Beer Packaging And Storage

Beer Storage

Once beer production is complete and ready for market, it needs to be stored. Storage is typically short-term and takes place within the brewery. Craft breweries will store beer in the original fermentation tanks until it is transferred to containers. In packaging breweries, it can take several hours from beer filtration to kegging or bottling. Normal bottling and kegging operations are conducted at low temperatures. Breweries store kegged beer in refrigeration at approximately 3°C (38°F) until it is ready for distribution. During this stage, it is best to store bottled beer in a cool environment.

Beer Packaging

Barrels

Barrels are one of the oldest and most traditional ways to store liquids. Barrels are made of a series of wooden staves held together by metal hoops. They not only have historical value in the beer industry, but also play an important role in the storage and aging of most alcoholic beverages. In the beer industry, barrels are undoubtedly the most important storage containers.

Keg

Kegs are the primary dispensing containers in the beer industry. Draft beer served in bars is dispensed from kegs. These metal (sometimes plastic) containers have a tube extending to the bottom, usually equipped with a ball lock to ensure a tight seal. When connected to a tap, gas is injected into the keg, pushing the beer through the tube and out of the ball lock.

• 1/2 Barrel Beer Keg

The most common beer keg size in the US is the half-barrel, which holds 15.5 gallons, equivalent to 124 pints or 165 12-ounce cups of beer.

• 1/4-barrel beer keg

A 1/4-barrel (or keg) has a capacity of 7.75 gallons and comes in two sizes: short and wide or tall and narrow, though it is less common than in the past. A 1/4-barrel can hold 62 pints or 82 12-ounce cups of beer.

• 1/6 Barrel Beer Keg

The 1/6 barrel (or one-sixth barrel) has replaced the old-style barrel. A 1/6 barrel is equivalent to 41 pints or 55 12-ounce bottles of beer.

• 50-liter keg

The 50-liter keg is common in European and British breweries and is a standard specification. It is similar to the half keg in the US. A 50-liter keg can hold 105 pints or 140 12-ounce cups of beer.

Aluminum cans

Canning technology has undergone numerous changes and improvements and is now one of the most popular beverage packaging methods worldwide. Canning technology is often favored by beer manufacturers and consumers because it effectively reduces exposure to light and oxygen, lowers transportation costs, and is easy to recycle.

Bottled

Bottles have always been the preferred packaging unit for beer. Whether sealed with corks or caps, bottles are still widely used to package beer around the world and come in a variety of sizes and styles.

How should beer be stored?

The ideal storage temperature for beer is between 45 and 55 degrees Fahrenheit (approximately 20 to 13 degrees Celsius). If stored at too low a temperature, beer will lose its flavor. If stored at too high a temperature, beer will become more intense in flavor and age more quickly. Most beers are best enjoyed at room temperature (13 to 15 degrees Celsius). Regular beer is best stored in a cellar (13 to 13 degrees Celsius). Some beers can be aged for one year or longer, while others can be aged for ten years or longer.

Does beer need to be stored in the refrigerator?

It is best to store beer in a refrigerated container. Please consult the specific circumstances regarding draft beer and other craft beers. If beer is stored in a non-refrigerated container, its flavor will age more quickly and lose its freshness. The refrigerator's role is to slow down microbial and physical changes in food, and this applies to beer as well. If you cannot store beer in the refrigerator, keep it in the coolest, darkest, and most humid-free area of your home. Many people believe that rapid temperature changes can spoil beer, but this is typically not a significant issue.

How to Store Beer Properly

• Store beer in the right place. Storing beer upright ensures that sediment (yeast) settles at the bottom. In addition, storing beer upright reduces oxidation and extends its shelf life.

• Store beer in a cool place. Excessive UV or blue light can cause beer to “spoil” or develop off-flavors, meaning the taste won't be as expected.

• Keep it cool. High temperatures not only accelerate beer aging and flavor development but can also damage the beer. The ideal storage temperature is between 10 and 15 degrees Celsius.