Twenty years after revolutionizing the packaging of craft beer, we’ve branched into another brewed life enhancer: coffee. Canned coffee has become a growing beverage niche for us, with both coffee companies and beer makers looking to diversify their product lines. As they’ve done in craft beer, cans have become the package of choice in a “ready to drink” coffee segment that is expected to reach $18  billion in sales in the US in 2020.

Standard, Slim or Sleek!

Cask canning lines accommodate numerous coffee-appropriate can sizes, in any Standard, Slim or Sleek formats ranging from 163mL/5.5oz to 568mL/19.2oz with minimal changeover time.

Inline Scale & Auto Reject

An inline scale provides onscreen trending of can weights to 2g accuracy, in real time. Get instant operator feedback for fill consistency and adjustments, with an auto reject arm that automatically purges out-of-spec cans onto a catch tray.

Industry Leading Fill Tech

Cask’s level-sensing probes ensure more consistent fills than other technology (timed filling systems, for example),to eliminate variables in brite tank head pressure or temperature that can lead to over- or under-filled cans.

Cask System Features for Canned Coffee

  • Ultra-consistent liquid nitrogen dosing easily achieves 35 – 45 psi consistent can pressure, so each can delivers cascading pour and creamy mouthfeel crucial for the nitro-coffee experience.
  • Super-short distance from lid slide to seamer shrinks dose-to-seaming time for maximum consistency and reduced nitrogen burn off and gas costs.
  • Index-wheel seamer feed system and built-in algorithm create additional consistency in dose-to-seaming time.
  • Pre-purge and under-lid gassing can be either CO2 or nitrogen.
  • Cask canning lines accommodate numerous coffee-appropriate can sizes, in any Standard, Slim or Sleek formats, from 163mL/5.5oz to 568mL/19.2oz. Changeover time between differing can heights can be as quick as 30 minutes, and under 60 minutes when changing between diameters.
    • Multi-can-diameters versatility creates opportunity for packing other craft beverages including beer, cider, kombucha and soft drinks.
    • All Cask systems can be equipped with date coding gear for batch control and important “Best Before Date”

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Pre-Package Planning for Coffee

  • Cask and Ball Corporation will work closely with you to ensure that your coffee is ready for the mighty aluminum can. Coffee producers will submit a 64-oz sample of their product for testing by Ball chemists. Tests will cover corrosivity, pH, free SO2, copper and dissolved oxygen (DO) and other factors
  • Ball Corporation provides “retort” cans which are capable of withstanding a higher temperature to allow filled cans to undergo a retort pasteurization process.
  • State of California Proposition 65 compliant BPA Non-Intent (BPANI) liner is available from Ball Corporation.
    • BPA can come from many sources, including water used in beverages, metal pipes use to transport water and other ingredients used to make beverages.
    • Using BPANI linings means that no BPA was intentionally added to the lining by Ball or Ball’s suppliers. (Is it necessary to put this BPA info on this promo page

Technical Requirements for Cold Brew Canning

  • Pressurized tank to approx. 15 psi to feed the canning system.
  • Understanding of shelf stability, additives or pasteurization for microbial control and health and safety, and  regulations/approvals through the appropriate process authorities and applicable regulatory bodies.
  • Nitrogen supply and liquid nitrogen doser for shelf stability. Liquid nitrogen dosing is cost-effective way to increase beverage shelf life while providing can rigidity for shipping and distribution.
  • Two common steps for nitrogen in the cold brew canning process are:
    • Can pre-purge to evacuate oxygen from can immediately prior to filling with cold brew coffee.
    • Pre-seaming nitrogen dose to lower oxygen levels by displacing head-space oxygen, for improved shelf life and can integrity.
  • Nitro charging can also be done via brite tank prior to canning. This method can put more nitrogen in solution   (to create bubble cascade and creamy mouth feel), but does not replace need for nitrogen dosing post-fill and prior to seaming.

What are the benefits of a Cask canning system for
craft beer and cold brew coffee collaboration projects?

  • Shared two-company investment in system creates much lower operational cost for both parties and delivers higher utilization of the system.
  • Maximum efficiency and expertise by combining bean-to-cup coffee expertise with brewer knowhow for production and packaging of cold beverages.
  • Ultra-flexible mACS and ACS V5 designs handles multiple can diameters with quick changeover between sizes, and is nitro-doser ready for shifting from beer to uncarbonated coffee.
  • Craft beer and craft coffee share a similar audience, so brewers and coffee makers reap collaborative marketing benefits and options for coffee-enhanced beers.