The 2021 Craft Brewers Conference was once again held in Denver at the Colorado Convention Center recently, and although attendance was down, we did get to re-connect with much of the brewing community. COVID-19 protocols such as mask wearing and social distancing were in place, and stickers were provided to communicate your “COVID Comfort Level.” The choices were red, yellow, or green: red for those uncomfortable with physical engagement, yellow for those comfortable with limited physical engagement such as elbow bumps, and green for “come on in and get a hug!”. It was a great way to engage respectfully and appropriately with others at the show.

Our Krones inline Autocol labeler for cans gained a lot of attention at the booth. The pressure sensitive version of the labeler allows maximum flexibility when labeling cans with self-adhesive reel-fed labels up to 250 cans per minute – a perfect option when searching for a compact, yet highly accurate solution. This particular labeler is manufactured at our primary US operations in Franklin, WI. Our thanks to our friends at pFriem Family Brewers for allowing us to showcase this brand-new labeler headed to their facility this week.

Also gaining attention was our LitePac Top – a sustainable secondary packaging solution for cans made as a renewable cardboard clip. Attendees noted the minimum use of packaging material and the comfort to carry. Four-pack and six-pack versions were on display, as well as the newest innovation from the LitePac series: a cardboard clip which provides coverage over the top of the can for added sanitary protection. The cans can be correctly aligned with the corresponding machine technology so that the brand logo is prominently positioned on the shop shelf, or so that multiple can designs can be combined into a single design.

In the booth we also displayed a Sprinkman Dry Hop Skid which in fact sold from the show floor! Also manufactured at our Franklin, WI, USA facility, the skid enables the addition of hops to be optimized, dissolving pellets quickly yet gently. In tests by brewers, they were able to use up to 20 percent fewer hops without impairing the quality of the resulting brew. The cart can also dose fruit purees and pieces as well as cocoa nibs, coffee, and more, making it a highly versatile piece of equipment at a minimal investment.

Rounding out the offerings were hygienic valves and pumps from Evoguard, including a centrifugal pump, butterfly valves, mixproof valves, and double seat valves for separation of media such as CIP, water or gases.  The Evoguard valve and pump series comprises a modular system of components that contributes to high performance throughout the production line.

It was great to see our brewing friends again and we are looking forward to reuniting soon at the Craft Brewers Conference in Minneapolis, MN, May 2-5, 2022!