.

Please stay safe.

Julian Grocock Julian Grocock is a former pub landlord, managing director of Tynemill/Castle Rock, and chief executive of SIBA. Extensive experience in beer and pub politics, brewery and pubco operations, and on the front line in the pub trade...‘from cellar to ceiling’.

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