Shipping Containers: Craft Beer Business
Shipping Containers: Craft Beer Business
Photo: Bend Bulletin
Craft beer is popular right now and the trend seems to growing and expanding. What exactly is craft beer? The Brewers Association, the trade industry group for craft beer, defines craft breweries as ones that are “small, independent and traditional.” Coors light and Bud Light are not cutting it any more, beer lovers are looking for new and unique tastes. People want more flavors in their beer such as IPAs, seasonal beers, porters, and stouts. Lets face it, craft beer simply taste better. People have a choice now, a variation in flavors and styles of beer. Just like people evolve so does the beer industry. People are turning to local breweries for more quality beer rather than an expensive marketing campaign. Crafts brewer put their heart and soul into the process of making the beer and make sure not to cut any corners. Drinking beer is a great time to socialize and trying new craft beers is an experience. Similar to wine tasting, people want to explore the smells, tastes, and consistency, turning people into beer connoisseurs. There is a place in San Diego called Barrel Republic, where they promote the idea of “freedom to pour.” Barrel Republic offers 60-tap self-serve system, designed by iPourIt, includes 48 rotating handles of craft beer, with four handicap-accessible taps.
When Carolyn Cobb opened Big Dog Growlers in Bend, Oregon, she pursued the idea of creating a kegerator out of a shipping container. She turned a shipping container into a mobile, 29-tap kegerator. Cobb did not want to be tied down to leasing a space because usually businesses consider the cooler as a part of their space. By creating a kegerator out of a shipping container, she has the freedom and flexibility to control the future of her business. Instead Cobb’s equity is in her shipping container and she can take it wherever she goes.
With the growing trend, comes new and innovative ways to not only serve beer but to make beer as well. Craft brewers are continuing to experiment with unique new beers and beer styles. With the mobility and flexibility, shipping containers are the perfect place to serve and brew great beer. In London, one man constructed his own microbrewery out of two 40’ shipping containers. A tap room was set up that serves beer straight out of the 1,000-liter condition tanks. The low cost of shipping containers helps with the overall cost of starting a new venture and helps with rapidly expanding the business. With a rolling lease, by using shipping containers, you have the ability to take your brewery and plot on a new piece of land.
Photo: Fastcodesign
Advantages of Microbreweries in a Shipping Container:
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Mobility
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Expandability
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Fast and cheap production
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Independence from a specific location- Brew in various locations in the different times of year.
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Flexibility
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Space-saving
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Compact
Photo: Czech Mini Breweries
Lagunitas Brewing Company out of Petaluma, CA is using re-purposed shipping containers to create a energy saving wastewater treatment facility. Lagunitas is known for having, bold, hoppy, and delectable beers. However, since California has been dealing with a water shortage crisis, it is the time to find innovative alternatives for water management and sustainability goals. Lagunitas has teamed up with Cambrian Innovation to create the world’s first bio-electrically enhanced wastewater treatment system. According to the Matthew Silver, CEO of Cambrian Innovation, “Beverage companies across the country are rightfully concerned about rising energy and water costs. Yet, wastewater itself contains energy. The Cambrian EcoVolt system uses recent advances in biotechnology to capture this energy, turning waste-water from a hassle to a revenue source.” With the popularity of craft beer continuing to grow rapidly, there is the reoccurring issue of how to handle wastewater cropped up. This new system will cut operating costs, monetize their system, and with helping to increase plant sustainability. According to Lagunitas CFO Leon Sharyon, “…those traditional systems looked like industrial power plants, but the EcoVolt ships self-contained, literally, in a shipping container. Its smallness is huge on so many levels.” Especially since any energy created that Lagunitas does not use can be put back on the grid for Petaluma.
Photo: Shipped
“Developed with assistance from the National Science Foundation, EcoVolt uses electrogenic organisms to generate clean energy from wastewater. These recently discovered organisms convert wastewater pollutants into electricity, which is subsequently funneled to a circuit and back into an electrode where a different set of microorganisms convert electricity and carbon dioxide into methane fuel—forming a complete treatment process. The methane can be used on-site for clean power and heat production.” – Source: Cambrian Innovation
Photo: Shipped
“Developed with assistance from the National Science Foundation, EcoVolt uses electrogenic organisms to generate clean energy from wastewater. These recently discovered organisms convert wastewater pollutants into electricity, which is subsequently funneled to a circuit and back into an electrode where a different set of microorganisms convert electricity and carbon dioxide into methane fuel—forming a complete treatment process. The methane can be used on-site for clean power and heat production.” – Source: Cambrian Innovation
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At Container Technology our staff has over 75 years combined experience in the storage container industry. For more information about standard ISO containers or general container modifications please give us a call at (877) 670-0229 or fill out an online quote form.
Container Technology is a member of the Container Alliance Partnership offering portable storage containers for sale as well as shipping containers for rent across north America, for more information visit Container Alliance.
