A PET bottle for craft beer
“Beer … a high and mighty liquor,” said Gaius Julius Caesar, a famous beer lover. The drink’s origins go all the way back to ancient civilisations but the manufacturing process has evolved. Beer was first brewed only for family or neighbourhood consumption; commercialisation came later. Today’s packaging is the latest step in that evolution.
What is the relationship today between beer and PET? Today, beer in a plastic bottle is common in some countries but novel in others. The fact that PET bottles quickly grow their market share shows that this type of packaging has several advantages
Do PET bottles “look right”? They can have glass-like appearance; they are transparent but also unbreakable. PET is resistant to damage and easy to transport. It is recyclable into other uses and has a much lower carbon footprint than glass, as PET Technologies’ joint project with Bierwelle Brewery demonstrates.
What do the two companies have in common? Primarily technology: for brewing a malty beverage, on one side, and to blow-mould containers on the other. An elegant and resilient amber PET bottle is where two meet.
What about aesthetic appeal? PET Technologies developed the physical design; the decorative elements reflect Bierwelle’s corporate identity. The font used for the brand name confirms brand recognition.
How is the bottle produced? Bierwelle’s craft brewery makes 31.4 g PET bottles on UPF-5 stretch blow moulding machines. Tests conducted at PET Technologies’ laboratory confirmed that the bottle can cope with 7 – 8 bar internal pressure, without deformation.
How long have the two companies been working together? This is PET Technologies’ second project with Bierwelle. The first was an “authentic” container decorated with the views of the city of Chernihiv, the brewery’s birthplace.
The collaboration has produced an ergonomic bottle that maintains the quality and characteristics of the beer inside.
