More reusable packaging – and even more bureaucracy?

Packaging policy | The EU wants to stem the growing flood of packaging waste in Europe and strengthen the circular economy with a regulation that is binding for all 27 member states. The goals are ambitious and include strengthening reusability and reducing resource consumption. However, the new “Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation” (PPWR), in many respects, does not promote environmental protection but rather undermines it in an absurd way. In particular, the tried-and-tested reusable container system used by German breweries is now coming under scrutiny.

Toasting sustainability | The Steel Keg Association is once again toasting sustainability with its annual Keg Champion Awards. As part of drinktec 2025, the Keg Champions 2025 will be honoured - for the second time in Europe. We talked with Alexander Brand, Chairman of the Steel Keg Association, about the awards, the impact of returnable steel kegs, and how you can help celebrate those who are making a difference – one keg at a time.

Toasting sustainability | The Steel Keg Association is once again toasting sustainability with its annual Keg Champion Awards. As part of drinktec 2025, the Keg Champions 2025 will be honoured - for the second time in Europe. We talked with Alexander Brand, Chairman of the Steel Keg Association, about the awards, the impact of returnable steel kegs, and how you can help celebrate those who are making a difference – one keg at a time.

New benchmark | Under the working title of Factor 101, KHS, in close cooperation with Canadian-based injection molding technology equipment and services provider Husky Technologies, has produced a container that uses just 5.89 grams of material to hold 591 milliliters of product. This is equivalent to the 20-ounce size common in the United States.

Hoofddorp | With their sustainable pallets made from recycled plastic, sustainable reusable packaging specialist Schoeller Allibert and Dutch brewer Royal Grolsch are taking another step towards a circular economy.

Brussels | In April, four leading flat-rolled aluminium manufacturers and members of the European Aluminium Packaging Group (EAPG), Constellium, Elval, Novelis and Speira, have signed an agreement to engage in a standardisation project to maximise the recycled content levels of the beverage can and thus substantially lower carbon emissions, focused on increased recyclability of the can end.

The importance of marking in the brewing industry

Process optimization | The culture associated with beer is evolving all the time and the brewing industry is getting redefined by current trends. At the same time, high product quality and efficient bottling including an ultimately reliable marking system all remain central to the success of breweries, especially now that the popularity of international and exotic beers continues to intensify the competitive situation.

The wooden beer barrel (Part 3): Beer in modern-day seafaring

High seas and world records | The first installment in this series (BRAUWELT International no. 1, 2022, pp. 30–34) followed the trail from the creation of the wooden beer keg to its role in the Hanseatic League and in sea voyages during the Age of Exploration. The second installment (BRAUWELT International no. 2, 2022, pp. 135–137) was devoted to recounting the struggle seafarers faced against the disease scurvy. In this final installment, Dr. Markus Fohr discusses the beer produced on modern cruise ships and how the wooden barrel has found its way into our language and even into world records.

Packaging trends | What are the current trends in beer and beverage packaging? What will be next? Further, who drives the marked changes and customer demand? These are some of the questions, that will be discussed on the 2nd VLB Packaging Conference (VPC), taking place from 30 August to 1 September 2022 online at the VLB Virtual Campus – just 2 weeks before the drinktec (12 to 16 September in Munich).

The wooden beer barrel (Part 2): The battle against scurvy

Manuka beer | The first installation in this three-part series (refer to BRAUWELT International no. 1, 2022, pp. 30–34) described the origins of wooden beer barrels in antiquity, their use by the Hanseatic League and on sea voyages during the Age of Exploration. Those who sailed the Seven Seas were often confronted with an uninvited guest: scurvy, an insidious disease caused by vitamin deficiency. Part 2 in this series is devoted to the topic of how sailors fought scurvy and the crucial role played by spruce beer in doing so ...