BeerPaq CarboPouch looks odd, keeps beer fresh

There’s nothing like kicking back with a cold bottle of beer on, well, any day really. But if Beverage Pouch Group LLC has its way, you may soon be sipping your favorite artisanal ale from a plastic pouch. The BeerPaQ CarboPouch line of beverage packs looks like something astronauts might use to pack their brewskies on the Interational Space Station, but the manufacturer says they are an ideal container for small craft breweries and micro brewers.

CarboPouches look similar to the juice or milk pouches currently on the market. Unlike juice or milk pouches, the CarboPounch container is strong enough, and flexible enough, to hold beer or other carbonated beverages.

Most big brewers sell their beer in glass bottles or aluminum cans. But for small craft breweries and micro brewers, bottles and cans have a few drawbacks including price and handling issues.

Bottles weigh a lot and can break easily, which makes them harder to ship. They also let in light, which damages the beer over time. The filling process for bottles leaves an airspace between the bottle cap and the beer. This air can eventually interact with the beer and affect the flavor. Most beer drinkers prefer bottles, but aluminum cans have some advantages over glass. Cans block light and are not as fragile, however the flavor-barrier lining inside beer cans can degrade over time and affect the quality of the beer. To top it off, few small brewers can afford a canning operation.

The Beverage Pouch Group says the advantages of the BeerPaQ CarboPouch include lighter weight and smaller storage size (when empty). The CarboPouch also blocks light and prevents any air from contacting the beer. The filling process does not leave any headspace so only the natural CO2 from the beer is in the pouch, which has been designed with some “give” to accommodate carbonation. CarboPouches also feature an “orangoleptic film” liner to protect the flavor of the beer.

The CarboPouch does not require a bottling line or canning line apparatus. Filling can be done manually or using automated equipment to accommodate the scale of the brewing operation. Unlike bottles and cans however, storage and shelf-life does require refrigeration.

CarboPouches pack small when they are empty for easier storage at the brewing plant, and for easier clean up on a picnic or at a sporting event. CarboPouches won’t shatter like glass, which is another advantage at sporting events or other public occasions.

BeerPaQ CarboPouches are available in three capacities: the Single25 holds 8oz (.24l), the Single45 holds 16oz (.47l), and the StandUp Multi64 holds 64oz (1.8l ).

For pricing and other information visit Beverage Pouch Group LLC.