Brewing & Beverage Industries Business - Summer 2021 - Issue 20

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ISSN 2398-2489

Summer 2021 Issue 20 June • July August

The Products & Services Magazine for the UK’s Drinks Production Industry

SHOWCASE in this issue...

Containers

Pages 11-29

Our regular industry expert columnists Stephen BEAUMONT Top North American Beer Writer

Adrian TIERNEY-JONES Award-winning UK Beer Writer

Ruth EVANS Chief Executive of BFBi Alan POWELL Founder of the British Distillers Alliance

Julian GROCOCK First Chief Executive of SIBA

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

Summer 2021 Issue 20

ALWAYS IN PRINT & ONLINE June •July • August

Special Features In This Issue...

Published by freerbutler limited PO Box 9666 • Nottingham NG10 9BY United Kingdom Tel: 0115 8 549 349 brewingbusiness.co.uk

SHOWCASE

Containers

Pages 11-29

Magazine Editor Chris Freer Cover Picture: Courtesy of SCHÄFER WERKE GmbH

l New, or pre-owned and re-furbished casks and kegs – for purchase or lease – plus cask repair and branding services, and container closures. l Container systems for drinks dispense. l Bottles & cans plus labelling and decoration, and on-shelf packaging. l Bulk packaging & associated labelling for transportation of beer and other beverages. l IT systems for container tracking.

...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

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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.

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BREWING & BEVERAGE INDUSTRIES BUSINESS • Summer 2021

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WORD FROM THE BFBi

Photo by Gerardo Jaconelli

Who’s For The Sustainability Bandwagon?

Ruth Evans MBE

Don’t get me wrong, I am all for sustainability, be it environmental, governance, social and, of course, financial. But, just what is sustainability and is it, in fact, sustainable?

Sustainability is the word of the moment, touted by Government and industry. I was recently invited to attend a workstream, comprising trade associations, on sustainability; to establish how far along the road we are in terms of establishing a sustainability road map for ourselves and our members.

Everybody attending was full of good intent and saying the right words.

Some associations had worked to put their house in order via reducing building energy costs, reducing travel etc. Many associations (including BFBi and IBD) held their own sustainability events for members on 22nd April.

Everybody on the call was working to the same goal, all in separate streams.

But, what became clear was that nobody was entirely sure what the practicalities of the goal were and how/if the practicalities were in themselves sustainable.

I believe that a business has to, itself, be operationally and financially sustainable before it can address the wider sector; industry; national; global sustainability agenda. I feel that Government is driving an agenda not really understood by itself, passing the buck of delivery to industry; using general, wide terms of reference, asking industry to engage in an initiative it may not be able to achieve or afford at this point in time without a stronger, more focussed lead and input from Government.

An interesting comment from a trade association representing PPE manufacturers – they were working towards producing non plastic, environmentally sustainable PPE, as directed by Government. And then covid struck. Lateral flow test kits are full of one use plastic, fully endorsed

by Government. An example that sustainability is a “nice to have” when things are relatively unchallenged but, when things get challenging, sustainability goes into second place.

Becoming sustainable is going to cost somebody in the value chain money and who is going to pick up that bill?

At a time when we are still in the eye of a covid pandemic, is it really reasonable for Government to put industry under pressure in order that it will look good when hosting COP 26?

How many organisations will make the sustainability agenda a profit making centre?

We are all being encouraged to achieve “net zero” within our sectors.

This is a good thing but, does anybody actually know what “net zero” is and, if a certain sector achieves “net zero” does this pass the baton of unsustainability within the value chain to another sector? How can there be a “one size fits all”, surely SMEs need a different approach to large, multinational companies? Surely we need a more sophisticated approach than Government levy or taxation in order to achieve true, proactive

BFBi annual Trade Directory Available now!

The most authoritative directory of the UK food & drinks market available

The directory is free-of-charge to all drinks manufacturers and BFBi members

For details of how to obtain a copy, please contact

admin@bfbi.org.uk

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engagement? Everybody agrees that an holistic approach would work best but, the complications of trying to weave the infinite strands of supply streams supplying all industries makes this a complex goal.

I don’t intend my questions and thoughts to be unhelpful but I do feel that they need to be voiced in order that we achieve a meaningful, achievable and long term “net zero” and not one where the sustainability buck is passed down the line.

We need a clear, transparent, coherent goal that we all understand and can achieve, supporting the only planet we have, rather than a goal we all sign up to; talk about but cannot, actually, deliver, making the word an overused meme.

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

BREWING & BEVERAGE INDUSTRIES BUSINESS • Summer 2021

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CALLED TO THE BAR

Enjoying The Great Taste of Independence

Adrian Tierney-Jones

In March 2019 I finally made a long overdue trip to Huddersfield and visited Magic Rock’s taproom for the first time. I loved it and was able to have a beer with head brewer Stu. He gave me a quick brewery trip and we chatted about the new canning line whose instalment he’d overseen. A couple of weeks later, the news broke that Magic Rock had been bought by the Australian food and drinks giant Lion, whose parent company is Kirin Holdings.

Even though I had been in the brewery a fortnight before, I had picked up no clue as to what was going to happen.

More pertinently, though, I still felt that I would drink Magic Rock’s beers. I still do. Furthermore, I often buy a Lupuloid from Beavertown (who sold a 49% stake in their business to Heineken in 2018), and also recently enjoyed a DIPA from Brixton Brewery (fully owned by Heineken).

However, I also buy and drink lots of beers from many independent breweries, such as Burning Sky, St Mars of the Desert and The Kernel. In drinking these beers I know I am supporting a business without outside interference, where the owner (who is also often the brewer) makes the decisions on what beers to brew (though you could argue that market demand for the current rash of hazy, juicy NEIPAs is also a massive outside influencer) and there isn’t what feels like a human shield of a PR company fielding my queries.

Mind you, I am not just drinking these indie beers to feel better about myself, they are pristine beers that rock my soul. This then makes me think — why does St Mars of the Desert’s Jack D’Or rock the foundations of my soul when Lupuloid, even though I enjoy it, doesn’t? Both beers taste good, but there seems to be an additional ingredient in one beer that isn’t in the other, independence. Perhaps independence is a story that adds to a beer’s appeal, that eternal story of David versus Goliath or Jack clambering up the Beanstalk to face the giant.

Perhaps it is a psychological condition to like independent beers, and some of us are wired to behave this way, and yes it does make us feel better about ourselves. The latter point reminds of something a friend recently said to me about the demos she goes on — about how it helps her mental

health to shout and let her feelings out. This is going on a demo as a cathartic experience.

These thoughts on independence have been flitting around in my mind for some time, but various debates about independence, as well as the justness of selling your beers through massive supermarkets (ie Cloudwater), have made me want to try and understand how independence is such an important part of the craft beer world.

This in its turn is linked with some thoughts I was having about why some breweries go for perpetual growth and others reach a level that they don’t want to go beyond.

It’s an obvious statement, but sometimes forgotten by beer lovers to whom some breweries might be as important to their lives as a football team or rock group is to others, a brewery is a business. No one sets up a brewery to lose money or not sell beer. There is a joy in knowing that people like your beer, whether in the on- or off-trade, and a warm sense of satisfaction that they want to spend time and money in your tap-room.

However, the price of success is the necessity of growth. The more people like to drink your beers the more you have to brew. You have to upscale your equipment. For instance, you might have agreed to supply a major supermarket chain with more canned brands, so a new canning line is brought in. In order to make use of this new kit, more has to be brewed, so you have to grow. Quality is important and, in order to maintain it, better and more precise equipment has to be found. So you have to grow.

Growth is an inescapable part of a brewery’s business. Inevitably, with this growth comes the interest of big companies, global in their outreach, almost like ancient imperial states that suddenly realised they needed to possess a neighbouring country which

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

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was catching up on them. This then is when independence becomes important.

Business is about growth, about making money, whether it’s enough to live comfortably on or make a fortune and retire to the Cotswolds or the Bahamas. However, in these environmental conscious days, there is also an ethical dimension in the way a business grows, which we are seeing a lot more in the brewing industry. The likes of SMOTD, The Kernel and Burning Sky are in their own ways guardians of this new kind of growth, not a reaction, but perhaps a reflection of their founders’ values, in the same way a brewery that has deliberately grown large enough to attract buyers is also a reflection of its founders’ values.

As for independence, recently I was approached by a PR company acting for a large brewery. The upshot of the email was that if I was able to sell a story on a particular aspect of this brewery they were keen to promote, I would get access to various key personnel for quotes I could use in any published article. I politely turned it down.

After all, I am independent.

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

BREWING & BEVERAGE INDUSTRIES BUSINESS • Summer 2021

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LETTER FROM NORTH AMERICA

Is It Now Time for Craft to Change?

Stephen Beaumont

So, craft beer is “silly,” is it? Well, yes, it is, at least according to a recent interview with Lion Little World Beverage’s marketing director, Adrian Mooney, in MarketingWeek magazine.

“It can be silly,” Mooney is quoted as saying, “If you’re unfamiliar with what an IPA is or a session IPA or pale ale, that’s confusing enough, but when people put wacky names on top of it, like ‘electric disco forklift truck’ it makes it harder.”

In response to all this silliness and confusion, which Mooney says includes “people sniffing hops and talking about where the hops are from,” Lion Little World’s Fourpure brewery is effecting a full line rebrand, designed to be more straight-forward and well-defined than what Mooney suggests is the craft beer norm, and to remove itself from the “pretentious image” craft beer is sometimes perceived as having.

Now, I’m no marketer, much less a marketing head who has worked for such diverse brands as PepsiCo, Britvic, and Tetley, however it strikes me that craft’s silliness has worked pretty well for it so far. But let’s review.

In the United States, generally considered the global template for craft beer growth, the craft segment increased over 400% between 2005 and 2019, rising from 6.3 million US barrels to around 26.3 million, according to Brewers Association statistics. In so doing, it grew to a 23.5% market share in terms of dollars and a 12.3% share of volume in 2020, both of which would have been considered pipe dreams back in ’05.

(Those market share stats are actually down a bit from 2019, over a full percentage point in volume terms, but this no doubt owes much to the pandemic effect, for while the toll COVID ultimately took was much less than initially feared, the lack of on-premise sales for most of the year and the time it took for breweries to transition to direct-to-consumer

sales certainly had an impact on volumes shifted.)

And Mooney’s cure for what ails this industry that has emerged from the fringes of brewing to account for almost one in four dollars spent on beer in the U.S.? According to the article, and the design of the new Fourpure labels, the answer is apparently more of what led the legacy beers of the major international brewers into declining sales in the first place: sponsorships, television ads, and a brand image that is slick, styled, and largely homogeneous.

Which is not to say that it won’t work, at least to a degree and in the near term. By all reports, Fourpure is on a growth trajectory already, and I actually quite like the new look, but to frame all this as a response against what has gotten craft this far already seems, well, odd, to say the least.

Instead, Mooney could have demonstrated a far greater understanding of the nature of craft, and gained serious craft cred, if he had focused upon some of the real issues that are dogging the segment, as itemized in detail in a recent article written by Queer Brewing Project operator Lily Waite in the online beer magazine, Good Beer Hunting.

One of the principle problems Waite points out is the ‘bro culture’ that has been an issue for craft beer throughout the 21st century thus far, particularly in the United States where, as Waite writes, “IPA is synonymous with toxic masculinity.”

Other issues include a lack of quality control, a serious concern about which I have written here previously, an exclusionary culture, the disproportionate social media influence of novelty beers that can range from the merely odd to the truly revolting – viscous, slime-like Ghoul

BEST BEER & TRAVEL WRITER 2017

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Drool anyone? – and a casual disregard for intellectual property rights. Perhaps of greatest concern, however, and most certainly connected to almost all of the above issues, is an approach to employment that expects near-servitude of its chronically underpaid workers.

That last issue, which fosters not just a seat-of-the-pants, we’re-all-in-thistogether culture, but also tends to lead to bros hiring bros, is most insidiously linked to the overwhelmingly white, male face of craft beer, in the United States and, frankly, throughout most of the western world. And it is where Mooney could have much more effectively directed his criticisms.

Imagine if rather than bemoaning what he believed to be craft beer’s unfortunate lack of gravitas, Mooney had instead committed Fourpure to being a Living Wage, equal opportunity employer. Imagine if he had specifically called out the pervasiveness of the white, male face of craft beer and dedicated Fourpure to everyone, regardless of colour, gender, or sexual orientation. And imagine if he had offered lab services at a reasonable price to any or all of the London craft brewing community.

Now, that wouldn’t have been silly at all.

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

BREWING & BEVERAGE INDUSTRIES BUSINESS • Summer 2021

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SHOWCASE Containers

We asked companies supplying the following products and services to let us know something about themselves.... l New, or pre-owned and re-furbished casks and kegs – for purchase or lease – plus cask repair and branding services, and container closures. l Container systems for drinks dispense l Bottles & cans plus labelling and decoration, and on-shelf packaging. l Bulk packaging & associated labelling for transportation of beer and other beverages. l IT systems for container tracking.

New warehouse boost to Beer Box Shop’s service

The last year has been a turbulent time for brewers and a testing time for those in the packaging industry.

Beer Box Shop is just one of the companies affected by the rising cost of raw materials and longer lead times.

Managing Director at Beer Box Shop, Simon Hulse, said “Due to the pandemic there has been a massive surge in online shopping and this, along with other contributing factors such as cardboard not being collected for recycling during the first lockdown, has led to board shortages and increased costs. Within the brewing industry itself we have noticed a marked change in the products our customers have been buying as they move from wholesale to selling direct to consumers in small pack. Speaking with our customers they believe that this approach is here to stay.”

Beer Box Shop’s ability to respond quickly to demand and have stock available for its customers has been a challenge to maintain this year. To ensure that the company continues to be responsive and always have stock availability, plans for an additional 11,000 sq. ft warehouse have now been brought forward.

Commercial Director (and Simon’s wife), Heather Hulse, who has recently joined the business, said, “The new warehouse will give us the ability to carry larger quantities stock, bring in new lines and ultimately allow us to maintain our costs going forward as the costs in the industry

go up. It’s great to see gift box sales starting to pick up again as shops reopen and the UK prepares for a busy summer.

“We’re looking forward to seeing the drinks and hospitality industries re-open and wish our customers and everyone in the business the best of luck”.

For further information: beerboxshop.co.uk simon@beerboxshop.co.uk

Lockdown easing: Close Brothers Brewery Rentals’ £3 ecask and £5 ekeg offer to support brewers To support brewers and cider producers in the UK as lockdown restriction are eased, ecasks and ekegs by Close Brothers Brewery Rentals are being offered for just £3 and £5, with extended payment terms of up to 60-days. The promotion of the unwashed containers aims to help breweries and pubs with cash flow as they reopen.

The main points of the offer are:• Ecask and ekeg promotion aims to support brewers as pubs and restaurants reopen • Unwashed 9-gallon ecasks available to rent for just £3 • Unwashed 30-litre ekegs available to rent for just £5 • Customers can benefit from extended payments terms of up to 60-days

Ecasks and ekegs are well known in the

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industry thanks to the ‘fill and forget’ approach to wholesale distribution they provide to breweries. Beer and cider producers simply rent and fill containers, report which wholesaler they have been delivered to, and leave them to be collected by the team when they are empty.

The £3 unwashed 9-gallon ecasks and £5 unwashed 30-litre ekeg offers are available to all brewers and drinks producers. The promotion will run until 30 June 2021, with the aim of supporting the industry throughout the summer months with straightforward, flexible container rental solutions. In addition, those using £3 ecasks and £5 ekegs will benefit from extended payment terms of up to 60 days. This gives businesses an additional 20 days to pay, which may provide some cash flow relief as breweries and cider producers begin to service the hospitality sector again.

This new offer is a continuation of the discounts Close Brothers Brewery Rentals has previously provided as the company aims to support brewers throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

David Beswick, Managing Director, said: “Our message to brewers is clear: we’re here to help. We hope that this straightforward discount, as well as ongoing support from our industry experts, will aid businesses across the UK.

“As the drinks and hospitality industries pick themselves up following the unprecedented impact of the COVID-19, it is vital that appropriate support is available. We recognise the need for flexible and responsive solutions, and our offers reflects our commitment to respond to brewers’ needs.”

Full terms and conditions, including eligibility www.closebreweryrentals.co.uk /ekegs-and-ecasks

BREWING & BEVERAGE INDUSTRIES BUSINESS • Summer 2021

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SHOWCASE Containers

New draft2go dispensing system opens up sales opportunities With the launch of draft2go, SCHÄFER Container Systems, manufacturer of beverage container systems, IBCs and special containers, is paving the way for new hospitality concepts.

The mobile draft2go unit’s unique selling point is maximum flexibility, due to its complete independence from electricity and gas for cooling and dispensing. The beer is dispensed sustainably from a re-usable keg with a standard flat fitting.

This makes draft2go a genuine alternative to fixed, stationary dispensing equipment, because its mobile use is never affected by energy supply, time or location restrictions. It is this independence that opens up new opportunities for beer sales, especially in the outdoor catering and events sector or for private functions and parties.

A 10-litre keg with a stainless steel liner and integrated CO2 supply operating on

the proven dual-chamber principle forms the core of the draft2go unit. A 3-part EPP insulator jacket shields the KEG from thermal influences: at an ambient temperature of 25°C and a beer temperature of 3°C, draft2go will keep the beer chilled for at least eight hours (max. 8°C. Once the keg is opened, the beer quality is maintained for up to 30 days.

There are also benefits in the details: for instance, the tap handle, insulator jacket and the keg are ideal for branding and the unit’s practical handling comes without any additional cleaning. This was very important for the manufacturers and is why the draft2go dispense head is connected to the standard flat fitting by a one-way supply line. This line also allows the keg to be filled manually as well as mechanically on existing filling lines, by attaching an adapter. In addition, the draft2go keg can be drained of its contents in conventional dispensing systems. Rounding off the mobile unit is

Wild about Arlington’s BeerCombo The options available to brewers for bulk transit or storage solutions that will both handle the volumes and keep the product in good condition are relatively few, i.e. rigid tanks, tankers, IBC’s or bag-in -box solutions.

Bag-in-box works exactly like the cardboard container sitting on your sideboard or in your fridge, consisting of a rigid outer container with a plastic bag inside which contains the product. There are three main advantages of this system which are why the wine industry has used it for so long. Firstly, there are no cleaning/contamination issues like the ones associated with rigid containers, i.e. no washing, steam, chemicals or power as the plastic bags are clean single use consumables which can be recycled after use. Secondly, the system is air free.

Because the liner bag is flexible and empty when it is new it can be filled, transported and emptied without introducing any additional air to the process; this not only minimises DO pickup but also reduces other kinds of contamination associated with gas

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a dishwasher-safe drip tray and stainless steel drip tray grille.

“You can always serve full draught flavour anywhere”, says a delighted Tobias Wirth, head of sales at SCHÄFER Container Systems KEG, about the versatile draft2go dispensing system and goes on by saying: “The product is aimed primarily at breweries that want to offer their customers a highly mobile, self-sufficient dispensing unit. That’s something that both breweries and enterprising commercial customers can benefit from equally.”

For further information: www.schaefer-container-systems.de

displacement and ingress during filling and discharging processes. Thirdly, unlike rigid containers, the bag-in-box system can be collapsed when empty, minimising transport and storage costs.

Leading bag-in box supplier Arlington Packaging works with many small and medium-sized brewers helping them make the most of the benefits of the system. One such customer is Berkshire brewer, Wild Weather Ales: "We've worked with Arlington for a number of years now, they helped us transition from rigid IBC’s and make the most of the new system. We operate on two sites (production and packaging), and their bag-in-box units allow us to move beer safely between the two. They're easy to use, rigid and sturdy. Space is at a premium in our brewery, so the fact that they fold down and stack on top of each other is a big plus. We also save a lot of time and chemicals as the liners arrive in a 'ready to use' state. With their fantastic new air-bleed valves and bottom fill liners, we've been able to significantly reduce our dissolved oxygen levels prior to packaging, which will improve shelf life and quality."

In addition to its BeerCombo product and fittings, Arlington Packaging also supplies a reusable, flexible beer carrier takeaway container.

For further information: sales@beercarriers.co.uk

BREWING & BEVERAGE INDUSTRIES BUSINESS • Summer 2021

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SHOWCASE Containers

Primary packaging for the thriving alcohol-free category Amongst the weird and whacky and often banal stats being pushed out following the pandemic, particularly in relation to what’s being consumed more than anything else, one thing is for certain, when it comes to booze or no booze, the low and no-alcohol market is thriving, with consumption expected to grow 31% by 2024, according to the IWSR.

The pandemic has presented an opportunity for alcohol-free brands to gain momentum as consumers look to refocus on their health and wellbeing. A third of people are drinking less alcohol since the lockdowns and this has created a buyers’ market where quality, innovation and excitement is being sought out.

Leading glass packaging company, Croxsons, is seeing this ‘movement’ accelerate at first hand. One of its customers is premium alcohol-free drinks

brand, Manchester-based Drynks Unlimited, to whom Croxsons supplies primary packaging for their Smashed range of 0% abv ales, beers and ciders.

Drynks has enjoyed a considerable run of success since its inception, having received funding from a favourable appearance on Dragon’s Den, to overtaking big, established brands, such as Peroni, San Miguel and Budweiser in certain retail settings. Having recently received further investment to upscale production, Drynks has begun to expand globally.

For the primary packaging, Croxsons supplied the brewer with a complete range of amber, flint and green glass 330ml bottles, together with a larger 660ml bottle as a Smashed sharing product. The bottles are topped off with a stylish branded crown, also supplied by Croxsons.

Commenting on the packaging, founder and managing director of Drynks

Unlimited, Richard Clark, said: “Both the 330ml and 660ml sharing bottles from Croxsons have been excellently received.

Drynks were the first company in the UK to launch an alcohol free lager in this sharing sized bottle.”

Croxsons’ Tim Croxson added: “Needless to say, Croxsons is well placed to support alcohol free ventures in the beer/ale category. Whatever your product choice, we are here to assist your venture with an extensive range of bottles and closures, including bespoke options.”

Kegstar partners with International Brewing and Cider Awards Kegstar, the one-way stainless steel keg and cask rental company has been revealed as one of the sponsors of the world’s most historic international beer and cider competitions, the International Brewing and Cider Awards.

Kegstar is offering free-of-charge keg hire to global brewers of all sizes who are entering the competition. Any brewer who signs up as a casual customer is eligible to have free kegs delivered to their business for the purpose of sending their product to the International Brewing and Cider Awards in November. Brewers will be responsible for shipping their kegs to the event, but the kegs will be collected from the venue by Kegstar after the event.

Kegstar operates globally with hubs in the US, Australia, New Zealand, The Netherlands and the UK and specialises

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in smart, one-way, stainless-steel keg and cask rental. Each premium keg has its own unique identity making it easily tracked through the supply chain using its propriety, cloud-based software.

Kegstar’s barcode and RFID-scanning tracking technology has generated more than 22 million scans in over 10 countries by more than 1,300 customers since the business started eight years ago.

First held in 1886, the International Brewing and Cider Awards, known as the ‘Oscars’ of the brewing world, showcases winning brewers and cider makers, of all sizes from around the globe. The awards invite brewers and cider makers to enter their finest beers or ciders to be blind-judged by an expert panel of commercially practicing brewers and cider makers from across the world.

Ruth Evans MBE, Director of the International Brewing and Cider Awards,

For further information: www.croxsons.com

said: “Showcasing the very best beers and ciders from around the globe is at the heart of our historic competition so Kegstar is the perfect partner to help entrants ensure that their beer or cider arrives at our judging session in perfect condition.”

Christian Barden, Chief Kegsecutive of Kegstar’s global operation, said: “Kegstar is thrilled to be doing its bit to support such a prestigious event. We love great beer, and so we want to give brewers the opportunity to get their beers to the event in any form they choose, whether it be draught, bottle or cans.”

The International Brewing and Cider Awards will take place in November 2021 at the National Brewery Centre, Burton-upon-Trent, with registration opening on 1st July 2021.

For further information: www.brewingawards.org

BREWING & BEVERAGE INDUSTRIES BUSINESS • Summer 2021

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SHOWCASE Containers

BrewMan Version 7 - new and improved container tracking Cask tracking has become a key feature of any modern brewery management software, both in order to keep track of the brewery’s expensive cask assets and significantly, to ensure end-toend traceability which is now a requirement for many alcohol buyers.

Breweries we speak to that are seeking a cask tracking solution tend to say that they are: • Frustrated at having to replace expensive lost casks • Concerned that they can’t prove traceability for Salsa Plus or other audits.

• Worried that cask tracking will involve significant investment in hardware.

Based on years of feedback from over 250 breweries using our systems, we are currently launching BrewMan V7 - a new

web-based software that you can use on any device. As part of this new system we have rebuilt our cask tracking function to work through QR codes and be operated with any smartphone rather than traditional laser scanners.

It works in a series of simple steps: 1: Create casks in the system by scanning our provided permanent labels with a smartphone.

2: For non-returnable containers such as ecasks or cases of bottles, print QR code labels when filling them.

3: At the point of delivery, the driver scans the specific items they’re handing over using our dedicated distribution app on their mobile. This removes the risk of human error if delivering a pre-assigned container.

4: The driver can then also scan any containers to return with their mobile.

5: The system then shows all your current

Looking good the sustainable way In 2019 Hobsons Brewery began a full re-brand, with a goal to modernise the aesthetics of its branding, whilst sourcing alternative sustainable materials for pump clips and bottle labels.

The pump clips are now wooden and printed using water-based inks. The challenge was sourcing a non-plastic bottle label…

Those in the brewing industry know all too well the problems that come with straying from the industry standard.

Hobsons first started to investigate the use of paper labels back in Summer 2019 and worked together with Mercian Labels in Staffordshire to find a sustainable, renewable, self-adhesive label substrate that would catch the eye of its customers and fall in line with the overall vision of Hobsons, without compromising the product.

Filling before labelling on the bottling line meant finding a paper label that could withstand the moisture in this environment. After months of research and unsuccessful trials, there was good news. Mercian had been working

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together with a large paper mill in Scandinavia to source a suitable sustainable and renewable label. A brand-new substrate had recently been formulated in Finland known as Forest Film - natural oils are extracted from wood pulp as a waste bi-product from the paper making process. These oils are converted into a chemical structure which forms the basis of a white and clear Polyolefin wood film self-adhesive material. This label is completely recyclable, improving Hobson’s sustainable credentials. It was the first paper alternative found that applied just as effectively as a typical PP label and could withstand the moisture during the bottling process. After successful trials, it was decided to add a Sandpaper varnish to the label, enhancing the paper-like feel and adding protection during the bottling process.

Hobson’s had its first full delivery of Forest Film labels in February 2020, and

by Summer 2020 all of its bottled beers were being labelled with the new designs. The eye-catching design together with the paper label has made a real difference to the bottle range and how it looks on the shelf.

containers, whether they’re in or out, which customer has them and for how long, and significantly - which gyle is in each one.

Because the scanning function is built into the BrewMan app, it also allows error handling, preventing the wrong products’ being scanned out and ensuring the driver knows exactly what should be delivered to each customer on their route.

Cask tracking is a free feature included in BrewMan’s new Version 7 system, a complete web-based brewery management system.

Pictured above: Map view of containers

For further information: sales@premiersystems.com

Said a company spokesperson, “We’re excited to be the first company in our industry to use Forest Film and have received positive feedback from both trade and private customers. We pride ourselves on being at the forefront of innovative solutions that benefit the world around us.”

“Mercian Labels is delighted to work closely with the team at Hobsons Brewery to help enhance the aesthetics of the brand, using sustainable and renewable label materials that give their bottles such fabulous shelf appeal,” says Simon Meikle, Business Development Manager, Mercian Labels.

“Congratulations to Nick and his staff for their enthusiasm and commitment in being the first company in the UK to use Wood Film based labels and winning the SIBA business award.”

For further information: www.mercianlabels.com

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Getting started with more ECO-friendly labels and packaging printing

Sustainability is high on the agenda for key stakeholders in the labels and packaging sector industry, particularly as consumers become increasingly conscious and educated around environmental implications

More brand-owners are moving towards sustainable packaging so that they can meet consumer demand, stay ahead of regulatory compliance and improve their environmental credentials, especially when it comes to single use packaging.

When considering a more environmentally responsible solution, there are some important considerations before proceeding… ECO design; a crucial approach to fully understand the impact of the packaging design upon the whole value chain and ensuring the correct choices are made at the outset to create sustainable packaging, reduce waste and minimise the carbon footprint:

Your Budget: Eco-friendly label materials – like recyclable stocks and water-soluble inks can often cost a premium over traditional label materials. Depending on the quantity of labels you want, alternative label materials can be more or the equivalent to the cost of regular materials.

Lead-times: Some materials are made “to order” with leadtimes often extended compared to traditional materials. Brand owners should be mindful of this initially by factoring this into their production / procurement forecasts and as these new materials become more mainstream globally, lead-times will reduce.

Product Compatibility: When bringing products to market it is key to ensure that all the elements of packaging are taken into consideration. The packaging and contents need to reflect the ethos of the brand, regards sustainability and recyclability, whilst being compatible, maintain their integrity and consumer safe.

Product Contents: This is an important factor when choosing the correct material solution as many products contain aggressive chemicals, colouring and other additives that can compromise the label’s integrity. Plant-based labels and Eco-friendly packaging need to withstand constant use, handling and endure the full product life cycle.

Different Paths to Sustainability: As a brewer you can manage your own route to sustainability through your beer’s ingredients and the choice of materials for your labels/packaging. It is also key to add clear instructions to the pack for the consumer on how to dispose or recycle the packaging after use.

Choosing a printer who works lean with streamlined processes, offers green materials, energy and waste management certificates and works towards recycling programs can also be part of the consideration.

OPM is continually looking at ways to reduce the environmental impact of its materials, manufacturing processes and products, to help customers meet their sustainability targets.

OPM maximises focus on sustainability by working with suppliers who demonstrate “green” credentials; these suppliers source label materials from sustainably managed forests (PEFC & FSC-

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certified forests) and we have a commitment to recycling tricky waste such as silicone release liner trim.

OPM’s work with suppliers offering eco-friendly alternatives alongside their traditional core products. Not only are these materials suitable in several different applications across many market sectors, but crucially reduce waste and pollution by making better use of recycled or bio-based materials. Material choice is also key to enabling the recyclability of a product at the end of its life.

Another avenue to consider is material reduction – think thinner.

OPM offers face stocks and liners that are up to 50% thinner than traditional products. These materials are manufactured using less oil, water, and energy, reducing the, carbon footprint compared to conventional label materials. The weight reduction also translates into lower transportation costs on the products retail journey, more labels per reel and less reel change downtime on your production lines.

Changing the material thickness can potentially affect dispensing on packing / bottling lines and specifications so trialling a materials suitability will require working closely with the printer and their suppliers to achieve results that satisfy the whole supply chain.

Developments worth considering: Beer, Wine & Spirits

Water Wash Off Solutions: A common challenge with labels in the recycling process of plastic containers is that the label material, adhesive and ink can contaminate the plastic flake. To overcome this challenge, OPM can offer a wash off label solution that enables full recyclability of any glass, PET bottle or thermoform by allowing labels to separate cleanly during the recycling process.

Mineral based materials for example, an eco-friendly label material that contains 80% marble mining waste, and up to 20% recycled polyethylene, largely derived from plastic bottles. This material will disintegrate on its own after 9-14 months’ exposure to sunlight; it can be burned for energy. There is no yellowing over time and the material is completely waterproof making it ideal for outdoor use applications. It is paper-like and matt in appearance and texture.

Fruit Pulp Papers make up a range face stocks produced from the waste materials sourced during beverage production and has been created as an attempt to close the manufacturing loop – and thereby reduce overall waste. These materials have an attractive natural colour and texture and could be an ideal fit for organic wines or spirits companies seeking to boost their eco-friendly credentials, with 15% organic waste & 40%PCW).

Post-consumer recycled content materials (PCR) offered as an alternative range with face stocks made from 100% post-consumer-waste (paper) and PP films with 90-99% chemically recycled PCW content. Aside from being a wholly recycled material, it also has a fantastic appearance and quality, and maintains its colour and strength even when wet.

Continued opposite

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Bio-based PE film (83% to 95% sugar cane derived) offers a face stock (white & clear options) made almost entirely from sugar cane ethanol, unlike the other materials mentioned above, this is a film that functions (and can be recycled) in a similar way to conventional polyethylene. [During the cultivation process, waste product generates the electricity that supplies the ethanol production process; excess electricity generated is returned to the local grid].

Down-gauge films (Clear on Clear) 30um PET Clear (PCR content) on a 30um rPET liner, perfect for downgauging but also recyclable with aluminium can applications through recycling plants. Thin gauge PP films also available,but need to consider the specific application by consulting with the OPM team.

A range of decorative papers, a tactile finish which lends itself to WSC applications and composed with 100% recycled content.

Other sustainable options include cane fibre made from 95% sugar cane fibres / 5% hemp and linen.

OPM Group has the Zero Labels 2 Landfill Certification and Zero foil 2 Landfill Certification. To find out more about OPM’s eco-friendly practices, and how your company could benefit from the kinds of materials listed above, get in touch today.

For further information: https://opmgroup.co.uk

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

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Polykeg announces distribution agreement with Murphy & Son Polykeg has signed an agreement with Murphy & Son to distribute the full range of the new Polykeg Pro one-way kegs in the UK. The agreement represents a switch away from Key Keg to Polykeg for Murphy & Son.

Tony Hird, Managing Director of Polykeg UK commented: “We are delighted to have been chosen by Murphy & Son as its one-way keg supplier. The company has been in the drinks business over 130 years and is very well respected within the brewing industry. Its focus is on quality and service, helping breweries of all sizes to improve and expand their businesses. One-way kegs fit well into the portfolio because they enable breweries to grow more rapidly without significant up-front investment.”

Brandon Critchell, Head of Sales & Marketing for Murphy & Son, commented: “Polykeg is a global leader in one-way kegs and we have been monitoring the rapid increase in demand for them over the past 18 months.

“One-way kegs are becoming more popular with breweries in the UK and Murphy & Son always strives to offer our customers the best products and solution for their business.

“The new Polykeg Pro range which is just being launched has several unique features which make them technically superior, versatile, and very easy to use compared to other kegs.

“We believe they are the best on the market, and we are excited at the prospect of working with Polykeg.”

£1m investment opens up label market for specialist print house

Leeds-based specialist print house, Print-Leeds Ltd, has launched a self-adhesive label division after investing £1m in a new printing press, finishing equipment and MIS system.

This new investment has been a yearlong project for owner and Managing Director, Rod Fisher – putting together the finance, buying the equipment and hiring the right team to take this new division to market.

The self-adhesive label division is the perfect accompaniment to the PrintLeeds offering – the company is renowned as a labels expert, supplying wet glue (paper) labels to the beverage and food industries and has operated a digital printing division since 2009.

Print-Leeds has invested in a Screen LS 350 SAI seven colour press and the market-leading Digicon 3, a modular finishing system which is tailored to the company’s requirements. The Screen LS350 SAI is the first in the UK and this is not the company’s only first, having brought the first Heidelberg 74 UV into the UK.

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For further information: info@polykeg.co.uk

With digital label printing, there is an almost limitless combination of options available for the user to fully customise labels of all shapes and sizes using a full spectrum of colours. The addition of the Digicon finishing machine allows embellishment of labels with tactile varnishes and other special effects.

Print-Leeds Managing Director, Rod Fisher said: “Adding self-adhesive labels to our offering is the obvious progression for the company. It’s been a real lockdown challenge for me – organising the finance, buying the machinery and recruiting the team. When Covid-19 hit I didn’t think I’d be able to achieve this – I thought my plans would be delayed.”

The new division has created six new roles – three new salespeople, one new role in IT and estimating, along with two technical staff deployed to operate the equipment. Malcolm Bunn, who has a wealth of knowledge and experience in the self-adhesive labels market has joined the firm as Sales Director with Chris Whitehead and Jerry Dugdale joining as Sales Executives. Sam Nightingale-Smith has joined as IT and Estimating and is heading up the

transition to the management information system CERM.

Rod Fisher (pictured above) continued: “Over the years I have made a point of investing in new equipment so we are the most technically advanced printing company. This technology means we can print the best quality products for our clients. I don’t believe in the cheapest being the best – it’s the same with whatever you buy – our clients stay with us because our print is high quality and we provide superb customer service.”

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

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Give a second thought to that packaging!

The use of well-thought-out packaging has been acknowledged as key to increasing sales, opening new markets and strengthening the brand you already spent so much time in creating. In this everexpanding industry, a good box can make the difference between being picked off the shelf and not.

The interesting ingredients will give buyers a reason to return to your brand,

but a well-designed box will give them the incentive to choose yours when standing amongst the sea of other craft ales.

Going in hand with this is to consider how many do you purchase, artwork design and print origination costs.

Traditional packaging manufacturers tend to only be interested in volume with no advice with design or printing plate costs. With over 40 years of experience in the packaging industry we offer advice in box design and graphics. We have a large range of off-the-shelf cutters to cover the majority of plain and printed brewery packaging.

With the introduction of a new state-ofthe-art wide format digital printer (pictured right) last year, we have been able to supply short-run printed boxes for virtually all packaging requirements.

No longer is there a need to buy 1000’s of boxes taking up space and cash, and with our printing this has the added advantage of no plate costs.

For further information: www.printedbeerbottleboxes.co.uk

Why a handle is better than none for store shelves Since its very beginnings, PakTech, a family-owned and operated company, has constantly evolved and innovated to meet its clients’ ever-changing needs. PakTech’s smart, simple and sustainable packaging handles are now found in the shelves of stores and supermarkets across the globe on a wide variety of consumer goods

For businesses, PakTech handles are the ideal packaging solutions for their on-shelf needs for a variety of reasons.

First and foremost, PakTech’s multipack handles enable the most important business goal - to maximise sales and revenue by selling in bulk packaging.

This is the idea behind PakTech’s most popular handles, the four- and six-packs, as when consumers purchase in bulk to secure a lower per-unit price, sellers will maximise sales by moving more units.

Further, PakTech handles not only enable stock efficiency in stores by allowing for multiple products to be carried at the same time, but the handles also embody physical properties that make them ideal for storage settings.

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Thanks to the choice of material, recycled HDPE, PakTech handles are extremely durable, heat- and waterresistant. This results in less waste during storage, shipping and display. The handles have even been tested by partners in 38°C heat and 90% humidity for 24 hours, which they passed with flying colours.

Meanwhile, brands can benefit from optimised shelf-appeal as all PakTech handles allow for full display of their logo and graphics. Brands make huge investments to create their brand identity – PakTech handles are created with this in mind as they allow for full brand exposure without creating the need for additional clear plastic packaging wrap often used for on-shelf multi-pack packaging, avoiding unnecessary waste.

And unlike plastic wrap or cardboard when it becomes damaged or torn, when a unit goes missing from a PakTech handle, it is easily replaceable to retain the bulk sale format for sales.

Businesses continue to face enormous pressure from consumers to become sustainable in their business practices including in their choice of packaging.

The surge in the pressure that businesses

face in improving their environmental performance is often coupled with the practicality dilemma – can packaging with high sustainability performance still embody the usability attributes that consumers look for?

At the same time, by using 100% recycled HDPE, PakTech handles are always second-life products that use 90% less energy and 100% less petroleum compared to products that use virgin HDPE. The handles are also reusable many times over and 100% recyclable.

By integrating the circular approach for packaging, PakTech diminishes the demands on finite raw material as well as ensuring a low overall carbon footprint.

For further information: www.paktech-opi.com

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New amber drinks bottle aims to catch the eye It’s been a tough year for the hospitality industry, but as we move into summer and venues begin to open up again at least brewers can think about getting back to something like normal.

being visually appealing also has the added benefit of protecting the contents of the bottle from harmful ultraviolet light.

In addition, amber bottles contain over 60% recycled glass, making it the sustainable packaging of choice.

“Our new 330ml amber drinks bottle is also a sustainable choice for beverages. Not only do our amber bottles have over 60% recycled content, but glass is the only primary packaging material that doesn’t require a plastic layer between the product and the packaging,” said Charlotte.

As the economy starts to re-open many breweries and drinks producers are considering refreshing their brand in order to appeal to more customers. One way they can do this is by choosing a new eye-catching bottle that’s a bit out of the ordinary – an unusual shape or design that makes consumers look twice.

Glass manufacturer Beatson Clark is hoping to capitalise on this trend by launching a new 330ml amber drinks bottle for general sale. Its design is based on an Alpha Sirop bottle, which means you’d normally expect to see it used for medicines; but pharmaceutical designs like this have become popular in recent years with drinks brands that want to convey a retro, vintage feel.

The versatile amber bottle is suitable for both beers and soft drinks as Beatson Clark can change the neck finish from MCA to a standard crown neck finish.

Unlike the original pharmaceutical design, it is tested to 3.0 bar which makes it suitable for carbonated drinks.

“This bottle will be unique in the UK and we think it will prove very popular with breweries and drinks manufacturers,” said Charlotte Taylor, Marketing Manager at Beatson Clark.

“It’s a completely new design and can be supplied as a standard bottle from our general sale range. Or for a small initial outlay customers could add their own embossing to the bottle with a minimum order of just 150,000 units in either neck finish.”

Beatson Clark currently has good capacity in amber glass, which as well as

“Many people are surprised to discover that all other mainstream beverage containers are lined with plastic which is in constant contact with your drink.

“However, glass can be used without a liner as it is inert, making it safe to be in contact with the contents. It will not contaminate the product inside or leach toxic or carcinogenic chemicals into the product.”

Charlotte added that Beatson Clark is known for its flexibility and service. “We can be flexible on production volumes, so no matter how large or small your business, why not get in touch to see how we can help?”

For detailed information: www.beatsonclark.co.uk

THIELMANN offers a beer decanting service In these unprecedented times, we are facing unique challenges that we have never dealt with before and our goal at THIELMANN is to identify and minimize these potential issues to help our customers navigate this difficult situation.

We recognize the pressure faced by brewers during these testing times, but emptying your kegs and disposing of your beer properly needn't be problematic. We have at our disposal beer decanting units to make this service possible to help you to reduce costs by reclaiming taxes by carrying out secure and complete emptying of your kegs.

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This service includes a safe emptying process of your beer or residual liquids, collection of these liquids in accordance with local environmental laws, and the correct disposal of them, if required.

Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do, and our passion for kegs also extends to the protection of the environment; this renders us the preferred partner of choice in carrying out this essential work.

Did you know that THIELMANN offers a full keg servicing program tailor made for our customers right here in the UK?

Hygiene and maintenance is a topic most brewers will be thinking about at the moment, and there has never been a

better time to work on getting your keg fleets properly cleaned, maintained and refurbished. Our comprehensive keg services include: keg and cask maintenance, repairs, tagging services, cleaning, inspections, testing, customization services and re-branding.

THIELMANN experts have a wealth of experience in helping breweries re-purpose used keg fleets with our flexible re-branding services, that can be fully tailored to your specific needs, to repair, refurbish, and fully re-brand your used keg fleet to as new.

For further information: www.thielmann.com

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Showcasing the British spirit

Licensing of distillers – no samples required in support of the application Alan Powell

I wrote last about certain paradoxical requirements that HMRC has had to correct in terms of an applicant needing to obtain premises and equipment before approval will be given by HMRC but at the same time the applicant is advised not to acquire anything before approval is given. In a similar vein, in certain cases, HMRC is telling applicant distillers to have “recipes” and samples made up in support of the application despite the law not permitting any spirits production (eg to make sample batches) until that person is licensed.

The law states that nobody can produce spirits from a fermented liquor unless they hold a distiller’s licence.

Furthermore, (licensed) distillers cannot produce spirits until they have applied for (and been given) approval of plant and process. This is required by Regulation 4 of the Spirits Regulations 1991, put into effect by section 2.6 of Excise Notice 39 – “Spirits Production”.

By a letter or other submission with the licence application, the applicant must set out the details of the plant and process to be approved by HMRC. The process is a detailed description of the materials to be used (“ingredients) and method of production. This is then the “approved” process inserted into HMRC’s approval letter for the distiller.

It is, in effect, the legally approved “recipe” but HMRC has no specific powers to ask for a “recipe” in isolation, as it were. It is part of the legal process of approval of the process.

HMRC has, in a recent case, required that a third party distiller produce the “samples” on behalf of the applicant distiller to offer to prospective customers and provide details of the “recipe”. This is wrong because it is not a “normal” requirement to have samples made up by a third party and confounds the purpose of an artisan distiller’s USP. Besides, the “recipe” is provided within the production process of the approval application, which seems lost on HMRC.

In any event, HMRC’s Notice 39

recognizes that an application from a small-scale distiller may be entertained provided that a business plan is submitted and acceptable to the Commissioners. Crucially, HMRC’s interpretation of the law is that the full panoply of licenses and approvals are always to be sought and issued before any spirits may be produced. In particular, Notice 39 states: 6.10 Producing spirits for experimental purposes

There’s no exemption from the requirements covering spirits production for anyone seeking to manufacture spirits for experimental purposes (for example, to use in the making of a flavoured gin before deciding whether to sell the product).

All spirits producers must have a distiller’s licence, approval of plant and process, warehousekeeper authorisation and warehouse approval as per the information earlier in this notice.

As a choice, producers may wish to consider using duty-paid plain spirit and adding flavourings separately. In order to do this, a rectifier’s or compounder’s licence will be necessary, depending on the method of manufacture used (read paragraph 14 for more information about rectifying and compounding).

(Emphases added).

Clearly, the initial production of spirits will necessitate the pilot distillation before scaling-up. All the spirits must be warehoused and, if subject to tasting (including trade samples), duty must be paid. It is also evident that HMRC will accept applications from small producers for a distiller’s licence/approval and excise warehouse approval from persons intending to make a product before deciding it is suitable for commercial sale (which would, perforce, require the scaling-up of the process).

The Commissioners suggest (“as a choice”) that producers “may wish” to consider using duty-paid spirits for further rectifying and compounding (requiring licences). Accordingly, there is no direction that any tests be carried out or samples prepared before the Commissioners may issue a distiller’s licence. In fact, and for clarity in law,

The British Distillers Alliance (BDA) is a non-profit making body which provides a professional service for independent and craft businesses in the spirits production industry and supply chain.

The BDA represents distillers, rectifiers and compounders and those in related sectors.

New members always welcome.

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what the Commissioners suggest in the above paragraph of Notice 39 is not an operation of spirits production but the rectification or compounding of dutypaid plain spirits that have already been produced (distilled). The Commissioners, not for the first time, appear confused.

But what is clear is that there can be no prospect of production of spirits on any basis without the appropriate distiller’s licence, which the Commissioners implicitly accept may be conducted by a new small-scale applicant.

Crucially, the Commissioners state that

(a) distillation of spirits requires a distiller’s licence and associated distillery and warehouse approvals (b) this applies to any size and scale (including experimental/developmental distillation);

(c) there is no obligation whatsoever for any third-party production of trade samples to be made up in support of the application for a distiller’s licence (although the Commissioners suggest that a producer may “consider” the making up of duty-paid samples); and

(d) any suggestion made by HMRC for duty-paid “experimental” trials can only apply to spirits already produced for flavouring, not initial distillation from a fermented liquor.

There is no legal option but to produce the spirits with a distiller’s licence. It would be illegal to produce spirits without a licence but the Commissioners will entertain any size of application subject only to the applicant being fit and proper and with an accompanying credible business plan. There is no basis to compel an applicant distiller to have trade samples distilled by a third party.

I wonder often if some of HMRC’s officers actually understand any of “the rules”.

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

Polarclean – “Here’s why you need it” With the hospitality industry re-opening its doors, it’s the perfect opportunity to look into how you can improve your services. John Guest says that its ‘Polarclean’ range is “pure genius” and is offering reasons as to why you need it…

I think everyone is looking forward to summer, when everything should be back to some sort of normality (fingers crossed). But there’d be nothing worse than being disappointed by the taste of a warm sorry beer. This is where the John Guest Polarclean range comes in. This piece of technology is exactly what you need to ensure a cold, crisp beer every time.

Using ‘tube-in-tube’ technology, this unique Polarclean range conditions beer and beverages in the supply tube. This allows pubs, restaurants and bars to serve extra cold beers and beverages at every pour. No need for a cold room or a secondary cooling device.

As well as providing extra cold beer for customers, this device will also assist in providing a hygienic environment and can save you money. How? Well, as the tube-in-tube technology can be installed from keg to tap, this helps product stagnation and keeps every part of the draught system cold. Keeping a low temperature environment may possibly reduce beer-line cleaning frequency, which means this can reduce product wastage, potentially saving you money.

So how does it work? The tube-in-tube technology is exactly that, the push-fit connection tube is pushed into another tube.

This means the internal part of the product is enveloped by the external tube which allows the refrigerated coolant (water/Glycol blend) to continuously recirculate. Together with the refrigerated coolant and efficient heat transfer from the tube-in-tube should maintain the low temperatures to keep the beer or beverage fresh.

be placed separately if the venue is restricting you to keep everything in one place.

• Extra cold and consistent beer temperatures can be achieved at every pour.

• No cellar or secondary cooling requirement means installation has lower investment and cost.

• Reduced beer-line microbiological growth.

• Reduced beer-line cleaning frequency, increased revenue per keg and less downtime.

• Less fob meaning increased revenue per keg.

• Fewer temperature related ‘call-outs’.

• Improved system efficiency and reduced running costs.

• Less energy ensuring reduced carbon emissions.

• Differing brand temperature specifications can be achieved in a single python. Non tube-in-tube product lines still benefit from proximity cooling from tube-in-tube coolant lines i.e.

Cold & Extra Cold.

• Faster dispense due to lower temperature consistency.

• No unauthorised corruption of tube-in-tube beer-lines.

Extensions and splits are not possible without access to Polarclean connectors & tubing.

It provides complete peace of mind, knowing that every pour is going to be at the desired temperature. Have one less thing to worry about now the hospitality industry is back up and running.

For further information: www.johnguest.com

The Polarclean tube-in-tube system provides considerable flexibility for draught installations. The keg, cooler and font can

RLBS supporting Worthside customers

RLBS has welcomed the industry re-opening by underlining its commitment to erstwhile Worthside customers.

RLBS is ready to help look after any of your drink dispense equipment requirements, and has integrated the stock and manufactured products it purchased from the administrators of EWL (England Worthside Ltd) and now has the capabilities to look after any brand dispense product developments as required.

RLBS offers a full range of dispense equipment for cask ale and kegged products plus a large range of cellar equipment.

Refurbishment of existing equipment is another string to the RLBS bow.

For further information: https://rlbs.ltd.uk

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NEWS Bar & Cellar

Greiner introduces new, sustainable r-PET cups With pubs and restaurants now open once again, Greiner Packaging has introduced new sustainable r-PET cups for beer and other drinks.

“As a plastic packaging producer, Greiner Packaging has taken a close look at the background to the new legal requirements, such as the ban on single-use plastics in the EU and the marking requirement for single-use beverage cups from July 3, 2021,” says Greiner Packaging Sales Director Lucian Ocos. “Our new r-PET beer cups are another sustainable solution that addresses these legal changes effectively.”

Mechanical recycling of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is already a viable option thanks to the high degree of purity and the material streams available. And in the future, this cup

an even higher purity level.”

concept will also potentially allow for a dedicated recycling loop – for instance, at events.

“Recycled PET (r-PET) is ideal for a dedicated recycling stream, accommodating environmental, economic, and social considerations,” says Ocos. “Mechanical recycling of r-PET works well and is extremely efficient. In addition, we can expect chemical r-PET recycling to be possible starting in 2025, which will then provide

Greiner Packaging’s new plastic beer cup is currently made from 100% recycled PET (r-PET), but can be made with 30 to 50% r-PET if requested by a customer. The cups make an appealing visual impression thanks to attractive printing options – plus, they are ideally suited for embossing the required EU markings during mass production. Greiner Packaging has already produced an initial series of sample batches.

Greiner Packaging is a leading European-based manufacturer of plastic packaging in the food and non-food sectors. The company has enjoyed a reputation for outstanding solutions expertise in the fields of development, design, production, and decoration for 60 years.

For further information: greiner-gpi.com

Wolseley Climate launches improved Beermaster range Specialist cooling merchant Wolseley Climate has overhauled its popular Beermaster range to meet the market’s need for a contemporary full-system solution as a result of long-term closures across the hospitality sectors.

Designed to meet the demands of the modern cellar cooling system, the new Beermaster range comes with multiple improvements. With noise being of notable concern to end users, the new Beermaster’s design now features a lownoise external rotor design, improving sound performance by -3dBa. The updated technology is also smaller in footprint and includes high-efficiency EC fans and ZS scroll compressors.

In addition, the new models utilise low GWP refrigerants 448A and 449A – an essential consideration for installers looking to future-proof their customer’s cooling system in line with F-gas regulations.

The new generation has also been

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designed with easy installation and maintenance in mind. A new mechanical pressure switch, positive control fascia buttons and easy maintenance access means installers can be reassured that ease of fitting and servicing is straightforward and convenient.

Alongside this, its slave and master system can meet cooling capacities between 3 and 15kW and has rated ambient temperatures of up to 38°C, all featured within a highly flexible modular system.

As a result of these changes, the Beermaster system’s COP has increased by up to 10%, significantly lowering the operating costs for the end-user and improving the equipment’s long-term environmental impact. This is welcoming news for businesses looking to minimise long-term costs and invest capital in a robust system that’s prepared for the rapidly approaching industry-wide changes to refrigeration.

Peter Woods, Technical Sales Director at Wolseley Climate, said: “For over 20

years Beermaster has been a standard in the marketplace, providing ambience to hospitality venues across the UK and overseas. As the hospitality industry looks to bounce back following long-term closures, it’s important to take steps to make sure the products they are serving are of the highest quality, the environment is welcoming, and that any capital investment helps minimise their lifetime costs. The new and improved Beermaster delivers on all counts.”

For further information: www.wolseley.co.uk/brands/beermaster

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NEWS Bar & Cellar

The six elements of pint perfection

By Jeff Singer, Commercial Manager, Beer Piper

After the rockiest period for many a decade, the hospitality community are eager to pick themselves up and get set for a return to trading, as the UK slowly eases out of the Covid19 restrictions.

Despite the road map out of lockdown including a roll-out of dates for the On Trade, there are still many uncertainties.

The plan has given the industry some glimmers of hope, though, and with better weather on the horizon and the vaccine roll-out ahead of schedule, it’s a good time to gear up for a summer of much-needed success.

With that in mind, this time can be used to make some changes that can have an impact on the success of pubs and bars now they are finally allowed to open their doors to the public.

Since the first national lockdown back in March 2020, the UK’s drinking habits have shifted. With the On Trade closed for much of 2020 and 2021 to date, consumers have been buying into more premium products from the Off Trade.

Sales of premium beers, wines and spirits have all rocketed, as drinkers have looked for ways to treat themselves at home.

According to Nielsen Scantrack and the CGA, beer was one of the big winners of the 2020 lockdown period, with value sales up £737m compared to the same period in 2019. Premium beers grew faster than standard beer up £452m, compared to £164m.

This is backed up by the CGA’s Drinks Premiumisation Report 2020, which demonstrated that premium craft beer sales were up 22.8% over the last two years. It also pointed towards the fact that the premiumisation trend is driving new product launches in beer, with almost half (47%) of the new launches in the category being craft beer, and another fifth (22%) being premium beers such as world lagers.

It’s clear from research such as this that publicans and bar owners need to take on board the trend for premium beers when assessing their range when re-opening. And, if premium beers are

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on the menu, then looking after the beer and ensuring a perfect pint every time is critical - in fact, according to SIBA’s British Craft Beer Report 2020, a staggering 94% of ale drinkers say the most important factor in choosing a pub is beer quality.

Here are six elements to consider when storing and serving beautiful beer:

A Stellar Cellar

The cellar is the true engine room of the pub or bar, and should be treated as such. Your bar may offer great cocktails or even fabulous food, but if you want to keep the beer drinkers coming back, your cellar needs to be up-to-scratch and run like a well-tuned machine.

Cleanliness is king in the cellar, which needs to be cleaned thoroughly at least once a week with the correct sanitising products. Regular cleaning will prevent the build-up of bacteria and also help the air quality to remain tip-top. Both of these things can affect beer quality, as dirt and unclean air can make beer go off.

Additionally, maintaining and cleaning equipment, especially coolers, will ensure that they do their job properly and avoid build-ups of dust and grease - which can, again, can contaminate beer and affect quality.

It’s also worth knowing how to cellar certain beer types. Cask ale especially needs to undergo conditioning in the cellar - it needs to be stored and settled correctly before serving to ensure it hits pint perfection. The passion that brewers put into their craft and cask ales is incredible, and cellaring well is really the last step in the process to ensure drinkers have that blissful “ahh” moment with the first sip!

To always ensure a gorgeous pint, there are other things that can help, too.

Turning off the beer gas to all beer lines every night will reduce the possibility of over-carbonating the beer in the barrels, which can also lead to excessive fobbing while serving.

At the front of the bar, removing all nozzles and sparklers every night and ensuring they are all washed, cleaned and sanitised with sanitiser tablets and

left to soak overnight, and covering all dispense taps (minus sparklers) each night with cling film or “sponge/brush bungs” to create a physical barrier will prevent contamination from natural yeast airborne bacteria and beer flies.

Reviewing the stock-turn of every stock item held is also a good plan, and one to think hard about when re-opening.

Ideally you should be aiming for a full stock turnover of each SKU every two weeks. Consider removing any SKU’s that struggle to meet this threshold - You need to balance the benefit of offering your customers a wide choice of product against the cost of writing off stock that has passed its ‘best before’ date.

It’s worth knowing that the BII offers cellar management courses for senior management and staff, and ensuring that at least one person is fully up to scratch with cellar maintenance knowledge can only be a good thing.

Certainly something to think about before summer.

Test the Temperature

Remote coolers are used to take the temperature of the beer down from cellar temperature (of around 12°C) to the correct dispense temperature and, as with your cellar cooling unit, remote coolers should be kept running constantly.

If beer temperature rises above 12 degrees, then bacteria can breed and the risk of fobbing - the foaming of beer during processing and dispense - sky rockets. Additionally, harsh fluctuations in temperature can also affect the beer quality.

When it comes to serving temperature, then it really depends on the beer. It’s recommended by Cask Marque that you should serve standard lagers and keg beers between 5-8°C to stay cold and refreshing.

Traditional cask ale on the other hand should be dispensed at a temperature of between 10-14°C to allow for the fresh and vibrant aromas.

Continued opposite

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Brilliant Beer Lines

There really is no point in offering a delicious array of craft and cask ales and cellaring them well, only to serve them through unclean beer lines.

Unclean beer lines can result in beer becoming infected with bacteria and wild yeasts, which will spoil the aroma and flavour of the beer and produce carbon dioxide which results in fobbing. Poor line cleaning can also result in build-ups of things like mould, beer stone and limescale - all of which can also affect the taste and quality of your beer.

Last year, Beer Piper launched a revolutionary, game-changing system to help pubs, bars and hospitality outlets save money, save waste and pull perfect pints.

The BP4 beer line cleaning system ensures that beer lines are cleaned to extremely high standards at regular intervals with environmentally-friendly chemicals, something that is of utmost importance during the current climate.

As well as keeping beer lines spotless, the system allows bar managers and landlords to save waste because they can serve the beer in the lines that is normally thrown away as part of a “manual” line clean. This can lead to huge savings behind the bar. The BP4 system also eliminates the need for timeconsuming manual line cleans, meaning that staff members are free to get on with additional activities.

Spot-on Glassware

It goes without saying that glasses need to be cleaned until they are spotless, preferably in a hot pot wash or dishwasher, and then left to return to room temperature before using.

The choice of glass also matters for serving beer, and with so many different draft beers available, the glass choice really can make a difference to the taste of the beer you’re selling.

Of course, most breweries will have a recommended and branded glass, perfected for their product to maximise the customer’s enjoyment, but if you find yourself without these resources, it’s worth taking the time to think about how your customer will enjoy their drink to optimum satisfaction.

With your nose determining much of the taste of your beer, it’s important to pick a glass that suits the drink’s carbonation which can affect its aroma and therefore taste. Traditional ales tend to be served in wider, straight glasses, as they have little carbonation. However, Pilsners or Lagers are often best served in narrower, rounded glasses that help them to keep their carbonation and keep the pint cooler for longer.

Customers usually watch their pints being pulled, and the correct glassware will add to the experience, whetting the appetite and awakening the senses as the beer hits the bottom of the glass.

Pulled to perfection

It’s critical that bartenders are well trained in pulling pints, as well as creating fancy cocktails! A perfectly pulled pint makes a huge difference to a seasoned beer drinker, who will no doubt be watching out for the flawless pour as they look on.

Glasses should be held at 45 degrees, and held without touching the beer nozzle. As the beer is pulled into the glass, it should be gradually tipped back to an upright position to allow the head of the beer to build up nicely. Handpulled pints are pulled in a similar way, but this can be a real art form for some bartenders and can take a while to perfect!

investing in a chalkboard where you can write up the daily or weekly beer range and rather than just write the names of the beers and the price of the pint, add a little flavour with some tasting notes and information on the beer’s origin and brewery.

This type of information will give customers an insight into each beer and allow them to explore the range and make informed choices. It can also be repurposed for your social media channels, where you can utilise photography, video and other content to market your products and services to a local audience.

Advertised well to customers

Because of the nation’s passion for craft beers and artisan drinks, younger drinkers especially like to be knowledgeable about the products they are drinking, so training bar staff to know their stuff is a no brainer.

As well as training staff members to be expert baristas and mixologists, consider sending them to craft beer breweries and distilleries for brands that you stock so they can find out more behind the scenes and enhance their knowledge. This will enable them to pass on their expertise to customers regarding flavour profiles, interesting combinations and even food matches.

Additionally, think about how you advertise your range of beers to customers at point of purchase. Consider

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NEWS Equipment

Drop Bear Beer secures £1.8million of investment to build its new dedicated alcohol-free brewery Drop Bear Beer Co has succeeded in securing a £1.8million equity investment to build a dedicated alcohol-free brewery. The development of its brewery will allow Drop Bear to increase production and market share and fuel the company’s drive to establish itself as a key national and international player in the burgeoning alcohol-free market.

Founded in 2019 by Joelle Drummond and Sarah McNena (pictured below), it

started producing its beers in 2020 using a contract brewer and packager. In early 2021 the company launched an extremely successful equity investment campaign to raise funds to build its own dedicated alcohol-free brewery.

Joelle Drummond, who is Drop Bear’s sales and marketing director, said: “In

less than two years and with a very humble personal investment, Sarah and I have transformed Drop Bear from just an idea into a multimillion-pound business with an international reputation. This new investment will help the company achieve its aim of opening only the second UK – and first Welsh - alcoholfree brewery.

The Drop Bear brewery will be located in South Wales, with a site currently under consideration and plans underway to get the brewery fully functional by the end of October 2021.

Brewing Services Ltd has worked with Drop Bear since mid-2020 to help develop its range of non-alcoholic beers and has now been given the task of planning the new brewery, which will incorporate several novel modifications to the brewery design and brewing process to facilitate the production non-alcoholic beers.

David Smith, Managing Director of Brewing Services, said: ‘We are currently working with architects to design and build the new purpose-built facility which will house a new brewhouse along with a canning line and keg beer facility. At the same time, we are discussing with various equipment suppliers the design

David (left) and Rob Smith of Brewing Services Ltd who are working with Drop Bear to create the new brewery

of the brewing equipment required and process modifications we want to make to help produce this style of beer without the need of heavy dilution or de-alcoholising.”

The Drop Bear range currently consists of four beers: Tropical IPA, Yuzu Pale Ale, Bonfire Stout, and New World Lager which will be added to once the new brewery is up and running, with a NEIPA high up on the list of new beers being considered.

For further information: www.brewingservices.co.uk

Full steam ahead for training at Tetra Pak In the food and drinks industry, steam is used extensively for heating and sterilisation processes.

It is important that all those involved in the specification and operation of steam systems have a good understanding of control features and maintenance.

Tetra Pak Processing UK Ltd., has taken advantage of Bürkert Fluid Control Systems’ steam training sessions, which are held regularly at the company’s headquarters in Cirencester, UK.

The correct design and installation of a steam system ensures safe, efficient and reliable operation. Understanding the principles that affect the performance of a steam system is very important in the food and beverage industry and also one of the reasons why Tetra Pak Processing

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UK has chosen to send its staff on a training course.

Alex Duckworth, Service Account Manager at Tetra Pak Processing UK, explained: “The global relationship between Bürkert and Tetra Pak meant that we already knew before attending the training that it would be a beneficial experience. We wanted to increase our knowledge and understanding of the Bürkert technology used in the control of steam processes and this course did exactly that.”

Alex concluded: “The trainers were highly professional throughout the course and engaged with all the participants. The increase in knowledge from attending will definitely benefit not only my colleagues and I, but also our end customers.”

Kirsty Anderson, Marketing Manager at Bürkert UK, added: “We are passionate about sharing knowledge and our training programmes are designed to deliver the greatest benefit and education to those who attend. Our training is based firmly on the knowledge and experience we exercise on a daily basis. The course structure is well established and it is delivered in a comfortable and professional manner.”

For further information: www.burkert.co.uk

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NEWS Equipment

Envirogen Group launches PureSep RO system Envirogen Group has launched PureSep RO, its latest reverse osmosis system designed specifically for beverage, brewing and food manufacturing sectors.

With its hygienic design, high-efficiency membranes and remote digital monitoring capabilities, PureSep RO has been developed to meet the exacting quality standards of the industry, while reducing energy use and waste.

John Jepson, Commercial Director at Envirogen, explains: “We’ve tailored the PureSep RO system to meet the unique demands faced by the brewing and beverage industry. The very highest hygienic standards are achieved, with 0.8ra polisher stainless steel used throughout the design, while pressurebased filtration removes 99.9% of bacteria, virus, pyrogens and suspended solids and 99% of dissolved ions.

Because the technology is based on high-efficiency membrane filtration at ambient temperatures, manufacturers can achieve high-quality permeate for food and beverage applications, while reducing operating costs and the risks associated with chemical handling.”

The PureSep RO plant offers several benefits over traditional demineralisation systems, including: • High water recovery rate – up to 90% using nanofiltration (NF) recovery modules.

• The highest hygienic standards – with 316-grade stainless steel throughout, polished to deliver less than 0.8 roughness average (ra).

• Tri-clover hygienic connections – designed to deliver hygienic and quality standards in high-end food and beverage manufacturing conditions.

• Reduced energy usage – Uses the latest high-efficiency, low-energy membranes and frequency-controlled high-pressure pumps regulate and reduce electricity consumption. By working at ambient temperatures, energy consumption is further reduced.

• High-quality permeate – with pressure-based filtration, PureSep RO plants achieve up to 99.9% removal of all organics, bacteria, viruses, pyrogens and suspended solids with up to 99% removal of dissolved ions.

• No chemicals – with hot water sanitisation options available.

• Complete peace-of-mind – with remote digital monitoring, water quality can be monitored, anytime, anywhere which is ideal for 24/7 operations and multi-site manufacturing.

With high volume rates, both process and ingredient water can be produced through one system. Each PureSep RO system is designed to your exact water specification for complete consistency, even when feedwater profiles change.

PureSep RO is the latest in a series of water treatment and process filtration solutions designed specifically for the food and beverage industry. During the pandemic, Envirogen’s engineering team used the time to design and launch the PureSep MF, a next-generation hollow

fibre membrane treatment system designed specifically for the clarification of alcoholic beverages, vinegar and fruit juices. Another modular system, PureSep MF, provides superior, high-quality clarification and increased yields in a compact design, with easy installation and straightforward operation.

“Over many years, we’ve had the pleasure of working within some of the biggest global food and beverage brands. We continue to develop water treatment and process filtration systems and provide flexible service and maintenance options to help the industry become as productive, efficient and sustainable as possible,” concludes Jepson. “Discover how you could save money, increase manufacturing efficiencies, and reduce costs. We conduct free site assessments to identify how you can improve your water treatment and process filtration systems.”

Pictured above: Installation at CocoCola Edmonton

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

Moody Direct Ltd appointed as first UK authorised distributor of Pentair’s Südmo Valve range Following discussions with a leading supplier to the UK process industries, Moody Direct Ltd, Pentair has announced that an authorised distributor agreement has been signed.

Moody Direct provides its customers with a one-stop-shop for all their process requirements and has been doing so for more than 45 years. This agreement allows Moody Direct to officially supply Pentair’s Südmo valve range from Hamilton NZ, including hygienic

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components and spare parts.

“With a proven reputation within the UK hygienic sector, we are delighted to announce this partnership with Moody Direct,” says Jamie Lambert, UK Sales Manager Food & Beverage Process Solutions, Pentair.

“This partnership consolidates the longstanding Pentair-Moody relationship, and bolsters our position as market leaders and innovators in the food and beverage processing, brewing and other industries.”

“Pentair shares many of the same principles we look for from all the original equipment manufacturers we supply,” says Ken Wild, Director of Moody Direct. “This strategic alliance is pivotal in enabling us to scale our UK stock of Pentair’s leading technology and upsurge the support we can offer to both our current, and future Pentair customers.”

For further information: info@moodydirect.com

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NEWS Equipment

Busy summer coming up for Lambrechts

The Lambrechts company has announced it will be installing a new fully automated keg line at the Dorset brewer, Hall and Woodhouse, during the summer.

The Monobloc machine is the same design as was recently installed at Fourpure Brewery in Bermondsey and also Healeys Cyder.

The Monobloc is an all-in-one keg washing and filling line designed to minimize the footprint required to install a complete keg line including conveyor.

The acid, caustic and mixed water tanks are built into the frame, as is the optional external keg washer and check weigher.

After full testing at its large modern facility close to Antwerp, the plug-andplay Monobloc install time can be kept down to a few days. Included in the package is a remote service and diagnostics system taking all the stress out of running a plant even 24/7, as every part of the process is being continually monitored.

For these breweries looking for a semiautomatic washer filler, the popular OMNI COMPACT machine allows the brewer to fill any type of one-way keg irrespective of design - currently on the market, as well as washing and filling

returnable 30/50 litre steel kegs at 34 per hour. On prewashed rented steel kegs, a rate of 63 kegs can be filled per hour.

The Manchester-based Marble Brewery will take delivery of a new OMNICOMPACT during May and Londonbased Big Smoke in July. At Marble Brewery, Gravity Systems - who originally supplied and installed the full brewery equipment - has been contracted to offload, assemble and connect the services to the Lambrechts machine including steam, water, Co2 and compressed air.

Lambrecht’s UK contact commented that the Compact range shares the same service valves and titanium 316 process heads as the larger fully automated machines, and the media tanks are all manufactured in 316 stainless steel. The Compact range can, as a low-cost option, also comfortably wash 9-gallon firkins at 25 per hour, which is useful for brewers who perhaps want to save space removing under-utilized cask washers as keg takes market share from cask.

With off the shelf non -proprietary spares combined with the remote diagnostics package, brewers can sleep sound knowing that services can be planned out cost effectively and combined with other brewers in the area.

CFB Boilers ‘on top of its game’ CFB Boilers has revealed it is currently installing equipment into a leading craft beer brewery in the north-west of England.

When it comes to supplying brewery equipment, CFB says it is at the ‘top of its game’. From supplying steam, hotwater, and electric boilers to customising skid units and plant rooms to providing the whole turn-key package, there is a reason so many breweries choose CFB. The use of steam in brewing provides an accurate way of producing a precision steam outlet to the mash tuns and jacketed vats. This is why more and more breweries use steam rather than hot water. CFB’s 4vt range - available in 12 models from 10 to 130 HP - delivers precise, controlled temperatures to a wide variety of applications and equipment, making it an ideal choice for many steam requirements. Hand crafted

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at the manufacturing facility in Britain and featuring a range of class-leading innovations such as energy-saving four-pass technology and a 30% larger steam chamber, the 4VT Steam Boiler is arguably the most energy efficient, high performance, reliable, and low maintenance steam boiler on the market, which is perfect for keeping your costs low and your efficiency to a maximum.

CFB Boilers’ horizontal range of boilers are required for larger steam outputs and when looking to reduce your carbon footprint even more, electric boilers are there to help you along the way.

Commented a company spokesperson, “Many breweries choose us time and time again when they are expanding, due to the superiority of our products which are crafted using the highest quality materials - proven in the

With over forty-five years of experience of installing keg packaging equipment in the UK and worldwide and being part family owned through the Beyens family, the company understands the requirements of owners in the craft sector and the back-up required for an asset that is more than capable of giving 25 years’ service.

For further information: www.lambrechts-group.com K.Vander-Heyden@lambrechts-group.be

longevity of the boilers - and the excellent individual customer care which is given to each one of our customers.

“We are still regularly servicing our boilers from over 20 years ago. When maintained correctly and with the right treatment and daily checks your boiler should last you a lifetime.”

For further information: www.steamboilers.co.uk

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NEWS Equipment

Salcombe brewery selects Vigo to support major investment project Devon-based Salcombe Brewery Co. has announced that, following a major investment in its brewing and packaging facilities at a new additional site, it is now ideally placed to meet the growing market for its award-winning beers.

As the hospitality sector re-opens, its investment will support the imminent launch of its first canned products, its first lager and its increasing partnerships with leading South West hospitality venues.

Salcombe Brewery Co. Chairman, John Tiner comments: “While the last year has been incredibly challenging for our industry we have taken the opportunity presented by the lull in trade to open a second site. This site complements our existing brewery at Estuary View and will house our own bottling, canning and kegging lines. We have also tripled our brewing capacity and introduced new cardboard packaging across the board to replace plastic.”

John explains: “In addition to the packaging and fermenting capabilities at the new site, we are also moving our cask and keg storage together with our distribution activities from our brewhouse at Estuary View. This will enable the brewhouse, tap room and shop to offer a broader range of experiences to our visiting customers. The expansion means we will be able to support the local community through increased employment and to open up new markets, both locally and further afield, for our Heritage and Discovery range of beers.”

Sam Beaman, Salcombe Head Brewer comments: “The new facilities will present fantastic opportunities for the brew team to both increase volumes of existing beers and to introduce new products within our Discovery range. The lighter cans, which also lend themselves to product innovation, will enable us to propel our online offerings and seek new distribution channels.”

Sam adds: “We selected another Devon based business, Vigo Ltd, to work with us in the selection and commissioning of all of our new packaging and brewing equipment. We intend to make the new facilities available to other regional breweries who may be constrained in

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their packaging flexibility. Similarly, for those who have to send their beer to other parts of the country for packaging, using our local facilities will help them reduce the associated costs and logistical disruption, as well as the adverse impact on their carbon footprint.”

Vigo Ltd is supplying a complete production line, including an automatic ABE canning line, an automatic CIMEC bottling line, a semi-auto Malek kegging facility, ABE fermentation and carbonation tanks, a Kreyer/Quantor chiller with full ringmain controlled by a bespoke Vigo manufactured PLC control system, and a Bared cross flow filter.

The Vigo team worked in close collaboration with Sam and his team to configure a layout which facilitates the best use of the production space available. The installation of the production line, including the ringmain and bracketry for all service pipework, the conveyoring, and the interlinking of the canning & bottling lines to share a single packing area (minimising the footprint), is being carried out by Vigo's engineering team.

Andy Pegman, Sales Director of Vigo Ltd comments, “We were really pleased to be selected as Salcombe's chosen supplier for all of the equipment across the packaging expansion project. It has been a real pleasure to work with the team at Salcombe Brewery from project conception to installation. We have worked closely with them to ensure all of their future packaging requirements have been met whilst designing a facility that best houses all of the equipment creating a production flow that best suits the building.”

Andy continues, "This is no doubt an exciting time for Salcombe Brewery as it is for us. Our team of engineers have been, as usual, integral in providing a bespoke designed solution which will allow for the ease of production as well as expansion going forward. This fantastic facility will no doubt benefit many local breweries who are now lucky enough to have such a flexible and advanced packaging solutions company

on their doorstep, offering them a multitude of small and large packaging options under one roof. We wish Sam and the Salcombe Brewery team all the very best going forward and look forward to seeing their contracts grow both locally and nationally in the near future."

Picture above by Andy Pegman

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

Rotech launches new conveyors Rotech Machines, one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of coding and marking technology, has launched a new range of high-quality modular conveyor systems, designed specifically for industrial packaging operations.

The small, modular, interlocking conveyors offer customers greater packing and coding flexibility, allowing users to pack goods and print codes at speed in any location.

The all-in-one conveyor systems are particularly beneficial where space is limited, where coding and packing is currently performed in different locations, or where a conventional industrial conveyor is too large.

They are designed for fast, flexible printing onto all packaging types.

For further information: www.rotechmachines.com

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NEWS Equipment

RMGroup’s robotic palletisers at Radnor Hills

Robotics and automation specialist, RMGroup, has installed three of its end-of-line robotic palletisers for award-winning soft drinks business, Radnor Hills. The move has enabled the manufacturer to benefit from process efficiencies throughout its production.

Manufacturing a wide range of spring waters, flavoured waters, functional waters, school compliant drinks, premium sparkling pressés, fruit juices and own label brands, Radnor Hills first approached RMGroup in 2018 to investigate automating an end-of-line palletising operation with a robot arm.

On the line, packs of bottles needed to be palletised at a rate of 14 packs per minute. Given the throughput and pallet stack formats, RMGroup needed to ensure that the robotic solution could multi pick packs up to four at any one time, and then place them onto a pallet in one’s, two’s, three’s or four’s, to keep up with the production line throughput.

By using ABB robot studio, RMGroup’s mechanical design and technical department recommended the use of a bespoke gripper, thereby enabling the robot to stack the packs onto pallets at the desired rate. Robot studio also helped RMGroup to decide which ABB

robot would be best suited for the project, thereby optimising the ROI.

Following the success of the initial installation, RMGroup has since supplied another two ABB end-of line palletising systems at the site. A second was installed on Radnor’s tetra pack line, the requirement being to palletise cardboard cartons from dual production lines at a rate of 6 cases per minute; a third line was installed on Radnor’s canning line, involving a much higher output of 24 packs, 12 of which needed to be palletised on euro pallets, at 20 cases per minute.

“The benefits of working with RMGroup and what we feel they particularly do well, is first and foremost they listen to us,” said David Pope, Radnor Hills’ general manager. “They take on board our requirements - they don't tell us what we should be doing, they listen and come back to us with solutions to make it

happen. The whole team has been a pleasure to work with, especially the engineers, who have been extremely knowledgeable and helpful throughout the whole process.”

William Watkins, Radnor Hills’ managing director added: “I think RMGroup’s experience, its backup and the fact that it has a very conscientious team, means that the company really makes sure that it doesn’t leave you until you are absolutely 100% happy that the machinery is working absolutely as you would expect it to.”

For further information: https://rmrobotics.co.uk/products/

ifm’s longer-tip conductivity sensors simplify CIP Particularly suited for use in CIP (cleaning-in-place) applications in the food and beverage industries, the new LDL201 conductivity sensors from ifm electronic have a 77mm long sensing tip which makes them versatile and easy to install in a variety of hygienic process connections.

In addition, the tip features solid PEEK construction which virtually eliminates the risk of breakage even if the sensor is subjected to high levels of stress.

Typical applications for the new LDL201 sensors include monitoring/control of cleaning agents, checking rinse water for residues and product validation. Since the sensors allow improved process control to be achieved, they typically enable users to cut costs by reducing energy usage during CIP cycles, along

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with the consumption of water and cleaning agents.

LDL201 sensors have a conductivity measuring range of 100 µS/cm to 1000 mS/cm and feature an integrated temperature sensor. They have a continuous operating temperature of -25 to +100 ºC and a maximum of 150 ºC < 1 hr. They are provided with an IO-Link interface which provides loss- and error-free transmission of measured conductivity and temperature values. IO-Link also allows easy parameterisation, which not only aids initial set up but also makes it quick and easy to adjust settings to accommodate recipe changes.

With food-grade material used for all parts exposed to the media in which they are being used, ifm’s new conductivity sensors meet EHEDG, FDA and 3-A standards. They are available for fast

delivery and are complemented by a wide range of accessories. These include welding adapters, clamps, hygienic pipe fittings and pre-terminated connecting cables.

For further information: www.ifm.com

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NEWS Equipment

A year passes - challenges, opportunities and green shoots Observations on the pandemic period by Vigo Ltd It's strange to think that it has been just over a year since the government muted the idea of social restrictions in response to Covid-19. The past 14 months seem like a blur of changes, huge challenges and opportunities too.

Every business has a its own story to tell throughout the pandemic. Some of you have shared your experiences with us thank you for this - we really appreciate you keeping in touch and many of you share snippets on social media or on forums. Amidst what sometimes has felt like tide of challenges and difficult decisions, we wanted to share with you some promising observations from our perspective as suppliers.

The flexibility and creativity our customers have demonstrated keeping the sales channels to their customers open (physically and/or virtually) has been a real inspiration to us. Click and collect, virtual tastings, and #shoplocal collaborations are three examples which really stand out. Despite the challenges faced throughout the past 14 months, a strong core group of our customers from multiple sectors (including wine, cider, beer, spirits, RTD cocktails, kombucha & water kefir) have reported really positive product sales. What they seem to share in common is a strong brand, strong and diverse shopping channels, and the ability to respond very quickly to both consumer demand and changing shopping methods.

We've observed that the equipment demand for bottling and other ‘small pack’ formats, like can, bag-in-box & minikeg, has remained as strong during the pandemic as it was in the years leading up to the pandemic. This is perhaps no surprise given that business restrictions within hospitality have led to increased consumer demand for pack sizes suitable for home/takeaway consumption. Nevertheless, this demand for equipment does show a clear commitment to business growth and investment in what has been an extremely challenging time.

We can demonstrate a proportion of this by sharing with you some notable supply

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and installation projects we’ve been working on across the drink sectors in the last few months.

• A 6,000 bph CIMEC counter pressure bottling line with rotary labeller to a cider producer in the South West.

• A 2,500 bph Enolmeccanica Vallebobo automatic rotary multiple cap type capping machine with conveyoring and accumulation table to a facility in the South East who wanted to increase the efficiency of their capping process.

• An Enoveneta PPC35 pneumatic wine press (6.5-8 tonne destemmed/crushed grapes) to a winery in the East of England.

• 6 additional ABE canning lines to the leading contract canning company in Ireland.

• Semi-automatic Barida disgorging equipment to wineries in the Midlands & South West and a cider producer in South East • Full packaging line to a brewery in the South West to include canning, kegging and bottling lines, including pressure tanks, a Quantor/Kreyer chilling unit, glycol ringmain & product pipework.

• Semi-automatic Rizzolio counter pressure filling machine with rinsing & capping function to a brewery in East Anglia.

• A CraftCan DUO [dual lane] canning machine to a brewery in the South East.

• Semi-automatic filtration, filling & capping equipment to a winery in the South West.

• 1,500 litre per hour Vigo pasteurisation & Malek bag-in-box facility and cleaning and filling kegging facility, with full product chilling & in-line carbonation with filtration, for a craft drink producer in Northampton.

• An automatic continuous Voran SA apple washmill & EBP500 belt press installation in the Midlands.

• In-build in our workshops: a 2,000 litre per hour chilling, carbonation and kegging facility for beer & cider in Dorset.

In addition to installation projects, our team of 6 engineers and 2 apprentice engineers have been busy carrying out essential on-site servicing, maintenance and breakdown work for our customers' bottling/canning and kegging lines (in

line with government restrictions and where it is safe to do so). We've seen an increase in the uptake of our service contracts as customers with our automatic lines recognise the importance of preventative maintenance management.

As we emerge from restrictions, It will be a long road and we will all, no doubt, face bumps, but with the strength and creativity within the drink community, and the support and purchasing power of speciality drink enthusiasts, we will build up.

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

Breweries go digital

For years, GEA has been accompanying breweries on their journey to digital transformation.

This is why the company has recently teamed up with renowned industry customers to develop the GEA InsightPartner Brewery software.

This tool captures real-time process management data, monitors production performance and alerts users to deviations. If necessary, brewers can quickly take remedial action in order to optimise brewhouse efficiency over the long term. In the future, these capabilities will also extend to other process steps in the cold block area.

For further information: www.gea.com

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NEWS Branding & Marketing

Don’t get left on the shelf

Says Myles Pinfold

The last year has seen an acceleration of growth in packaged formats and beer has truly joined the world of FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) – not just for the off-trade, but for the on-trade too.

The 4P’s of marketing have never been more relevant for brewers: - Your beer is your hero Product and monolithic beer brands have given way to variety and choice. Having differentiating styles, flavours and ingredients are fundamental to success, whilst innovation is driving the beer category.

- Beer has largely moved to the high-end which means that consumers are willing to pay a high Price for a product that is unique, desirable and well presented.

Premiumisation is the name of the game and discounting is for the discounters and the big brewers who are ‘buying’ market share.

- Knowing your Place in the market, on shelf and in the hearts of your consumer

is a key part of your brand planning.

Ignore this at your risk.

- Your brand is the catalyst that enables successful Promotion and a brand is much, much more than simply a logo. In the absence of significant advertising spend, the branding of your packaging can be the make-or-break factor delivering success or failure.

Even the packaging format is critical in today’s market. Whilst bottles remain the stable fare for traditional ales, the shift to can has been phenomenal, driven by the ‘craft’ movement and now on the ‘size matters’ trail – moving from 330ml to 440ml and latterly to 568ml (pint cans).

Whilst in the USA, the ultra high-end has been dominated with the 750ml speciality beer bottles (back to glass again) that are giving the wine category a run for its money and with eyewatering prices. Or why not super-size your brand with 1.5L and 3L bottles for special occasions, enough to make any

partygoer a star guest.

Set against this is the burning issue that will be at the forefront of every consumer’s mind for the rest of this decade – sustainability. The materials we use for our packaging and how we communicate our environmental credentials are a major consideration – aluminium vs glass vs paper even.

Probably not plastic though… Of course, growlers are the ultimate returnable.

Watch this space as the debate heats up.

What is undeniable is that branding sells beer, get it right and your product will move fast from the shelves as consumers buy into your message. Get it wrong and you will be the one left standing on the shelf (at a discount price)

Myles Pinfold is founder and strategic director of WPA Pinfold

For further information: wpa-drinks.co.uk

Gift pack ‘a real emphasis on luxury and indulgence’

Northern Monk brewery is no strangers to premium beer packaging, having shown time and time again its recognition for the value of the unboxing experience.

Over the years, the company has commissioned many extraordinary packaging designs to accommodate its products, all with the aim of creating remarkable brand experiences for customers.

In November 2020, Northern Monk contacted Saxon Packaging for a luxury gift packaging solution for its new limited edition ‘Heaven Chocolate Box’, a luxury gift pack to be brought to market for the festive season.

This took the form of a luxury doublesided litho printed gift box designed to hold four canned products and associated branded material, whilst reflecting the brewery’s brand identity.

“This festive season, we released the Northern Monk Heaven Chocolate Box, a curated selection of four beers that aimed to recreate classic chocolate flavours”, said Fay Hunter of Northern

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Monk. “The design draws nostalgic inspiration from our favourite Christmas confectionary boxes, containing multiple moments of joy, with a real emphasis on luxury and indulgence.

“The aim of the packaging is to draw the customer into the drinking experience from the moment they see the box. Upon opening it, they get the full heavenly reveal in all its golden glory. No chocolate box would be complete without printed tasting notes on the inside, to guide you on this decadent stout journey.

We chose a double-sided printing process for our Heaven Chocolate Box, as we wanted to create a unique, memorable experience for our customers.”

After confirming the chosen design, it was passed over to Saxon’s in-house design team, so it could start looking into which material, paper grade, print solution and overall packaging design structure would be best suited.

The end result, is a premium beer packaging solution worthy of admiration.

With a bright and rich blend of both functional and visual design work,

Northern Monk’s customers have been able to experience the products both arriving safely and in visually engaging packaging. This beer packaging design has demonstrated that by using the correct materials, matched colours and clever designs, stunning results can be achieved.

“We are very happy to have helped Northern Monk again achieve a great design on their packaging, consistent with their brand overall look and feel, pushing the limits to what can be achieved with double litho printed beer packaging,” says Mike Impson, Sales Director, Saxon Packaging Ltd.

For further information: www.saxonpackaging.co.uk

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NEWS Branding & Marketing

Let the quality of your branded merchandising shine through! says Richard King of The Cotton Textile Company

To manage queues at the London boat show at Earl’s Court, Guinness charged their punters for a pint of the black stuff, but in truth they didn’t need to. And why?

Because the number of converts to the brand the show created, generated enough revenue to pay for the initiative, with change left over for some dry roasted peanuts.

What does this tell us? That they have a great product? Great marketing? Great branding? Deep pockets? Limited competition? Ultimately it is all the above. A pint of draft Guinness delivers on its promises every time; taste, refreshment, nutrients, vitamins, the same silky smooth taste and texture.

Ultimately, you’re assured of a great experience with every purchase.

Producing textiles for brilliant brands

such as Guinness is a privilege and to ensure high standards are met with every product that bears the Guinness brand, we follow our thorough pre-production process. As well as satisfying our own best practices, we do this to make certain the Guinness brand flows through to every T-shirt, pair of socks, picnic rug or beach towel, delivering the same quality as the drink itself. Ultimately, customers purchase branded merchandise to show their loyalty for a brand, and so offering them high quality products is a way to thank them for being your brand ambassadors.

When it comes to branded merchandise, as with most things, you get what you pay for. There are many options available at different price points. An affordable T-shirt will do the job just fine, but the quality of the fabrics, trims, embroidery, or print will be in line with

the cost of the product. Remember, everything that carries your brand and logo represents the values of your business and your team.

So, when making decisions about branded products, take the same care as you would with the ingredients of your beers, ciders or spirits, because they are the ingredients of your success.

For further information: www.thecottontextilecompany.co.uk

No Bar? Time to think ‘outside’ the box

As we all try to navigate the new ‘normal’, it is important to have the tools to be able to adapt quickly, allowing us to effectively promote our brands and communicate clearly with our customers.

With guidelines for hospitality favouring outdoor settings and importantly, offering table as opposed to bar service, some traditional customer communication touchpoints we have always relied on, such as point-of-sale promotions at the bar have changed.

So, how do we maintain our brand visibility and communicate effectively in this new environment?

The Team at Purple Mustard share some ideas of alternative products that brands and venues are now finding invaluable in adapting to these different settings.

Julie Jones, Head of Sales at Purple Mustard, states, “After an incredibly tough year, brands understandably want to maximise their exposure as restrictions

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begin to lift. In line with the move towards outdoor hospitality, we have seen an uplift in demand for our custom printed café barrier sets and outdoor parasols.

“They offer such great visibility in outdoor settings and are available from just 1 unit, making them accessible to brands and venues of all sizes. We’ve also received positive feedback about our range of hygienic, wipeable table mats, tray inserts and coasters, all of which can be customised with any full colour design, making them perfect for promotional messaging - right at the table!”

Sophia Prosser, Marketing Manager at Purple Mustard, adds, “In addition to promotional messaging, many venues also need more practical solutions too.

For example, many have changed the layout of their premises to comply with

guidelines and now need affordable products to convey these changes to customers and make it easy for them to adhere to the new systems. We offer a wide choice of promotional matting solutions, although our new range of adhesive Sure Stride and Stick-and-Stand Mats are a really cost-effective way to offer either simple navigational, social distancing or customised messages effectively.”

For further information: www.purplemustard.co.uk/ beerbev-welcome

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NEWS Hygiene & Resources

Utilise BEKO’s expertise in compressed air quality

Although compressed air plays a key role in food and beverage production, its impact on safety is often underestimated.

The tough regulatory requirements to ensure health and hygiene standards in food processing and production are one key consideration; the other is the market clout of the major retail chains. They carry out regular audits of their food and beverage suppliers to check compliance with their extremely high standards. In many cases contracts worth millions may be at stake. How sure are you that your compressed air is up to standard?

Contaminated compressed air in the food chain is one of the ways the safety of a food or beverage may be compromised during production, processing, handling, packaging or transporting. The most common contaminants are dirt, water and oil, though microbiological organisms (e.g. bacteria) may also be a source of contamination in a compressed air system. If compressed air comes into direct contact with the food or beverage, a much higher standard of contaminant control is required. When food retailers send their auditors to check health and hygiene standards at a food site, the quality of the compressed that comes into direct or indirect contact with the

products could well be checked. So if an audit is due, it’s a good idea to ask the experts from BEKO Technologies to check in advance for compliance, e.g. with the relevant ISO 8573 standard.

“To manage food safety you have to measure,” says Matthew Harrison, BEKO’s Sales Manager UK & Ireland.

“Customers come to us for our expertise in compressed air technology and because we’re known for our excellent technical background. It’s only in the past two decades that standards such as ISO 8573 or the Code of Practice issued by the British Compressed Air Society have become the norm. That’s probably one of the reasons why we still see food sites with very basic compressed air equipment – and correspondingly low standards.”

When a customer calls in BEKO’s product support staff to check the quality of compressed air at a food site, the company’s expertise and experience in testing the relevant equipment are the preconditions for an objective assessment. If the customer wants to know what improvements are possible, BEKO will suggest a solution. “Because every food site is different,” says Paul Mucklow, BEKO’s Product Support Manager, “we always supply a customer with a one-off, site-specific solution.” The

necessary investment, e.g. in the equipment to generate dry, dust-free and oil-free compressed air to meet strict food safety requirements, may not be cheap. But the loss of a key contract to supply a major retail chain would be a lot more expensive.

If you’re uncertain about the quality of your compressed air, feel free to contact BEKO Technologies.

For further information: www.beko-technologies.com/en-gb

Dust extraction specialist relaunches global range

Dustcontrol UK has relaunched its highly effective Good For Food equipment range for the food & drink industry – enabling a comprehensive source extraction system.

Those in the food and drink processing, and packaging industries can benefit from the evolved range, which now includes stainless pre-separator and filter units specially developed for the food industry.

With hygiene requirements being extremely stringent for businesses operating in the food & drink sector, the new equipment provides increased safety, hygiene and cost-efficiency in production.

The relaunched range has been extended to specifically include flap valves, suction brushes, flat nozzles, hose

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connectors, full stainless tubing system, joints, pre-separator, automatic shutter valves, and stainless steel filter units.

The equipment offers a unique combination of properties. For one, the accessories are antistatic and ESD certified, which means they can be used in ATEX Zone 22, where dust explosions can occur. The brushes and nozzles are also approved for food surface contact and the system for food transport, being both FDA compliant and the European equivalent.

The brush and accessories colour coding, covering five handle colours and two easily interchangeable brush colours, allows for different applications in the factory, different areas or even for different days of the week depending on need.

The firm’s Good For Food range is

designed to offer a source extraction system that can be fully integrated into the production process for recycling, or used as a centralised vacuum cleaning system.

For further information: www.dustcontroluk.co.uk

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Siltbuster’s new integrated chemical dosing system Leading water treatment specialist, Siltbuster, has launched an integrated chemical dosing system (iCDS) to sit alongside its already extensive range of treatment solutions.

The new product, developed and manufactured in the UK, has been designed for sites which require a cost effective and compact solution, yet still offers many of the benefits associated with Siltbuster’s larger containerised dosing systems.

The new chemical dosing system is built for rapid site deployment and has been sized to easily fit standard transport layouts. The iCDS has also been fitted with multiple lifting mechanism options, ensuring all site loading and unloading possibilities are catered for.

Rich Matthews, MD at Siltbuster, comments: “It is fantastic to be adding a new product to our existing range of treatment solutions. The iCDS is a testament to the Siltbuster team’s continuous research, innovation and

engineering capabilities, as well as their commitment to working closely with customers to achieve responsive solutions. This latest addition further confirms our ability to cater for projects of all shapes and sizes, optimising valuable space on site without compromising on treatment quality.”

The iCDS’ storage area is fully bunded and secured by lockable, bi-fold gates on three sides providing maximum accessibility on site during chemical replenishment, which ensures a flexible solution for any location. The fourth side of the iCDS accommodates a heated, weather-proof and secure compartment, which contains the dosing pumps, flow meter and control system.

It offers a standard 2-stage dosing system designed to dose coagulants and flocculants on a flow proportional basis.

This prevents the risk of overdosing and can easily be fitted with a pH adjustment system to enable the pH to be both increased and/or decreased, providing the options for 3 or 4 stage dosing for more complex water

treatment requirements.

The iCDS is capable of treating flow rates of over 100mᶾ/hr and follows the same modular principle as all of Siltbuster’s products. This enables it to be used as a stand-alone unit or incorporated using a range of other products to create a rapidly deployed, fully operational system to ensure Siltbuster clients are applying best practice to achieve their environmental compliance responsibilities.

For further information: www.siltbuster.co.uk

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NEWS Hygiene & Resources

New HQ opening with green energy partnership

Leeds-based brewery, North Brewing Co, has partnered with Planet-U Energy to help reduce its carbon footprint and energy bills at its brand new Springwell headquarters.

Springwell, located in a former tannery on Buslingthorpe Lane, will see North Brewing Co double its capacity and open a new 500 person taproom, in a move that will co-locate the firm’s bar and brewery headquarters under one roof.

To ensure its new headquarters operates as sustainably as possible, North Brewing Co commissioned renewable energy specialist Planet-U Energy, based at Leeds’s East Parade, to provide a range of sustainable technology services, including renewable energy procurement, EV Charger and Solar PV installations.

These solutions form part of North Brewing Co’s wider sustainability strategy at Springwell, with other initiatives implemented including sustainable sourcing of merchandise and workwear, new operating procedures placing recycling at the heart of the brewery’s operations and encouraging green modes of transport through the firm’s ‘cycle to work’ scheme.

Following a full site energy audit, PlanetU’s engineers provided the installation of 104 solar panels to the site’s roof space, which will generate an estimated 36,700 KW annually. This equates to an average annual saving of around £6,653 per year, or a ROI of less than 5 years.

The renewables firm also provided a

22kW EV rapid charger installation which will charge vehicles on-site in around one to two hours.

During the lifespan of the renewable technology, it is estimated it will generate total savings of more than £160,000 compared to traditional energy sources.

Tom Thurling, Head of Renewable Engineering at Planet-U Energy, said: “It has been great to deliver this project at Springwell for North Brewing Co and our partnership is a fantastic example of how renewable energy procurement and energy saving technology can benefit breweries. By moving away from traditional sources of energy, North Brewing Co will save money on its electricity bills, whilst also becoming more energy efficient.

Tom added: “Despite the additional challenges of completing the installations during Covid restrictions, we were able to complete all of our works on time whilst the brewery remained operational in anticipation of its opening. This has been a flagship project for us and we hope it will be the first of many for us in the brewing industry.”

John Gyngell, Founder of North Brewing Co, said: “Adding a renewable energy solution at Springwell was an easy decision for us to make, since we were looking to become more sustainable in our operations as well as reducing our energy costs.

“It has been an exciting time for us, with

so much activity taking place despite the pandemic and we’ve adapted to not only keep the business running but growing as well. With our move to Springwell, we also wanted to step back and look at how we could do things more sustainably while still making progress.”

John added: “The transition to Solar PV and EV charging is a great move for us, it will help reduce our carbon footprint and move the business forward in line with the Government’s 2030 decarbonisation targets. Planet-U Energy has helped make this a seamless process, providing fantastic consultation and customer service throughout both the energy audit and installation process.”

For businesses interested in making the transition to renewable energy, Planet-U Energy has strategic partnerships with multiple large investment organisations and lenders which can provide customers with funding options.

Making pub surfaces hygienically safe

British company Veraco has developed a range of antimicrobial protective covers for touchpoints and touch-screens.

The technology breaks down the biological makeup of dangerous pathogens, reducing microbial growth by up to 99.99%, as well as being effective against Human Coronavirus.

Hygiene around touchpoints will play a critical role where large numbers of people will be repeatedly touching the same points. It is well documented that viruses spread through droplets that land on surfaces, but so far solutions that address the actual surface have been overlooked in favour of hand sanitiser and

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For further information: https://planetuenergy.com

cleaning. In between cleaning bacteria and virus droplets can build up and social distancing is often difficult in a hospitality setting. That’s what makes Veraco’s products such a potentially important tool, as they simply work on touch 24/7.

The benefits of solutions like this are that they are a visible reassurance to customers that even if someone hasn’t sanitised their hands, there is still protection in place. This reassurance will be critical to getting people back into pubs, restaurants, live music and so much social activity that has been so missed by everyone.

For further information: www.veraco.co.uk

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NEWS Ingredients

An insurance for well-balanced yeast nutrition for reliable and clean fermentation AB Vickers YeastLife O™ is the result of intensive Research & Development work on fermentation process, with attention to the yeast nutritional aspect of sugar-based fermented beverages including hard seltzer, cider, mead and high gravity beer.

On top of solving nutritional requirements to avoid sluggish and stuck fermentation, YeastLife O™ has been formulated to avoid off flavour and improve mouthfeel.

With a 100 % organic nitrogen source and exclusively bio-available vitamins and minerals, YeastLife O™ is suitable for use in organic alcoholic beverages*. (to be checked with local regulations)*

Framed within the AB Vickers product line, YeastLife O™ represents a necessary addition to Lallemand Brewing’s portfolio of yeast nutrient solutions to help overcome difficult brewing process conditions. This portfolio already included two products: Servomyces™ and YeastLife Extra™. All three products have been formulated to

cover the wide array of stressful conditions that brewers may have to face during fermentation processes (yeast re-pitching, propagation, high gravity brewing, poor wort….) and to ensure consistent fermentation performance.

AB Vickers YeastLife O™ is a pure blend of yeast autolysates (specific inactive Saccharomyces cerevisiae) with specific characteristics in amino acids composition, bio-available vitamins and minerals, and fractions rich in mannoproteins. It is available in 2 kg sachets with a recommended pitch rate of 40g/hl to 250 g/hl, depending on application.

Lallemand Brewing is a business unit of Lallemand Inc., a privately held Canadian company specialising in the research, development, production, marketing and distribution of yeast and bacteria. Lallemand Inc. has over 4000 employees located in more than 45 countries on 5 continents.

Part of the Lallemand Brewing Business Unit, AB Vickers is a global leader in the field of brewing process aids and related services. With over 200 years of history

and expertise, bringing constant technological innovation and expertise, AB Vickers develop, market and supply the worldwide beer industry with worth clarification, beer clarification, antifoam, nutrients and more.

For further information: www.lallemandbrewing.com marketingbrewing@lallemand.com

Yakima Chief launches Cryo Pop™ Original Blend Yakima Chief Hops (YCH), a grower-owned global hop supplier, is yet again taking aromatic beers to a new level with its latest product launch – Cryo Pop™ Original Blend.

Celebrating four years since the release of its advanced product line, Cryo Hops®, this hop blend uses groundbreaking research to solve the common brewing problem of how to carry raw hop aroma into finished beers.

In 2017, YCH launched a line of innovative hop products known as Cryo Hops® using a cryogenic hopprocessing technology that separates whole cones into two components — concentrated lupulin and bract.

These concentrated lupulin pellets provide brewers with maximum aroma impact while reducing the negative effects experienced with brewing hoppy beers. The Cryo Hops® brand has since

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been recognized on beer labels worldwide.

YCH has combined this novel process with cutting-edge hop lab analysis techniques to create Cryo Pop™ Original Blend, formerly known as trial blend TRI 2304CR.

The YCH R&D facility houses one of the only labs in the world with the capability to analyze hops via GC-QTOF and GC-SCD technology and study previously undetectable aromatic components.

The data is utilised to engineer a hop pellet that contains high concentrations of the most beer-soluble compounds, or compounds that survive the brewing process. The result is a supercharged pellet that provides brewers with a dynamic solution for juicy, fruit-forward, highly aromatic applications, showing massive tropical, stone fruit, and citrus aromas.

“The research behind Cryo Pop is revolutionary,” said Spencer Tielkemeier, YCH’s East Division Sales Lead and a member of the Brewing Innovations team.

“It helps brewers harness a practical understanding of how beer-soluble compounds make an impact in the finished product.”

Cryo Pop™ Original Blend is available to both commercial and homebrewers.

For further information: shop.yakimachief.com

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NEWS Ingredients

New additions to HopInspiration® range in UK

A unique range of New Zealand premium hop oil extracts, offering an array of flavours and aromas, is now available to brewers of all sizes thanks to an exclusive partnership between Totally Natural Solutions (TNS) and NZ Hops.

TNS, a UK-headquartered provider of innovative, natural hop oil extracts, has joined forces with NZ Hops, New Zealand’s leading supplier of premium NZ-grown hops, to bring brand new hop varieties to the UK and global markets.

In recent months, TNS has worked tirelessly to deliver a sustainable and secure supply of dry hop extracts from premium NZ Hop varieties.

NZ Hops is a cooperative of master growers based in Nelson, Tasman, which is renowned as New Zealand’s sunniest region. The area’s terroir helps create highly sought-after aromas and flavours in craft and traditional beers. The joint venture has allowed TNS to marry its patented clean label extraction technologies with NZ Hops to deliver unique soluble hop aroma and flavour.

The new HopInspiration® Premium NZ hops range has been created to offer brewers hop varieties that have never existed as extracts before.

New Zealand-grown hops are in high demand, providing a unique chemical composition that cannot be replicated anywhere else in the world, and they are therefore in scarce supply. Teaming up with TNS has allowed soluble NZ Hop Oils to be offered to brewers of all sizes.

Using a completely natural, patented and proprietary oil extraction processes, TNS has retained the quality, aroma and flavour profiles of NZ Hops. The purest oils are extracted by TNS and can then replace pellets or whole hops as part of the brewing process, without sacrificing taste.

TNS has completed brewing trials to replace hop pellets and add complexity to IPA beer styles for craft brewers. As a result, the new HopInspiration® Premium NZ hops range offers unique tropical fruit characters and citrus notes for application across a range of lager, IPA and low alcohol beer styles. The products are soluble, light, stable and without hop bitterness. The extracts are designed to be added to beer without any beer loss or the need to remove dry mass.

Colin Wilson, managing director of Totally Natural Solutions, said: “Since we signed this exclusive agreement with NZ Hops late last year, we’ve been working

tirelessly to create our new HopInspiration® Premium NZ hops range offering hop varieties that have never existed as extracts before. We’re looking at the hop world through new eyes thanks to this relatively small but mighty amalgamation of unique New Zealand hops and UK expertise and support.

“Forming a partnership with the leading hop cooperative in New Zealand has led to a perfect marriage of technology, expertise and the finest quality raw material.”

Read about the latest trends fuelling flavoured gin market growth

As the ‘Ginaissance’ continues, the popularity of flavoured gin and gin liqueurs appears unstoppable, with UK, off-trade sales growing by an impressive 31% in the 12 months to October 2020 (WSTA).

It cannot be ignored that this came at a time when the hospitality industry was forced to close its doors for much of the year. However, the continued launch of ever-more innovative flavours across the category has most definitely helped to boost its appeal.

Today’s consumer is increasingly more adventurous, keen to explore new flavours and experiences. However, it is becoming harder than ever to stand out from the competition in such a crowded marketplace. Continued innovation has

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For further information: www.totallynaturalsolutions.com

never been more critical in maintaining consumer excitement and interest. The mixology team at Simpsons Beverages can help you get creative by developing unusual and innovative flavours for your gin brand. The alternatives are almost endless. Choose from sophisticated combinations including Blood Orange & Fig to the downright wacky, such as festive Brussel Sprout! The only limit is your imagination.

A number of new trends are driving growth across the category. These include Asian flavours, health and wellness influences and seasonal celebrations - with a gin for almost every occasion. Not to mention good oldfashioned frivolity and fun as new retro flavours continue to remain popular with #Kidults!

You can read more about the latest trends driving growth across the flavoured gin category the latest report from Simpsons Beverages.

For further information: www.simpsonsbeverages.com

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NEWS Business Services

Brands and influencers – the risks of not complying with ASA rules on Instagram

by Amy Ralston, Stephens Scown LLP

In March 2021, the Advertising Standard Authority (ASA) published a report assessing whether influencers are complying with the rules on Instagram. It described the results of the report as “unacceptable”.

ASA’s report, “Influencer Ad Disclosure on Social Media”, followed a three-week Instagram monitoring exercise, which assessed influencers’ level of compliance with the ASA rules. It highlighted that brands will be held equally responsible for failing to adequately disclose advertising content. The ASA is now planning to work directly with social media platforms and the Competitions and Markets Authority (CMA) to prepare enforcement action.

ASA monitoring exercise The exercise monitored the Instagram accounts of 122 UK-based influencers and more than 24,000 Instagram Stories to see if their advertising content was compliant with the ASA rules. The ASA found that nearly 25% of the Stories were advertisements, but only 35% were correctly labelled. The ASA describes the proportion of influencers complying with the rules as “far below what we would expect” and the level of non-compliance “unacceptable.”

Influencers given warnings The ASA has placed these influencers and several brands ‘on notice’ and has threatened to name and shame the rule breakers if they are seen to be ignoring the regulations again in the future.

Recently a few ex-Love Islanders have hit the headlines for falling short of the ASA regulations, including Molly-Mae Hague (giveaway rules) and Luke Mabbott (mislabelling advertorial content). It is therefore suspected that, in response to its findings, the ASA will take more stringent action to ensure compliance of both influencers and brands when advertising on social media.

The exercise also found inconsistent disclosure of ads across Stories, posts, IGTV and reels. This means that an ad might be accurately disclosed in a post, but then not in a corresponding Story, i.e., including unmarked affiliate content

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and/or poor visibility of labels.

The ASA once again emphasised that influencers should not rely on bios or past posts to make it clear to consumers that they are connected to a product i.e., by including that the influencer is a “brand ambassador” for a particular brand will not cover all posts and content which relate to that brand.

Poor compliance across all sectors 70% of monitored ads fell into three sectors: Beauty, Clothing and Leisure.

However, no single sector had an acceptable rate of compliance when labelling ads. The ASA suggested that neither influencers nor brands are taking enough care to ensure consumers know when influencer marketing is occurring.

In 2020, the ASA recorded a 55% increase in complaints received about influencers across all platforms compared to 2019, from 1,979 to 3,144. 61% of all complaints made in 2020 were about ad disclosure on Instagram.

With influencer marketing continuing to grow rapidly, the ASA believe it is likely that they will continue to receive more complaints about this type of advertising.

How to make sure you are compliant with ASA It is recommended to take specialist legal advice before providing and/or engaging influencer marketing services.

Taking this first step can help to ensure that you are not putting yourself in a disadvantageous position and that you are complying with your legal and regulatory obligations – both from an influencer point of view and a brand point of view.

What is the risk of not following the ASA rules?

Brands If brands continue to disregard the ASA rules or collaborate with influencers who continuously breach the rules, it can significantly damage their reputation when and if the ASA applies these sanctions – or if the press get wind of a complaint.

Brands and influencers have recently hit the headlines because a complaint has

been upheld by the ASA. For example, BoohooMAN and Luke Mabbott – Luke Mabbott hit the headlines after posting advertorial content on TikTok and not disclosing his commercial relationship with BoohooMAN. Influencers hitting the headlines for breaching the ASA and/or CMA rules has the potential to negatively affect the brand’s reputation.

Influencers For influencers, ignoring the relevant rules and regulations can not only damage their reputation, but it can also increase their “risk profile” to brands.

Brands may take the view that the influencer is a risk and could cause them bad publicity, which could mean that the brand is less likely to offer brand deals and partnerships. It is recommended that influencers view their social media as a “work portfolio” and make sure that they are complying with the relevant rules and regulations on influencer marketing at all times – including labelling, giveaways, regulated products etc.

ASA sanctions The ASA can apply a range of sanctions to brands and influencers if they are seen to be ignoring the rules. This includes: • Withdrawal or amendment of the offending ad; • Naming and shaming the brand and/or influencer on their non-compliant list; • Media refusal; • Disqualification from industry awards; • The removal or paid-for search ads; and • Withdrawal or trading privileges.

Persistent or serious offenders may be required to have their content vetted by CAP before publication.

Amy Ralston is a solicitor in the Intellectual Property, Information Technology and Data Protection team at Stephens Scown LLP. She specialises in influencer marketing, brand endorsement and the regulation of the same.

For further information: influencers@stephens-scown.co.uk

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NEWS Business Services

U+I agrees lease with Brew By Numbers for new brewery and taproom Regeneration specialist U+I has agreed a lease with south east London brewery, Brew By Numbers, for a new taproom and brewery at Morden Wharf on Greenwich Peninsula.

The craft beer company will occupy a 6,000 sq ft space in a refurbished warehouse next to the River Thames, as part of the wider regeneration of the industrial site into a new mixed-use neighbourhood.

The deal represents a significant step forward for the regeneration scheme, which was submitted for planning in June 2020 and is due to go to committee in the coming months.

Overall, the development is expected to contribute £42m per year in local economic value and a further £25.2m in social value over the next ten years, primarily through the generation of over 1,000 new permanent jobs on and off site, as well as over 2,000 jobs throughout the development and construction process.

Brew By Numbers currently operates three sites at 79 & 75 Enid Street in Bermondsey and Bellenden Road in Peckham and has released more than 400 beers since its establishment in 2012. Having secured investment through crowdfunding, it is looking to

expand its food and retail offer to complement its taproom experience and create an all-day destination at Morden Wharf.

U+I’s site on Greenwich Peninsula also offers Brew By Numbers space to showcase the process of brewing its wide range of beers – including modern IPAs, pale ales, mixed fermentation farmhouse ales, vibrant dark coffee beers & nitro stouts – at the same time educating its audience on the importance of freshness and beer cold storage.

Richard Upton, Chief Executive Officer at U+I, said:“Brew By Numbers is a perfect tenant for Morden Wharf, enabling us to pay homage to heritage of The Sea Witch pub whilst kickstarting the regeneration of an industrial site that is positively bristling with opportunity. When the taproom opens its doors to the people of Greenwich next year, we hope that it will fast become a favourite among the local community.”

Tom Hutchings, Co-founder of Brew By Numbers, said: “We’ve spent a lot of time looking for the perfect place to deliver our long-term goal of providing one of the best drinking experiences in London. Morden Wharf is a unique site

that offers us that opportunity, whilst also reflecting the industrial heritage of our current locations in Bermondsey and Peckham.”

“We are all super excited to use the additional space to expand our range and continue on our commitment to exploratory brewing with investment in new state of the art equipment. The views of the Thames and across south east London are incredible; giving us the perfect backdrop to summer drinking, foodie events and small beer festivals.”

The Brew By Numbers taproom and brewery at Morden Wharf will sit on the site of a historic pub, The Sea Witch, that was destroyed during the Second World War. Both will offer fantastic views of the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site and Canary Wharf across the River Thames, as well as across the new riverside park and beach on the site.

Brew By Numbers is expected to open its doors this summer.

For further information: www.uandiplc.com

ThinCats MBO funding package for drinks company

Corinthian Brands (CBL) Limited, one the UK’s leading independent drinks manufacturers, has been supported with an eightfigure funding package for the MBO of St Helier Beverage Company Jersey Limited and its subsidiaries, by a leading alternative finance provider for mid-sized SMEs, ThinCats.

St Helier Beverage Company is the parent company of Corinthian Brands, with flagship alcoholic drinks brand Dragon Soop, HCC Cider, Lamcello 'Posh Perry', St. Helier sparkling fruit beverages and Old Style Ginger Beer.

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Corinthian Brand drinks are sold through many high street supermarkets as well as a range of wholesale and independent stores.

Joint MDs, John Hibberd and Paul Burton, founded the business in 2011 and management have been planning for an MBO, advised by Andrew Barnsley at Adam Street Advisers, London based corporate advisory boutique, who introduced ThinCats.

Dave Sherrington, Regional Head of

Sales, London, ThinCats: “John and Paul are a force to be reckoned with, having a phenomenal sixty years of knowledge and experience of the drinks industry between them.

“Their plans for the future of the business are impressive, and we have no doubt that this funding will launch the business into another successful phase.”

For further information: www.thincats.com

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THE VIEW THROUGH MY GLASS BOTTOM

A drink to our national health Julian Grocock

‘Dear Mr Grocock…

Please call us…to arrange your annual health review.’

It was a letter hinting at a return to some sort of routine normality – the NHS able at last to concentrate once more on the everyday mundaneness of a sixty-seven-year-old bloke and his daily dosage of an antihistamine, a statin, and two types of blood-pressure medication.

And to ask the usual box-ticking questions about lifestyle, exercise, diet…and alcohol consumption.

As I write, my appointment is tomorrow, when there'll still be an overbearing presence of pandemiccontrol regulations that must be complied with: masks, social distance, crowd control, handsanitisation, etc. But by the time you're reading we'll hopefully be travelling significantly further towards the revival of the essential features of a familiar world of unhindered hospitality.

By which of course I mean the freedom to drink great British beer inside great British pubs. ~ Because I have a mischievous streak (have you noticed?) I look forward to the GP practice nurse's booze-based interrogation. Armed with substantial industry background knowledge and an unquenched thirst for research, I'm always ready with sharp responses to every question…

'How many units? Well, back in 1979 I had to work pretty hard to get up to the recommended weekly maximum of 56!’

'Oh it's 14 now, is it? Is there a scientific basis for that? Probably not, since the USA reviewed its limits at the same time as our latest reduction and decided to stick with 25 units for men.'

'Of course, I'm fine when I'm on holiday in Spain, because I'm allowed 35 units there – or maybe I'll emigrate to Fiji, where the advice says up to 52 are ok!’

Rest assured I know the nurse is following the prescribed guidelines of her job, and I'm careful that none

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of what I say comes across as a pompous ass's personal attack on her professionalism. Anyway, there's a chance my review will be with someone who's seen me before, so her eyes will be rolling as soon as I walk through the door – and I expect we'll be sharing a laugh about it all before I leave. ~ My respect, admiration and support for our NHS and its workers goes far beyond orchestrated rounds of applause, whose main achievement has been to distract attention from sinister political plans for the Service, plotted in the corridors of power, before the current crisis, by many who subsequently became the most prominent clappers.

But what matters most to me now, in this column, is the support for pubs (and breweries and the wider industry infrastructure) that will be vital for their successful commercial resurrection and restoration as integral and indispensable to the communities they serve. Though I'm proud to have spent the last forty-five years – in the broad range of roles and guises you probably know about – campaigning for, defending and championing pubs and beer, there is no doubt that, in spite of ongoing struggles against closures, rationalisation and the prohibitionist lobby, I've always taken the immortality of a vibrant pub culture for granted.

Until now.

~ With perfect timing – exactly as I'm wrestling with the drafting of meaningful and perceptive closing

comments – I hear a radio news report announce that alcohol-related deaths in 2020 were up by 20%.

Ludicrously, but typically, commentary is invited only from a leading anti-drink voice, regurgitating rote waffle about the demon and its inherent dangers…blah, blah, blah…

What I would ask Sir Ian Gilmour about is the correlation between these depressing new statistics and the indisputable fact that they've been generated during a period when pubs have been unable to operate at their customary levels; when, as a consequence, drinking has been predominantly away from a controlled, but essentially sociable and self-regulating, environment; and when, as a further consequence, problems associated with alcohol consumption as an end in itself have been brought to the fore. I'd remind him of the times when even temperance zealots have seen pubs more as a social foundation for moderation than the road to degeneracy and decay.

And I'd raise a pub-bought pint and propose a toast to our health.

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’.

BREWING & BEVERAGE INDUSTRIES BUSINESS • Summer 2021

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Want to promote your business to the UK marketplace?

Then here’s what this magazine is all about!

We’re a quarterly ‘Product & Services’ platform for the UK drinks production industry So if your business has something to sell to UK brewers , distillers, and cider makers, you can publicise it within our pages.

Ask yourself, is there another UK drinks trade magazine that ticks all these boxes?

o Free subscription for a printed copy open to ALL UK brewers 3 o Free subscription for a printed copy open to ALL UK distillers 3 o Free subscription for a printed copy open to ALL UK cider makers 3 o Circulation figures which are actually ABC audited & certified (not assumed or simply mailed to members) 3 o Free editorial (no advertorials please!)

3 o Right-hand-page, low-cost advertising, with additional discounts and benefits.

3 o Online page-flip version with editorial live links to advertisers’ websites 3 o Social media coverage of advertisers’ editorial at no additional cost 3

To be included in the next issue please email chris@brewingbusiness.co.uk

The NEXT issue of

Showcase

Features in this issue...

Bar & Cellar

AUTUMN 2021 will be published on

27th August 2021 EDITORIAL DEADLINE : Monday 2nd August

ADVERTISING ARTWORK: Monday 9th August

l Drinks fonts, taps, beer engines, pump clips & lens, and also bar runners, anything on the bar! l Promotional branded glassware for the retail market. l Back-bar equipment and services. l Cellar equipment and services, including stillaging and cooling.

Bottling & Canning Equipment

l New and pre-owned bottling & canning equipment available in the UK. l Companies that will install your equipment and work with you in commissioning and initial production, in addition to providing tuition.

PLUS our FOCUS feature on the UK DISTILLING market.

For more detailed information on all these features, visit brewingbusiness.co.uk/features-list/ BREWING & BEVERAGE INDUSTRIES BUSINESS • Summer 2021

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Brewers/Distillers Benefits BFBi represents the supply chain into the beverage industry with Full Members ranging from barley and hop merchants through to process engineers, packaging, point of sale, etc.

Manufacturers, including brewers/distillers, may join as Associate Members.

As a “traditional” industry (in its best sense), where relationships between supplier and customer are recognised as adding value and ensuring sustainability, BFBi is well known as a facilitator of social and professional networking events.

ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP COST: £235 + VAT per annum

For more information about member benefits, please contact info@bfbi.org.uk

2021

May 25th – Managing Your Business Post Covid Caterpel September 9th - 12th - Craft Brewers Conference, Denver, USA 15th - National Lunch, Drapers Hall, London 16th - Midland Golf Day, Branston Golf Club October 29th - Western Section Lunch, Cheltenham November 12th - Midland Section Lunch, Albert Hall, Nottingham 16th - 18th - International Brewing & Cider Awards (IBCA), Burton upon Trent

2022

June 7-8th - BevExpo 2021 - Manchester Central September 12th - 16th - drinktec 2022, Munich, Germany For further info on any of these events contact events@bfbi.org.uk

Brewing Food & Beverage Industry Suppliers’ Association 11 Side Strand • Pendeford Place • Pendeford Business Park • Wolverhampton WV9 5HD

Tel: +44 (0)1902 422303 • Fax: +44 (0)1902 795744• Email: info@bfbi.org.uk • Website: www.bfbi.org.uk OVER 100 YEARS SERVICE TO THE BREWING, FOOD & BEVERAGE INDUSTRY

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BREWING & BEVERAGE INDUSTRIES BUSINESS • Summer 2021

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