Bag-in-box for beer

Working in partnership with Bavarian brewer Ankerbrä, from Nördlingen, Rapak has pioneered a bag-in-box system for the beer market. The technology, which is suitable for all types of beers, offers a low-cost alternative to the traditional keg and is especially beneficial for export.

Until now, beer for on-trade sales has been packed and transported in stainless steel kegs, from which it is then dispensed. However, the size and weight of each keg makes transport costs high. Furthermore, all kegs have to be returned for re-use and, in addition to the transport costs involved, many kegs are lost in transit.

These factors have restricted the export potential for many breweries.

The bag-in-box alternative offers a number of advantages: lower transport costs (bag-in-box beer contains 9 hL compared with a 5.4 hL keg), no return costs, a longer shelf life than the usual three days after opening for the keg and a firmer, longer-lasting foam on the beer. The taste and quality of the product is not compromised. Shortages of kegs that often occur due to the seasonality of the beer market can also be avoided.

The ability to pack beer in bag-in-box has been made possible by the removal of CO2 from the beer after brewing. The CO2 is then reintroduced into the beer via a specially developed 'Carbonator Box', which is placed in each on-trade outlet between the bag-in-box and the pump head. This system can be used in all outlets that currently use the keg system.