Machine washes and racks kegs for brewery with pub

Once one of the biggest beer capitals in Europe, Dortmund’s brewing tradition goes back over 750 years; however, the art of brewing has gradually waned in significance in the last few decades.

Bergmann Brauerei brewery has, however, upheld the trade in the Ruhr metropolis since 2007 and recently invested in a KHS Innokeg AF1-C1 with a washing and a racking module for returnable and non-returnable kegs.

Founded in 1796, the brewery has developed popular beverage brands in the Ruhr metropolis but the operation was shut down from 1972 until 2005, when microbiologist Dr Thomas Raphael procured the trademark rights and again fired up the tanks. Since then, the brewery has experienced a steep upwards trend, and in 2017 construction of a new brewery complete with its own pub was finished. Now, 10 styles of beer are produced at the brewery, from strong beer through pilsner to dark and export beer.

When it came to purchasing equipment for his new brewery, Raphael opted for an Innokeg AF1-C1 keg washer and racker from his neighbour, KHS, which is located just a few kilometres away. “The local proximity of KHS is of course ideal. Ultimately, it was the technology of the new kegging system that had us convinced, however,” Raphael explained. “It’s compact, efficient and has a very high standard of hygiene.”

With its new kegging module, the brewery fills up to 35 stainless steel kegs per hour. Thanks to its space-saving design, the machine easily fits into the small brewery. It also provides more independence and flexibility. “We can now rack beer on our premises in a very short time indeed and thus quickly react to increases in demand. This is a great advantage,” Raphael said.

KHS Innokeg AF1-C1, source KHS Group.

KHS has trained the brewery’s personnel so that they are able to perform minor maintenance work and do any possible repairs themselves, among other things. Using the Remote Diagnostic Service, the brewery has access to technical support at all times, even without having KHS employees onsite. And should the need arise for more complex assistance, KHS is just around the corner.

Top image caption:  Bergmann Brauerei brewery, complete with its own pub. Image Source: KHS Group.