J. Inst. Brew., November-December, 1986, Vol. 92,pp.

517-528

517

CENTENARY REVIEW
BEER PACKAGING IN GLASS AND RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
By C. M. Lowe and W. 1. Elkin

{AlliedBreweries Limited, 107 Station Street, Burton on Trent DEM 1BZ)

Received 25 June 1986

Some factors are described which have enabled beer packaging into glass bottles to be developed, over
the last century, from localised small business operations mainly using manual procedures into a large
scale highly technical industry. The influences of trading conditions, economics, energy conservation
and legislation are included in the description as well as advances in types of package and machinery.
Present day technology is reviewed for individual items of plant and equipment in a typical high output
bottling line, especially for multi-trip bottle packaging. Various alternative procedures are mentioned.
References are given which discuss in greater detail many of the subjects covered in the review.

Key words: Beer, bottling, development, equipment, history,

survey.

Historical Digest

In the late 19th Century several developments took place

which were to provide the foundations for the production, in
the middle and latter part of this century, of beer in bottles in
much greater numbers than could have been contemplated
then.
Many of these developments concerned the package and
the replacement of individual hand operations. Bottle blow
ing machines, introduced about 1870 enabled cheap bottles
to be made in quantity to a simple specification for beer
bottling and be loaned out by bottlers to customers for a
reasonable deposit payment. Returnable seals for bottles
which could contain the internal bottle pressures exerted and
still be hygienic had not long been invented. Internal screw
stoppers and swing stoppers were important examples poised
to replace tight fitting corks. Then came the disposable crown
cork closure which eliminated the need for the seal washing

and servicing essential for returnable closures.20

In Britain most beer for the bottle trade at that time was
decanted naturally from casks, usually the larger sizes such as
hogsheads, butts and tuns, finings have been added to aid
clarification. Beers were often stored in cask for long periods
to obtain maximum attenuation and some measure of stab
ility, to satisfy a modest bottle shelf life within limited areas
of distribution.
In Northern America however, the wider geographical
distribution of beers, made possible by improved transport,
was demanding a greater guarantee of stability. Engineering
developments had produced reliable refrigeration plant

which allowed a process akin to Continental lagering to be

operated all the year round. Filtration equipment was now
capable of replacing or augmenting decantation for beer
clarification. With the American pioneering attitude there
was a ready grasp of the possibilities and acceptance of the
pairing of need with process feasibility.
When Horace Brown, a Vice-President of the Federated
Institute of Brewing at that time, presented his paper in

1897,6 in which he described the new American methods

coming into use in the Eastern States, hopefully it was

met with more interest than off-hand rejection of such a
non-traditional approach. The British aversion to artificial
carbonation, which he described, was still a subject of strong
argument for bottle beer even in the 1950's and still is .for
draught beers in certain quarters.
During this century the seeds of development which were
sown have prospered and grown, although not all of them at
the same rate. Progress in beer bottling, as in other industries,
has consisted of a series of overlapping changes, advance
ment in one area encouraging research in another to match
efficiency, total demand for the product financially powering
the innovations.

The early advent of the multiple head rotary carousel type

of machine for bottle filling and crowning as well as for bottle
manufacture, was another major principle of advance, re
placing cumbersome and slow hand operated or mechanised
lever type equipment. It enabled fillers to run at increasingly
high rates and 80,000 bottles per hour is now quite possible.
Rotary labellers were not developed till later but single rotary
labellers first introduced about mid century can now handle
the output from fast bottle fillers which previously would
have necessitated multiple banks of reciprocating labellers.
Early methods of bottle washing were similar to domestic
dish washing involving manual soaking in soda, brushing
and rinsing, but their effectiveness was severely limited by
what human structure, concern and persistence could sus
tain. Subsequent developments included revolving brush and
rinse carousels and soaking and rinsing baths with bottles
pocketed in single file on vertical drums. The various ideas
were combined in stages via 'Soakers, Hydros & Soaker/

Hydros' and with the development of mechanised discharge

and loading we have the present day high efficiency bottle
washer. In most models brushing has been eliminated, con
trol of conditions and ancillary operations such as label
removal is automatic and their high output rate has been
attained by carrying the bottles through the extended or
multiple baths and sprays at suitable speeds in pockets
arranged in sufficient number across slats which make up a
continuous chain driven through the washer.
Parallel with the mechanical developments for filling beer
into bottle there has evolved a greater knowledge of the ideal
basic properties of a beer for this purpose which is expected
to remain stable in package for a much longer time than
our 19th Century counterparts could have imagined. The
colloidal haze and flavour stability which comes from brew
ing techniques is not one in which the bottler has a positive
role, although he can easily undo some of the brewers' work
if he pays scant regard to air contents in bottle or unduly
disturbs the beer. However usually he is responsible directly
for the microbiological soundness of the beer which he
bottles and a major advance here was the application of the

work of Louts Pasteur19 which enabled beer to be stabilised

by heat treatment so that organisms do not grow and turn the

beer hazy. Pasteurisation is still the main method used by

bottlers to achieve that degree of microbiological stability
without which beers could not be sent out on journeys to the
consumers, interspersed by stock holding periods, totalling
many weeks or months. In its absence the industry could
have remained on a local basis with short cycle times between
bottling and consumption.
Sterile filling methods including hot filling, pre-filling
pasteurisation and sterile filtration of the beer supply have
been developed over the years. They have their adherents,
and have been successfully used by many concerns for some
time. A paper by Osgood to a joint meeting of the Institute
of Brewing and the Incorporated Brewers Guild in London

518

LOWE: BEER PACKAGING IN CLASS AND RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

in 195018 confidently describes a successful sterile filtration

system and its quality control.

An added impetus has been given to sterile filling in recent
years by the adoption of packages which cannot withstand
heating to pasteurisation temperature. In addition it is pos
sible that future legislative and public acceptance of irradia
tion as a means of sterilising beer products, provided it docs
not significantly change the beer quality, may swing the
emphasis from heat pasteurisation. Up till now however, the
final guarantee benefit of in-bottle pasteurising holds it in
Us position as the most practical method of achieving the
microbiological stability of bottled beers.
Bottle pasterurisers originally consisted of open baths,
sometimes fitted with pumps or agitators for temperature
equalising, into which baskets of filled and scaled bottles
were lowered and lifted for heating and cooling back. Steam,
hot air or hot water spray cabinets were developed to take
baskets or trays of bottles and this allowed more flexibility
and control of conditions. Continuous bottle movement
through tunnel pasteurisers eventually won the day, walking
beam bottle transportation methods gaining advantage over
moving chain beds as they are more simple mechanically and
have reduced lubrication requirements.
During the century we have seen many improvements in
the interstage transfer methods. Bottle conveyors, made of

stainless steel or plastic to combat corrosion, transport the

bottles from remote unpacking equipment to other remote

repackers. This removes the clutter of cases from the vicinity
of the main bottling line plant and eliminates manual bottle
handling. Pallet load systems and fork truck handling of
the pallets have replaced most of the labour intensive hand
trucking and stacking of crates previously involved in the
crate and bottle circuit. Plastic cases, introduced generally in
the 1960's improved line efficiency by reducing stoppages to
remove broken crates. Although only a moderate problem
on hand loading lines, broken crates caused major upsets
with mechanised decraters. One-trip bottle packs intended as
such and initially introduced during the 1st World War did
not account for any appreciable volume of trade until the age
of palletised handling and naturally have been designed for
pallet loads.
Bottles too have changed considerably in the 20th Cen
tury. It was already established that beer kept its flavour best
in bottles if it was dark in colour and if the bottles also were
brown. The heavyweight screw top pints which grew in
popularity for the take home trade in the first 30 years were
overtaken in Britain towards mid century by a predominance
of j pint size bottles which better suited the bar trade. The
shape of the bottle, which originally was sharply shouldered
with the intention of retaining sediment whilst pouring bottle
conditioned beer into a glass, had changed to a more sloping
champagne shape better able to withstand crowning forces.
Improved glass technology allowed bottles, much lighter in
weight, to be produced to an acceptable specification to
withstand the high pressure involved in bottle pasteurising.
Bottle standardisation attempts in Britain have been fairly
successful and standard bottles have an obvious advantage
for the production bottler in economic benefits of handling,
sorting and distribution. The 'London' bottle, although not
fully legitimised was accepted widely by the industry some
time after World War II. Since then the introduction of

metrication along with the need to comply with legislation24

and common sense in declaring the bottle as a measuring

container have produced a Code of Practice for Quantity

Control.4 Specifications for a new, even lighter weight

returnable bottle, developed by the Brewers Society have

now been accepted as British Standards3 including neck

finish for non returnable bottles. The Brewers Society

recently have proposed that the 275 ml bottle should have
a panel recessed round the cylindrical part and it has been
shown that scuffing is thereby localised to the raised
shoulders of the panel. Chemical cosmetic treatment after

[J. Inst. Brew.

labelling can improve the appearance also. Adoption of the

design is recommended as the British Standard 273 ml bottle.
In some sections of the bottled beer market the desire to
revitalise sales growth by offering attractive customised
bottles has produced an upsurge in bottle variety and natur
ally in the cost of handling. Improved sorting equipment
has eased some of the problems but whether increased sales
will balance out the extra cost remains to be demonstrated
overall. However the trend does stimulate technological
improvement in bottle manufacture and associated dressing
and packaging. Returnable polycarbonate bottles have made
some inroads into the soft drinks trade and can give problems
in cleaning with hot caustic solutions. Whether plastic of a
suitable type can be used successfully for returnable beer
bottles remains to be proved on a production basis.
Labels, simple though they seem, have changed over the
years. Probably the increased use of metallic foil or vacuum
metallised paper has been the most readily observed change
especially in conjunction with neck foiling, a Continental
practice which has crossed the Channel to Britain and which

has built up its own technology.27 Improved colour printing

and increased numbers ofcolours used probably comes next.

Other less obvious advances, very important to the bottler
however, include improved type of paper for good print
acceptance, adhesion and removal with little pulping, a
better understanding of grain direction effects and simplifi
cation of label outline. The needs of marketing presentation
must be considered mutually with those of production,
especially so on returnable bottles. Permanent labelling fired
into the bottle surface was in vogue for several years and
when new the bottle could be very presentable. As the
'survivors' became more aged, scuffing deteriorated the
presentation and there was difficulty in guaranteeing a
reasonable percentage return to source; so their use has
receded to only a few specific bottlers. Although the gauge
and type of paper used is the factor which most influences the
ease of removal of labels, adhesives also play an important
role. They must stick the label well but be easily and quickly
loosened in the washer. Starch pastes have been replaced
largely by casein or resin based adhesives with a jelly consist
ency and can be tailored to the needs of very high speed
labellers as well as trade conditions.
Bottled beer in the United Kingdom never reached the
same proportions of production as in many other countries.
The size of the market, its comparative insularity, social
patterns of drinking including the strong public house
system, population density, temperate weather, possibly

some conservative traditionalism of the public and its

brewers, have all had their effect. From the figures available

for Britain3 returnable bottled beer reached its peak propor

tion of total beer production at about 35% in the late 1950's

equating to about 15 million hi per year. This total annual

quantity remained fairly constant for the next 10 years but it

fell to 24% whilst total beer produced rose 27%. Between
1970 and now returnable production has dropped to about
6% but cans have gone up from a neglible proportion to 14%
and non returnable containers to about 3%, supermarket
retailing with its aversion to returned empties playing a
major part in the trend. The willingness of the consumer to
pay a little more for the convenience of non returnable pack
ages, especially the storage efficiency ofcans, and the inroads
of imported bottled beer play a significant part in the trend.
Much of the rest of the shortfall has been taken up by the
sale over the bar of brewery conditioned draught beer and
the development in Britain of well designed containers and
dispense equipment for this purpose has encouraged this
change.
In contrast, in the USA where beer production has more
than doubled since the end of World War II the percentage
of small packaged beer produced, much of it in returnable
bottles, has risen from 64% to about 90%. The majority of
the rest of the world, including the mainland of Continental

Vol.92,1986]

519

LOWE: BEER PACKAGING IN GLASS AND RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

Depalleliser

\
Pallet
Stoie

\
Palletiser

Decrater

Sorter

Washer

Inspector

t
Crate

Wash

Filler/
Crowner

Crate
Store

t
Recrater

Level
Inspector

Labeller

Pasteuriser

Fig. I. Plant Layout Diagram.

Europe, still tends to favour strongly the returnable bottle.

The reasons may have a legislation or economy base and
include energy, raw material and environment conservation
but social patterns also count. However the geographic
imbalance of small packaged beer trade, especially returnables, has dictated the predominance ofmanufacture of pres
ent day bottling line equipment in the USA and Continental
Europe.
Other aspects of a bottling line have much shorter histories
than the main items of equipment, bottle inspection possibly
being the most pronounced example and this will be included
along with the typical 'state of the art' descriptions which
follow. However a short bibliography of mid century

views7*1'l7 makes interesting reading in the present day

context. Some examples are the protracted use, by some, of

principles long superseded by the majority of the leaders of
the industry', the adoption by a few of some practices long
before others take them up and one or two forecasts of
change or no-change which, in fact, time has reversed.
Bottling Hall Layout

In planning a bottling hall, whether it be the upgrading of an

existing one for increased output or improved efficiency or a
completely new one, some basic factors must be considered.
They include the peak and normal weekly output required,
the hours of effective operation and whether continuous or
part day operation is intended, the pattern of changes
expected in beer quality, bottle, label and final pack styles,
and empty and full stock storage areas.
Decisions have to be taken also on the principles of oper
ation regarding the equipment ratings. Some bottlers prefer
to operate by running the line at 100% of its rating and
accept whatever output loss arises from stoppages. Others
prefer to run at 80% or so ofthe full rating and hope for fewer
stoppages, steadier conditions of operation, and better
quality and quantity control as well as output. Reserve
equipment to allow production to continue if a machine

breaks down may be wanted. A paper by Hackstaff13 at

the Harrogate Brewing Technology Conference in 1980

reviewed many ofthe considerations.
Whichever principles are adopted however it is normal to
take the decided running rate of the filler as a criterion and
ensure that the preceding and subsequent equipment is more
highly rated to avoid starvation or blockage. On or olT line
intermediate storage also should be provided. A typical plant
layout diagram is shown in Fig. 1. Ifone-trip bottles are to be
packaged, if sterile filling is practised, or if the exercise is on a
more manual or smaller scale than described, modifications
may be made to the layout and to the discussions which
follow. Most equipment manufacturers or consultants of
course are ready to provide detailed schemes, including their
own philosophies of operation.

Depallelising

From the empty store pallet loads of bottles are presented

to a depalletiser either directly by fork-lift truck or via a
conveyor, possibly incorporating pallet rotation to aid crate
unscrambling depending on the stacking patterns ofcrate on
separate layers of the pallet. New bottles, normally closely
packed glass-to-glass on the pallet layer are stripped oft* the
layer board by a push bar on to bottle conveyors which will
transport them away in single or multiple rows for rinsing.
Most returned bottles which may or may not have been
pre-rinsed, according to the bottlers policy on strategic stor
age of used bottles, arrive at the depalletiser in plastic crates.
Clamps, or hooks through the crate handles, may be used to
remove complete layers ofcrates on to an unscrambling table
which manoeuvres the crates into a single conveyor line for
decrating. Various mechanical principles, design configur
ations and control methods can be used in such machines
according to the situation needs and the supplier chosen.
The present tendency is to use proximity switches and solid
state photo electric cells (PEC's) as sensors connected to
programmable logic controllers (PLC's) which control the
actions.
Decrating

The line of crates approaching the decrater may have the

contents removed by continuous motion or pick and place
principles. The continuous motion type operates with a belt
or chain of gripper cups approaching the top ofthe crate at
an angle until the cups cover the necks of rows of bottles
when they are made to grip them. Then the angle of belt to
crate is reversed and the belt holding the bottles distances
itself from the crate to deposit the bottles onto a conveyor
when the cup grip is released. This system works more effi
ciently when all the crates and bottles are standard. With the
other system, blocks of grippers are lowered down into the
crate to grip all the bottles at once and lift them out. The
blocks may be single or multiple and the crates are held static
in position on the decrater conveyor for bottle removal.
Bottles are deposited en block on a bottle conveyor feed
table. Alternatively, the carousel principle allows the blocks
and cases to move in unison when decrating, the bottles
discharging on to a moving conveyor.
Bottle Conveying and Line Control

From crating to recrating, bottles are transferred between

the various items of bottling line plant mainly by slat con
veyors and the design of the conveying system can have a
direct bearing on production rate efficiency, package quality,
noise pollution, breakage losses and ease of access for main
tenance. Abrasion from dirty bottles dictates that stainless
steel is used up to the washer for the conveyor slats and

520

LOWE: BEER PACKAGING IN GLASS AND RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

[J. Inst. Brew.

successfully to minimise pressure in appropriate positions

which may not merit a more sophisticated solution. Fallen
bottles can be detected and rejected automatically at suitable
positions. Conveyor suppliers publish explanations of their

systems and a representative example is referenced.'s

Fig. 2. Pressurelcss Single Filling (Courtesy Krones Goddard).

many bottlers prefer stainless steel throughout their plant.

Plastic conveyors are more appropriate only at the clean end

and have some little advantage in price and quietness of

operation.
It is probably desirable to use high foaming detergent
lubricants on the dirty bottle conveyors to help loosen dirt
and soak labels prior to the washer. Naturally, non foaming
lubricants are used from the washer onwards to avoid con
tamination of the clean bottle and its dressing. It is essential
that the correctly formulated lubricants, which do not
cause any build-up on bottles or equipment, especially feed
nozzles, are dosed on to conveyors at a rate just sufficient
to lubricate the surfaces between the slats and the bottles.
The lubricants should contain at least two biocides or have
regular changes of biocide to combat the development of
organism resistance and the use of soft or deionised water
keeps down costs of sequestrants.

Conveyors should be installed with their base levels high

enough to allow safe access to all plant. The drives and
idler mechanisms are fitted so that they may be removed and
replaced easily when repairs are required.
Logical practices have been introduced to minimise scuff
ing, noise and fallen and broken bottle problems. Bottle
speed on main stretches is reduced by using multiple width
conveyors, condensing to single line at the in-feed to indi
vidual equipment items. The older concept of forcing bottles
through narrowing guide rails has been replaced by systems
operating at zero or minimum pressure achieved by PLC
speed controlled slat lines which differentially increase the
speed of the bottles stripped from the multiple line to that
required on the final line. Angle rails are thus required to do
very little work (Fig. 2). Such combiners or single filers can be
built so that the bed slopes to encourage fallen and broken
bottles to gravitate to an edge and fall out. Roller topped
slats which free wheel when bottles are stopped can be used

Accumulation zones normally are provided to smooth out

supply and demand situations when one of the line machines
has stopped, They may consist of simple tables, butting at
right angles to the conveyor, onto which bottles are forced
when the conveyor downstream is blocked. Bottles are
forced back to the line by a push bar when the blockage has
cleared. More advanced tables consist of moving slat bands
controlled from the main line condition. On very high speed
lines accumulation can run parallel to the main conveyor
with differential speed and reverse direction slat bands strip
ping off the bottles into accumulation and feeding them back,
all at minimum pressure. Where multiple conveyor bands are
installed to keep down linear speeds the extra bottle density
obtained can act as a subsidiary appreciable accumulator but
off-line accumulation is now accepted as a more efficient
means for planned accumulation.
A bottling line with its many machinesjoined by conveyors
tends to be difficult to keep in constant flow to optimise
efficiency. It is becoming common to use a total line control
philosophy so that speeds of machines and conveyors can be
increased or decreased to keep the plant running constantly
when starvation or build up occurs. This is achieved by
counting bottles into and out of sections of plant, appropri
ately adjusting machine and conveyor speeds and accumu
lation activity. Special consideration must be given to tunnel
pasteuriser operating rates of course. Cheap and reliable
PLC's and variable speed drives have made this philosophy
possible. Reduced noise and wear is an important additional
benefit as is the ability to collect information efficiently from
individual sections of the line which can be displayed on
graphical or numerical visual display units and storing the
information for periodic updating.
Bottle Sorting

Many bottlers do not have a sizeable problem in the variety

of bottles they receive for refilling and 'one trip' bottlers have

none. Those who fill beer into more than one type of bottle of

similar approximate capacity or who deal in a market where

such types compete, must provide some means of bottle sort
ing. Fortunately modern technology has met the challenge
and has replaced the mechanical fault prone tactile systems
with solid state videcon cameras or arrays ofminiature PEC's
which provide a detailed scan of each bottle. Operating at up
to 1000 bottles/min the scan is compared to reference out
lines and colours held in the memory bank of a PLC which
allows preferred bottles to go forward, rejecting several
distinct types of foreign bottles in a standing position into
appropriate repacking lines.
Bottle Washing

New bottles, including non returnable ones, if correctly

transported and handled, should only require simple rinsing
with sterile or mildly disinfecting water followed by thorough
draining. However returnable dirty bottles are cleaned much
more stringently. Dirt of all sorts, but mainly beer residues,
has to be cleaned from inside and out. Labels and neck dress
ings, much ofthem metallic foil, must be removed completely
and the final bottle should be presented free of detritus and
microbiologically sound for filling. Modern washers can
achieve this to a very high standard and with energy, effluent
and manning efficiency.
In single ended washers bottles enter and leave at the same
end, the bottles moving forward in their carriers through the
soaking tanks and returning through the rinse sections over
the top of the tanks. One operator looks after both feed and
discharge but access to the loading area of single ended

Vol.92,1986]

LOWE: DEER PACKAGING IN GLASS AND RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

521

Fig. 3. (Courtesy of Stork Amsterdam International Ltd.) Cross section ofa Stork single-end bottle washer. A. Pre-soak tank. B. First detergent soak
tank. C. First detergent jetting section. D. Second detergent soak tank. E. First hot waterjetting section. F. Second hot water jetting section. G.
Warm water jetting section. H. Cold water jetting section. J. Fresh water jetting section.

washers tends to be difficult. In double ended machines,

soaking and rinsing is in one forward movement and another
operator may be required at the discharge end. Mid-feed
machines with their less restrictive adjacent feed and dis
charge arrangement, although not so popular for space and
layout reasons, can also be tended by one operator.
In areas of operation such as North America where severe
soiling of the bottle is prevalent and when deposits can be
dried on hard, bottlers tend to specify washers which have
several soaking tanks built together in modular fashion.
These increase the amount of interface activity by entry and
exit of the bottles from the tanks. Other areas, especially in
Europe, prefer the so-called single tank washer, more econ
omic in space and energy consumption. The bottles are
carried through a short pre-soak section before the main
soak and sometimes through another high temperature soak
following detergent rinsing especially if sterile filling is to be
practised. An example which includes this extra facility is
shown in Fig. 3 as a single ended machine. Manufacturers of
both types ofwasher usually guarantee a specific standard of
cleaning suited to the severest demands.
In each case bottles are conveyed through the washers on a
continuous carrier chain, constantly moving them through
the baths and past the jetting and rinsing stations. Internal
rinses are pulsed for cleaning efficiency, possibly lowering
the pressure requirement, and jets are made to follow the
bottle as it moves past to increase the effect of the rinse.
Loosened labels may be surged out of the bottle carrier cups
by agitating the surface of the baths or be flushed out by
external sprays. To avoid excessive pulping they are removed
expediently to outside the washer by differing means to be
separated from detergent which is recovered for use.
Detergent and effluent costs are reduced by allowing suf
ficient draining time between soaks and rinses. This also
helps heat efficiency and proper lagging of hot tanks is essen
tial too for this purpose. Heat exchangers arc fitted which
recover energy from the water used for bottle cooling at the
outlet end ofthe washer and multiple pass principles are used
to conserve water and heat.
Caustic soda at about 1-5% solution strength is the main
cleaning agent used. Ifthe temperature steps to which bottles
are subjected exceed about 35C then excessive thermal
shock breakage will result. After the pre-rinse and presoaking zone with water at a temperature of up to 40C the
bottles then transfer to the main detergent soak at about
80C for a period of at least 20 minutes. Above this tempera
ture the glass surface may be attacked by the caustic. Deter
gent rinsing, cooling and final rinsing follow. Counter-flow
of rinse water is used to improve cleaning action, reduce

thermal shock on the bottles and to save energy. To prevent

scaling up of the plant by calcium deposition and blooming

of the bottles and to increase caustic rinsability, various
sequestering and chelating agents arc added. These can be
mixed with the detergent as bought, added by the bottler to
his own caustic preparation or even tailored and dosed as

required to the individual operations within the washer.

Policies on detergent recovery and on dumping of solution

have given rise to various arguments'0 but if consideration is

given to the principle ofusing soft or softened water to reduce

the cost of detergent mixtures, the need for detergent dump
ing may be greatly reduced. The effect of aluminates formed

from metallic labels is considerable however and may govern

the need to dump or to provide a recycling recovery system
based on coagulation and filtration principles to remove
undesirable inhibiting material.
Bottle Inspection

The operator who supervises the infeed and outfeed ends

of the washer has little chance to remove all damaged or
unclean bottles from the line and a more stringent inspection
system is required to ensure that only empty, clean and physi
cally intact bottles are presented for filling. Up to recent years
reliance had to be placed on human eyesight and its suscepti
bility to error or distraction, with viewers inspecting bottles
passing in front of an evenly illuminated viewing screen.
Reasonable efficiency at rates above ISO bottles/min/
operator is not attainable by this method and fatigue from

workspells of more than about a half hour dictates that

at least 2 alternating teams of 6 would be required for a

1000 bottle/min line.

Bottle inspecting apparatus, PLC controlled, to handle

such rates is now available operating on white light, infra red

or laser scanning principles, the latter reputed to detect small
particles of about 2 mm across. The bottles are transported,
sometimes rotating, past a scanner by a star wheel mechan
ism. Rejection can be programmed for a variety of faults
including liquid in bottle, malformed or chipped closure
finish which can cause seal damage or short fills on fillers,
cracks or chips elsewhere which can cause bottle bursts,
badly scuffed bottles, those whose closures have not been

removed and of course dirt particles on any part of the

surface of the bottle. The scanning windows must be kept

clean and some inspectors can replace them automatically

when false signals are indicated. At appropriate intervals it
is advisable to check out the operation by feeding through
sample bottles which either may be perfect or with specific
faults and then adjusting settings if inadequate overzealous
operation is noted.

522

LOWE: DEER PACKAGING IN GLASS AND RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

Some bottlers prefer to have 2 inspectors in series or dual

instrument/manual inspection especially where legislative or
civil penalties may be severe. A slightly pessimistic view was

given by Vogelpohl23 in 1980 of the ultimate efficiency of

bottle inspectors and a 1986 British survey report16 also con

tained some criticism, but the technology and the reliability

are continually being improved. The inspectors may be
coupled closely to the filler infeed, both thus sharing the same
single filing arrangement and possibly saving an operator.
Bottle Filling and Crowning

Fillers constitute the heart of the bottling line epitomising

the main purpose of the whole plant, the rest of which
serves to feed them and remove their produce efficiently.
Manufacturers state that they can be made to any rating
required within the limits of structural stress and fillers of
2000 bottles/min have been constructed. However the conse
quences on production of even short stoppages on such a
machine arc considerable and the present fashion tends
towards 1000 bottle/min, doubling up on fillers or installing
duplicate lines for higher bottling rates.
Each bottling valve position is capable of a complete
filling cycle at a rate of 6 or 7 bottles/min and the valves
are arranged on the periphery of the filler which therefore
revolves at 6 or 7 rcvolutions/min. To fill 1000 bottles/min
requires about 140 to I SO valves.
It is essential that the desired amount of beer should
transfer to the bottle from the filler with minimum disturb
ance and under pressure conditions which will maintain the
correct balance pressure to avoid COZ gas evolving from
the beer. Otherwise this would prevent the correct quantity
being secured in the bottle and detract from its 'condition'.
The absorption of oxygen which reduces flavour, l\azc and

gas stability is the other main quality risk in bottle'filling;

therefore prolonged or disturbed contact with air also must

be avoided. Several physical principles are used to enable

these conditions to be met and various combinations of the
principles arc possible, the choice resting between bottler
and supplier. Description of the full range of combinations
would be lengthy. An explanation here of the main indi
vidual principles will allow groupings to be devised to suit

some situations and a paper by Dijk8 gives more detailed

discussion of the relevant arguments.

Beer to the required specification is supplied to fillers
from a tank in which it has been stored with an applied top
pressure in balance with the beers CO2 content and its
temperature. The latter should be as low as possible and
pipework to the filler lagged to prevent temperature rise. If
the supply tank is at a higher level than the filler, beer can
be transferred by its own hydraulic head without the need
to increase top pressure. If not, the top pressure can be
increased, during the transfer time only, to make the beer
flow. Alternatively a demand controlled pumping system
may be used which allows the balance pressure to be retained.
Where reasonably steady running conditions can be
assumed and several fillers are operating on the same quality
of beer they are sometimes supplied from a pump-fed ring
main connected to a single storage tank, a small proportion
of beer which is surplus to requirements returning to the
tank. It is normal finally to distribute the beer to the filler
valves from a balance tank or bowl mounted on the rotating
filler and there are two main types of bowl.
Beer supply feeds into the bottom of the centrally mounted
type of bowl and is controlled indirectly by a level sensor.
This allows top pressure gas to escape from the bowl and
operate the beer supply valve when the level falls as beer
flows from the bowl through individual pipes to the filling
valves. Top pressure is maintained automatically in the bowl
thus ensuring the essential constant hydraulic head during
filling. Central bowls, in which most of the beer surface can
be covered by a float are popular with bottlers who use air top

[J. Inst. Brew.

pressure but still wish to have very low oxygen uptake. Bowl
level control can be effected also by pressure differential (Fig.
4) or conductivity principles but whichever method is used it
must sense the level at a position which is common to both
static and rotating conditions to ensure all bottles are filled to
the same level.
The toroidal type of bowl encircles the filler as a continu
ous hollow tube of small cross sectional area and of suitable
shape, the filling valves being connected directly to it. Beer is
supplied to the torus through several radial pipes from a
central feed and level control is similar to that for central
bowls. Baffles are fitted to prevent excessive static-wave
formation which would upset the signals from the level con
trols. Centrifugal surface distortion also occurs and multiple
level controls may be fitted, the lowest signal being used to
avoid overfilling of bottles after filler stoppages (Fig. 5). A
separate level sensing chamber is sometimes utilised.
As the filling valves are attached directly to the torus their

height limits the minimum pressure differential obtainable

between beer level in the bowl and in the bottle. In turn this

governs quiet filling but modern compact valve design has

greatly reduced this disadvantage. Central bowls can be

positioned at any height for a specified minimum head but
longer beer travel to the filling valve and consequent pressure
drop must also be considered.
Whichever method is used the counterpressure on the
bottle during filling is kept the same as the pressure on top of

the beer in the bowl, is normally supplied from the bowl and
can be in the form of air or CO2. CO2 is used more frequently
with torus bowls as the surface to volume ratio is much
higher but the transient residence time of beer in the torus is
so small that some bottlers find no measurable difference in
dissolved oxygen content between air and CO2 methods if
stoppages are infrequent. Current development of the use of
nitrogen for counter-pressure at filling may lead to its more
general adoption as it has some inherent advantages.
A more complicated system which seems to be less popular
now than it was 20 or 30 years ago has a separate water
balance tank. Displaced counterpressure gas from the bottle,
originally supplied from the beer bowl, escapes through this
water whose level can be controlled below that of the beer in
the bowl thus giving the advantage ofadjustable low pressure
differential filling. A common top pressure on both tanks is
obtained by a direct connection between the top spaces and
contamination of the beer bowl is avoided by supplying gas
to the beer bowl at a rate slightly greater than required for
bottle counterpressure, the excess pressure being vented from

the water balance tank. Silvey's diagrams22 show clearly the

basic principles of this system.

Bottles for filling arc spaced on the infeed to fillers by a
varying pitch worm and transferred to the carousel filling
tables, possibly fitted with a back rest, by a star wheel or
cupped chain arrangement. Where different sizes and shapes
of bottles have to be filled on the one machine various adjust
ments must be made in the feed and other parts of the filler.
Modern machines are likely to be constructed so that size
and type changes can be accomplished by a mechanically
unskilled operator with little or no tools. Valves, frequently
disc types, in the valve head are operated at the requisite
stage by static actuators appropriately placed round the
transversed circumference of the filler and two main filling
procedures, short tubed and long tubes are used.
On tubed fillers beer enters the bottle through a tube which
reaches nearly to the bottom of the bottle which gives a quiet
fill after the beer level covers the end ofthe tube. Disturbance
prior to that may be minimised by providing an initial slow
rate of fill and sophisticated electronic controls may be used
for this purpose. The beer in long tubed fillers acts as a direct
piston pushing out countcrprcssure gas, which will have been
applied to the bottle usually from the beer bowl top space,
until pressure equalises and flow commences, often auto
matically at that stage. Thus very little oxygen is absorbed by

Vol.92, 1986]

523

LOWE: BEER PACKAGING IN GLASS AND RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

Pressure
gauge

\ Filling pressure
sensing pipe

Product level control

With the cenlro bowl filling machine

design, the product level is kept constant
by means of a pneumatic control
system.

A pneumatic differential pressure sensor

continuously monitors the static head
of the product level, irrespective of the
filling pressure.

Pilot valve

Even very minor deviations from the pre

set level causes the modulating valve
to adjust the flow rate accordingly.

Advantages:

Level control is completely indepen

dent of the product supply pressure
and also the pro-set filling
pressure.

Product level is infinitely variable

during operation.

Filling pressure control

Filling pressure is maintained at the

required level by means of a constant
pressure valve (stainless stool).
Pressure settings are made via a pilot
valve located on the operator control
panel Since the filling pressure is
controlled independently of tho product
supply pressure, the filling machine can
be operated with the lowest possible
filling pressures.
This arrangement allows very low levels
of oxygen pick-up during filling, oven
when sterile air is used as the counterpressure medium.

Constant
pressure valve

Differential
pressure -

Product

sensor

head measuring
pipe

jH^

Air pressure
regulator/filter

Fig. 4. Centre Bowl Filler. Pressure Level Control (Courtesy Krones Goddard).

the beer if air is used for bottle pressurising. Displaced gas

transfers from the bottle to the requisite filler header tank
through a built in channel in the top of the filling tube via a
small hole, the predetermined position of which governs the
filling level. Beer stops flowing into the bottle when it covers
this vent hole (see Fig. 6). Concentric tubes can allow CO2
counterpressuring, if required, to be applied to the base of the
bottle giving moderately well defined interface between the
gas and the original air content of the bottle.
Some beer tubes have a foot valve or a baffle which pre
vents or reduces the amount of beer which may be lost from
the tube during a 'no bottle' revolution. Other tube designs
allow beer to drain out into the bottle when it is withdrawn
from the valve assembly. There is also a capacity filling
system where the gas vent operates at, or slightly above the
neck seal level of the bottle and the volume of the withdrawn
filling tube produces the eventual bottle top space. Some vent
systems have float balls to prevent undue amounts of beer
entering the vent tubes and being lost when blowing them

clear before the next fill. Loss can also be reduced by fitting
separate counterpressurc and vent channels between the
beer bowl and the bottle but this makes valving more
complicated.

Tubeless, or more accurately described short tube sytcms,

which seem to be more popular than long tube systems

probably because of their potential for lower beer losses, fill

beer into the bottles over a small spreader which protrudes
slightly into the neck of the bottle when filling. This causes
the beer to form an intact cone shaped film which then cur

tains smoothly down the inside surface of the bottle. Because

the average exposed surface/volume ratio of the beer during

filling is high it is advisable to use CO2 as counterpressurc for

the bottle and this can only be acceptably effective if the air in
the bottle is evacuated prior to counterprcssurising. Pre-

evacuation may also be used on long tube systems but desir

ability then may be difficult to justify on dissolved oxygen
results. Vacuum pumps are used to evacuate about 90% of
the air and although they may suck in small amounts of

524

LOWE: BEER PACKAGING IN GLASS AND RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

1 Shunt-wound DC motor

2 Drive arrangement
3 Maintenance-free lifting elements

4 Control ring

5 Filling valve for single-chamber

function

6 Ring channel

7 Gas distributor
8 Liquid distributor
9 Height-adjustment of the upper
filler pan

10 Transfer star wheel

11 Height-adjustment of upper

[J. Inst. Brew.

12 Closure hopper
13 Crown cork feed

14 Drive for sealer

15 Lifting element table

16 Glass fragment channel

17 Product infeed

sealer part

13

14

15

16

17

Fig. 5. Torus Bowl Filler (Courtesy Scitz Enzingcr Noll).

foamed beer to the bottle much of this is removed by the

evacuator with little detrimental effect being noted. Lower
air contents in bottle are possible with pre-evacuation and
CO2 counterpressuring as most of the top space at bottle
release contains CO2.
Counterpressure gas in short tube filling transfers back to
the beer bowl through the central orifice in the tube below
the beer spreader and the height of the orifice which can be
adjustable governs the filling level. Any tendency to overfill
at the end of filling can be prevented by baffling the beer inlet
so that gas can not pass up through the beer flow channel.
Short tube fillers require less lift travel than long tube; so lift
wear is reduced as are problems with bent tubes.
Both types of filler are designed so that if there is no bottle
on the lift table counterprcssure cannot be applied and the
beer filling valve will not open to cause beer loss. This also
applies if a bottle breaks during filling. Microphones or other
sensors may be used to detect bottle bursts and devices
actuated to automatically blow away broken glass from the
area. Adjacent bottles, along with the next bottle to fill on the
valve where the breakage occurred, may be programmed for
rejection to reduce glass contamination risks. It is common
practice to allow the top space pressure to be released under
control before the full bottle is lowered from the neck seal
to prevent excessive over-foaming and to blow the vent
channels clear of beer and foam, which some bottlers collect,
before the next bottle is positioned on the table.
Beer fillers almost invariably have the bottle crowner or
sealer close coupled to them. In addition to hygienically iso

lating the beer from contamination as early as possible after

filling this also allows the neck space gas in a controlled
fashion to be pushed out of the bottle by inducing the beer
to foam. The amount of foam may be controlled in some
instances by the bottling conditions but it is more normal
now to induce foaming by injecting a minute quantity of
sterile water into the neck space under a pressure of about 10
bars on transfer from the filler. Alternative methods include
ultrasonic vibration but the basic aim is to produce just
sufficient foam to form a raised 'button' of tight foam above
the neck rim at the time that the closure is applied with no
measurable loss of beer.
Snap crowns, pressed onto the bottle neck usually by a
descending cone in a rotary crowner, are still the most popu
lar means of sealing returnable bottles especially when the
bottles mostly serve bar trade. A lining usually of foamed or
resiliant PVC isolates the metal of the crown from the beer in
the bottle and a raised bead of the same material is moulded
in to form a seal compatible with minor imperfections. For
direct consumer use, screw crowns which are formed when
the crowns are pressed onto a shallow multiple start thread
on the bottle neck, give the convenience of tool-less bottle
opening but deeper screw caps usually made of aluminium
and rolled onto the bottle neck thread are found easier to
open and more convenient for re-sealing. For individuality
appeal a few special beers are marketed in bottles sealed with
screw or swing stoppers and a variety of other types of seal
and neck formation is found on one-trip bottles all of which
require special sealing arrangements.

Vol.92,1986]

525

LOWE: BEER PACKAGING IN GLASS AND RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

Centring bell
cam roller

Gas valve control

lever assembly

Product valve control

lever assembly

Product

Gas needle with

compensating spring

Product valve with

compensating spring

Seal
Gas throttle

Snift button with

self cleaning needle

Filling tube drain vent

Product check valve

Centring bell

Shift channel

Return air channel

Plug-in type long

filling tube

Fast-fill phase

Fig. 6. Long Tube Filler Valve (Courtesy Krones Goddard).

RRRR

1st
Preheat

2nd
Preheat

3rd
Preheat

4th
Preheat
Heating Holding
ifi
P\fi~\

1st
Precool

2nd
Precool

3rd
Precool

4th
Piecool

Steam

Fig. 7. Pasteuriser Energy-Conservation Zoning (Courtesy Barry Wehmiller).

Cooling
Cooli

Service
Water

526

LOWE: BEER PACKAGING IN GLASS AND RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

The crowning cycle takes about 15% of the time of the

bottling cycle and the fillcr/crowner probably will be desig
nated by the number of heads in each section e.g. a 144/20
machine. Crowns from a hopper are fed, correctly positioned
by a selection dial, into a chute which keeps a constant feed of
crowns to the transfer position on the crowner. Transfer may
be aided by a magnetic pad or air jet. Air is also used to
reduce the incidence of jamming in the chute and vacuum
cleaning removes any dust from the descending crowns.
Twin chutes may be installed to reduce stoppages when
crowns do jam in a chute and to cut down on the incidence of
un-crowncd bottles.

Instrumented inspection for bottle filling level can now

be provided at the crowner discharge and the information
obtained fed back by a control loop to adjust the filler to give
finely tuned level control. Beer is thus saved whilst average
contents requirements are still achieved.
If beer is to be filled aseptically from a flash pasteuriser or
sterilising filter it is usual to house the filler and crowner in an
aseptic enclosure supplied with filtered air to give a slight
positive pressure in the enclosure. Clean bottle conveyors
and inspectors may be contained within the sterile area or at
least be hygienically covered. Crowns may be prc-sterilised
but it is advisable to spray them on the crowner as well as
spraying the filler tubes, centralising cups and adjacent areas
with a suitable sterilant spray. It is also essential to use a filler
which can be thoroughly cleaned and sterilised internally
when sterile filling is practised but most beer bottlers con
sider this essential for any filler. Modern machines arc made
with this in mind although there are various designs and
methods to achieve the final result.
Bottles which are sterile filled normally do not go through
any further wet processing and this allows pre-inspeclion
filling, crowning, labelling and post inspection to take place
on one machine block attended by one operator. However
as there is little chance of intermediate accumulation a stop
page of any one section affects total output and wet beer or
condensation from a cold bottle can cause label adhesion
problems. If hot sterile filling is practised different label
problems can arise. Sterile filling and hot filling arc large
subjects and further information from articles by Wcitze"

and Wenger26 will be useful to those keenly interested in

applying the techniques.
Pasteurising

Pasteurising beer in bottle is the most common means of

securing microbiological stability especially where long shelf
life, often in excess of one year, is demanded as it is applied to
the sealed package. It is also the most costly as plant is more
expensive to buy and to run, is greedy for space, heavier
bottles are required to withstand the high pressures and more
heat energy is wasted than by other means. The aim is to heat
the beer to a high enough temperature and hold it there long
enough to kill off most of the beer spoilage life forms present
and certainly to prevent growth. Temperature and time
requirements have been quantified and Pasteurisation Units
(PU's) are accepted as the standard measurement of effect.
One PL) is applied by holding beer at a temperature of 60C
for 1 minute and as the time effect is linear and temperature
effect logarithmic the PU's supplied in various situations for
typical beers may be determined by the formula
log (PU's) = log (t)-

60-T

where t = time in minutes, T = temperature in C

Fricker12 expands on this subject and although aiming at

flash pasteurising the validity applies equally to in bottle

pasteurising. About 10 PU's should be sufficient but if beers
are heavily infected more PU's will be needed with conse
quently greater alteration of beer flavour especially if there is

[J. Inst. Brew.

a high oxygen content in the bottle. Therefore good filtration

and beer handling and bottling techniques are important.
Except for small output lines, tunnel pasteurisers are
nearly always used for in bottle pasteurising and can be made
for outputs well in excess of lOOObottles/min. They arc
somewhat similar in appearance and construction to bottle
washers and a few are single but most are double ended.
Some are double decked and different conditions can be
applied if a different size of bottle is fed to each deck. Water
sprays arranged in zones are used to heat and cool the bottle.
Limiting temperature steps to about 22C, especially on
cooling, and slight overlapping of the zones reduces glass
stress and breakage. Bottles, probably conveyed to the
pasteuriser by multiple lane conveyors, pass through it in
about SO minutes and to avoid over-pasteurising they arc
cleared through wherever possible if the line is stopped up
stream. Prolonged downstream stoppages are more difficult
to contend with although accumulators can be installed at a
cost to take the pasteuriser load of bottles from the final heat
ing zone onwards. Other than that, bottle travel and pump
shut down in the pasteuriser is the only reasonable action.
Although chain beds and the like can be used to carry
bottles through the tunnel, oscillating slatted beams are more
usual. Alternately arranged slats lift slightly, move the
bottles forward a little and retract to be followed by the other
set in similar fashion although some manufacturers provide
only one moving and one stable beam. This walking beam
principle is mechanically simpler, lubrication needs arc
reduced and much heat loss is avoided as hot masses of
metal are not transferred to cooler zones. Stainless steel con
struction, hydraulic drive, external mechanisms and easily
removable spray assemblies enhance reliability and ease of
maintenance. Scale formation on spray heads and internal
surfaces can be greatly reduced by adding sequestering
agents but using softened water fairly free from dissolved
carbon dioxide and oxygen, or cathodic protection, are often
better options.
Much loss of heat is prevented by efficient lagging of
appropriate surfaces of pasteurisers. Regenerative principles
which may vary in detail in different makes of plant are
also used to conserve heat energy. Typically, water in the
temperature hold zone and its immediate pre-heating zone
is recirculated from its particular reservoir tank where
heat exchangers maintain temperature. Spent water from
the hotter cooling zones is used possibly after temperature
adjustment for the later heating up zones and in turn is used
for further cooling and so on through the zones. Fresh water
used for final cooling of bottles to about 20-25C is too low
in temperature for efficient heat recovery but may be re-used
to heat up bottles slightly prior to their entry to the pasteur
iser. This has the added advantage of removing beer residues
which would otherwise upset pH and corrosion/scaling con
trol in the pasteuriser. A schematic diagram (Fig. 7) shows a
typical regenerative system.
Microprocessor control of regeneration enables running
at optimum efficiency. Such control can be used for a more
sophisticated system ifgaps in the supply of bottles produce a
potential rise in temperature in pre-heating which is naturally
balanced by cold water addition and hot water overflow to
waste. This surplus hot water can be stored and fed in later
when the gap reaches the cooling zones where such heat input
is needed to counteract the absence of heat from the bottles.
The effectiveness of pasteurising, measured by time and
temperature, has been recorded traditionally by the chart
area delineated on a travelling thermograph. Magnetic
recording of the data for storage and interpretation by a
microcomputer can now present results in any suitable pro
gram style. Good temperature control is required not only
for the insurance of microbiological stability. If the tempera
ture is too high it will increase bottle pressure and breakage
incidence which also occurs if there is not enough top space in
the bottle or ifreturned or new bottles ofpoor quality are used.

Vol. 92,1986]

LOWE: BEER PACKAGING IN GLASS AND RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

Labelling & Final Inspection

From the pasteuriser, either direct or via a reserve accumu

lator, bottles need to be single filed as they approach the
labelling machine and low pressure methods referred to
previously are suitable for full bottles as well as empties.
Running rate control also phased to fluctuating line supply
and demand situations can be applied to labellers which in
themselves are probably the item of equipment causing most
fluctuations in bottle flow. Replenishing label packs and
removal of surplus or migrated adhesive are just two of the
reasons for labeller stoppages. Rotary labellers capable of
multi-labelling and neck foiling at rates up to 1000 bottles/
min are presently manufactured but it is not uncommon to
install two of these in parallel on a lOOObottles/m line to
maintain output. Their design includes provisions for easy
and speedy cleaning and adjustment for bottle and dress
(labels etc) changes.
The principle of operation of modern labellers consists
firstly of transferring adhesive from a reservoir down over a
vertical rotating bar and a scraper blade trims it to any
required film thickness. Surplus adhesive is pumped back to a
reservoir where temperature control maintains it at constant
viscosity. Curved pallets on which the label/bottle contact
pattern is in relief are held vertically in position protruding
slightly from a rotating drum on a centrally fixed pivot. This
allows the pallets to be oscillated over a small arc smoothly
and to a tight tolerance as they pass by the adhesive roller
to pick up the requisite charge controlled by a carefully
maintained clearance.
Similarly as the pallet oscillates as it contacts the static
label magazine the adhesive picks up the end label. Picker
fingers mounted on another adjacent rotating cylinder
remove individual labels from the pallets and hold them in
position so that they are transferred to firmly clamped bottles
passing at the appropriate moment. The synchronisation of
all the required operational movements of the pallets is vital
and there must be a high degree of conciliation between glue
components, labeller movements and bottle shape. Further
travel of the bottle, rotating past brushes, sponge pads and
belt rollers, firmly and without damage attaches the label in
intimate contact with the bottle.
That is the ideal situation if conditions are correct. Very
minor differences can cause poor presentation and some
times severe reduction in output. Some fault sensitive con
ditions have been mentioned already to which may be added
glue pattern and degree of tack, bottle temperature and dryness, label moisture content and shape, standard of cutting
and many more. The label may be coded for date or other

information prior to or after application. Schwartz21 com

prehensively describes as a text the equipment, the process,

the materials and the problems for those who would wish to
study the subject of labelling in depth.
Application of up-to-date principles ofsensing and analys
ing of the results now permit rational inspection of bottles in
their finished state after labelling and subsequent controlled
rejection into separate channels, for decanting if filling levels
are too low, or for stripping and relabelling if labels are at
fault. Even with neck foils obscuring filling levels to light
sensing, gamma ray inspection can penetrate the metal film
to obtain a closely defined reading, leaving banks of PEC's
or laser scanners to examine for other possible deficiencies.
Post labelling inspectors, if close coupled to each labeller,
eliminate any need for additional bottle filing or spacing.
Packaging & Palletising

Returnable bottles are packaged by machines which are

basically the same as unpackcrs but working in reverse.

Bottles are fed by conveyor onto marshalling levels where

they are controlled in a close packed mass to be picked up by

either belt or block mounted gripper cups for transfer to

crates. Correct spacing of the groups of bottles and their

527

alignment when they are placed in the crates are essential if

damage to the bottle dressing is to be avoided. Crates also
must be presentable and when they leave the unpacker they
are up-ended with some impact to remove all loose dirt and
rubbish. A washing process can follow possibly using deter
gent and high pressure sprays. Chemically aided cleaning
with the crate held immersed in a ultrasonic bath can produce
very good results and there are several plant developments
in this field. Crate cleaning costs are often not considered to
be worthwhile especially as much energy input for drying
ensues if bottle dressing is not to be damaged by packing in
wet cases. Storage, near or remote, for a supply of crates
equivalent to the bottle process capacity of the line, must be
considered but the arrangements will depend on such factors
as frequency of changing in types ofcases. If a line is running
for long periods on one type of crate automatic stacking in
crate magazines provides efficient and sufficient storage to
contend with normal line imbalance.

Plastic crates ultimately deteriorate due to the effects of

UV light2 and it is a good investment to maximise the use
of stabilising materials in the plastic. On-line detection of
seriously aged crates had been partially developed using
infra-red transmission techniques so that deteriorated crates
can be rejected along with others in which the damage is
more obvious. Since crates have a reasonable scrap value
only if they are all made of the same material it is economic
for a bottler to specify only one material of manufacture
for all his crates. It is useful too, when specifying crates to
build in moulded manufacturing codes and electronically
recognisable panels to facilitate sorting.
Non returnable bottles are packed in a variety of con
tainers often dictated to some extent by the bottle shape and

size. There is a tendency to treat the package and its bottles

as a design concept especially where it is retailed as a unit.

Packs of 3,4, or 6 bottles are usual and the outer pack in most
cases is of card wrapped around the bottles on the line. Its
integrity may be secured by interlocking tabs or hot melt
glue. The weight of the bottles is often utilised to increase the
security of interlocking, similar to the principle used in hoist
grapples and basket formations are fairly common.
Bottles which have not been tunnel pasteurised and there
fore are at low temperature when packaged, will attract con
densation and it is not advisable to shrink wrap them with
plastic as labels will be damaged by damp and unsightly
moulds, especially if nurtured by label adhesive and beer
residues.
Whatever the type of pack, it has to be compatible with
palletised handling. Returnable cases can be automatically
palletised directly and it is usual to have interlocking layer
patterns to form a stable pallet. If stability is in doubt pallets
can be made more secure by automatic taping or stretch
banding and usually this is only needed on the top layer.
Smaller one-trip bottle packs may be assembled into groups
in some form of intermediate package, e.g. trays or boxes, to
provide pallet stability. Palletising machines, like craters, are
fairly similar in design to their dissembly counterparts but a

description1 of some variations which occur in individual

makes should enhance this summary. It is possible to crate

and palletise returnable bottles on one combination machine
thus saving space and manning, but the complicated pro
cedure of size changing restricts efficient use to lines where no
changing is required.
Quality Control

Modern practices for the insurance of the specified quality

and quantity of product in a secure package of chosen size
and shape, dressed to a standard to match competitive mar
keting requirements, have tended to migrate from off line
quality control methods to on line production control. The
introduction of instruments which can be used by personnel
with little academic science training has helped this move. In

528

LOWE: BEER PACKAGING IN GLASS AND RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

some cases statistically designed sampling patterns provide

material to be examined on site by the line operator who
applies any correction necessary. The information may be
obtained direct from in line instruments which supply a
signal for automatic control, as in the cases quoted earlier
for filler level control or for selective rejection by bottle
inspection apparatus.
In other cases where instruments may need to be operated
by scientifically qualified personnel or the nature of the check
demands it, samples are still sent to the packaging labora

tory. A Cass Lecture by Wilson28 usefully describes many of

the areas of examination for control and details a variety of

faults found. Frequency and intensity of sampling may be
varied according to the incidence of faults and this flexibility
as well as instrumentation helps to limit the number of staff
employed for control purposes.
Environment
The prevention of excessive noise by adopting low pressure
or low speed conveying and variable control of line running
rate has been described earlier but other provisions can
be made to help keep noise levels down to recommended

levels14 of about 90 dB(A). Many of these are described

by Due9 along with other factors which affect working

conditions including lighting and decor, ventilation to

reduce heat and humidity, procedures for chemical hazards
and other safety considerations, and waste disposal. Cost
penalties frequently dictate the approach of management to
effluent and legislation may apply to any environmental
aspect. However good management recognises that sensible
provisions lead to long term efficiency and harmonious
running of the bottling line.
References
1. Anon, International Bonier and Packer. 1982, May, 50.
2. Bergh. Van de, H.S. European Brewery Convention 20th Proceedings
ofthe Congress. Helsinki, 1985, t.

[J. Inst. Brew.

3. The Brewers Society, UK Statistical Handbook. 1985.

4. The Brewers Society & The National Metrological Co-Ordinating
Unit, The A verage System of Quantity Control. Code of Practicefor
Beer Packaging. London, The Brewers Society, 1984.
5. British Standards, BS 6118: 1981, BS 1918: 1981, London, The
British Standards Institute, 1981.
6. Brown, H.T.. Journal of the Federated Institutes of Brewing. 1897,
111,467.

7. Clerck, De. J., trans by Barton-Wright, K., Text Book of Brewing.

London, Champman & Hall, Volume 1, Chapter XXII.

8. Dijk, van A., European Brewery Convention 18th Proceedings of the

Congress. Copenhagen, 1981,525.
9. Due, J., European Brewery Convention 18th Proceedings of the
Congress, Copenhagen, 1981,547.
10. Duncan, D.G., Brewers Digest, 1982,57, (2), 29.

11. Foy, C.F., The Principles & Practice ofAle. Beer and Stout Bottling.
London, Binstcad, 1955.
12. Flicker, R., Journal of the Institute of Brewing, 1984,90,146.
13. HackstafT, B.W., The Brewer. [981,67,76.
14. Health & Safety Executive, Code of Practicefor Reducing Exposure
ofEmployed Persons to Noise. London, HMSO, 1972.
15. Holstein & Kappcrt., H & K Journal 95, Holstein & Kappert,
Dortmund.
16. The Institute of Brewing and Allied Brewery Traders Association,
J.M.U.C. Report. Project No. SO, London, The Institute of Brewing,
1986.
17. Lloyd-Hind, H., Brewers Guild Journal. 1947, XXXIII, 121, 1948,
XXXIV.9,44,125,451,1949.XXXV.25.
18. Osgood, G., Brewers Guild Journal, 1950,26,41.
19. Pasteur, L, trans by Falkcner, F. & Robb, D.C., Studies on

Fermentation, London, McMillan and Co., 1879.

20. Puddick, A.J., Brewers Guardian, 1971 Centenary issue, 117.
21. Schwartz, V., Beer Packaging, Madison, Wisconsin USA, Master
Brewers Association of the Americas, 1982, Chapter X.
22. Silvey, B.L., Brewers Guild Journal, 1954, XL, 297.
23. Vogelpohl, H., Brauwelt, 1980,120, (22), 779.
24. The Weights and Measures Act, 1979, London, HMSO, 1979.
25. Wcitze, L. European Brewery Convention ISlh Proceedings of the
Congress. Copenhagen. 1981,559.
26. Wenger, I.H., Brauindustrie. 1983,68, (15), 271.
27. Wesley, D.C., The Brewer. 1986,72,128.
28. Wilson, J.H., Brewers Guardian. 1981,12,29.