RPC Bramlage Gives DraughtMaster Perfect Closure
The keg closure is one of the key components and RPC Bramlage worked closely with Carlsberg over an extensive testing period to ensure optimum functionality.
18/08/06 RPC Bramlage’s expertise in injection moulding has been instrumental in the development of DraughtMaster, Carlsberg’s revolutionary new system for draught beer, for which the company has manufactured a unique multi-functional closure.
DraughtMaster represents an answer to the brewing industry’s Holy Grail – a cost-effective method of serving draught beer in smaller bars. Traditionally, such outlets have suffered because larger kegs cannot be consumed quickly enough to maintain product quality. Carlsberg’s solution, three years in development, uses a high barrier 20 litre plastic keg and a unique refrigerated chamber to deliver fresh beer from the tap for up to 21 days.
The keg closure is one of the key components and RPC Bramlage worked closely with Carlsberg over an extensive testing period to ensure optimum functionality. The key criterion was that the closure is impossible to open outside of the refrigerated chamber, to ensure that the beer cannot be tampered with or exposed to oxygen. In addition, the closure needed to withstand significant pressure from the beer.
RPC Bramlage’s design consists of nine parts, including a durable seal to the keg, a connecting tube to the DraughtMaster chamber, and an ingenious piercing device. The closure itself is injection moulded in high impact polypropylene.
A high barrier sealing foil is placed between the keg and the closure to help maintain the product quality. When the keg is placed in the pressurised DraughtMaster chamber, the foil is pierced and the beer flows from the keg to the tap.
Unlike refillable steel kegs, with their associated transportation and cleaning costs, the DraughtMaster keg is one-way. The keg gradually collapses as the beer is dispensed and can be easily disposed of, providing further cost-efficiency for small establishments.
DraughtMaster is also available in a smaller 5 litre version for home use, providing consumers with the opportunity to enjoy fresh, chilled draught beer from the tap. RPC Bramlage has supplied an adapted version of the closure design suitable for the home system.
“DraughtMaster is an important step forward in draught beer technology and RPC Bramlage’s contribution has been invaluable in ensuring that the system maintains product quality and is easy for bar staff and home consumers to use,” comments Jan Nørager Rasmussen of Carlsberg.
